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Leo Hexakionites, spatharokandidatos and judge (or protonotarios) of Chaldia and of Derzene (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

+.εR
τσδ
.εοντ/
.παθ,κ
--

[Κ(ύρι)]ε β[οήθει] τῷ σῷ δ[ούλῳ Λ]έοντ(ι) [σ]παθ(αρο)κ(αν)δ(ι)δ(άτῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a decoration below.

....
αλδ.α
.δερζ.
ν.τεξ.
κ,νιτ,
- -

[(καὶ) κριτῇ Χ]αλδ[ί]α(ς) [(καὶ)] Δερζ[η]ν[ῆς] τῷ Ἑξ[α]κ(ιο)νίτ(ῃ)

Obverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

+.εR
τσδ
.εοντ/
.παθ,κ
--

[Κ(ύρι)]ε β[οήθει] τῷ σῷ δ[ούλῳ Λ]έοντ(ι) [σ]παθ(αρο)κ(αν)δ(ι)δ(άτῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a decoration below.

....
αλδ.α
.δερζ.
ν.τεξ.
κ,νιτ,
- -

[(καὶ) κριτῇ Χ]αλδ[ί]α(ς) [(καὶ)] Δερζ[η]ν[ῆς] τῷ Ἑξ[α]κ(ιο)νίτ(ῃ)

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.400
Diameter 25.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 61.4.

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Λέοντι σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ καὶ κριτῇ Χαλδίας καὶ Δερζηνῆς τῷ Ἑξακιονίτῃ.

Lord, help your servant Leo Hexakionites, spatharokandidatos and judge of Chaldia and Derzene.

Commentary

Probably identical to Leo Hexakionites, protonotarios of the Opsikion and of the Armenian themes (see BZS.1958.106.3892). Instead of κριτῇ one could also restore (πρωτο)νοτ(αρίῳ). Without a better preserved parallel specimen there is no way of deciding between the two.

Modern Tercan, Derzene was on the road from Erzincan to Erzerum. The creation of this theme is attested by 948-952 (De Adm. Imp. ch. 53, l. 507; see also Commentary, 209). Cf. Listes, 241 and n. 12, 358. Our seals show that the civil administration of Derzene was often given to officials who exercised a mandate in nearby Chaldia. See also Lihacev, IZIGI, pl. VI, 14.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • De Administrando Imperio (Open in Zotero)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • Istoriceskoe znacenie italo-greceskoj ikonopisi: Izobra zenija Bogomatera v prozvedenijah italo-greceskih ikonopiscev i ih vlijanie na kompozicii nekotoryh proslavlennyh russkih ikon (Open in Zotero)