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Leo imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Kibyrraiotai (tenth/eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

A patriarchal cross (x at both crossbars) set on a base of steps with fleurons rising on both sides up to first crossbar. Within a border of dots, a circular inscription along the circumference:

ΚΕΟΗΘΕΙΤΣΔΟΥΛ,

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of five lines; bottom line not preserved. Border of dots.

λεον
τισπ
θρ,στρ
τιγ,τ,κιβΥ
....

Λέοντι β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθαρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) στρατιγ(ῷ) τ(ῶν) Κιβυ[ρεοτ(ῶν)]

Obverse

A patriarchal cross (x at both crossbars) set on a base of steps with fleurons rising on both sides up to first crossbar. Within a border of dots, a circular inscription along the circumference:

ΚΕΟΗΘΕΙΤΣΔΟΥΛ,

Κ(ύρι)ε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)

Reverse

Inscription of five lines; bottom line not preserved. Border of dots.

λεον
τισπ
θρ,στρ
τιγ,τ,κιβΥ
....

Λέοντι β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθαρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) στρατιγ(ῷ) τ(ῶν) Κιβυ[ρεοτ(ῶν)]

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.76
Diameter 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 2, no. 59.25a. Cf. a similar specimen of the British Museum, published by Birch, no. 17533 (partially read).

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

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Λέοντι βασιλικῷ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ καὶ στρατιγῷ τῶν Κιβυρεοτῶν.

Lord, help your servant Leo imperial protospatharios and strategos of the Kibyrraiotai.

Commentary

The reading of this seal has been confirmed with reference to the parallel specimen from the same boulloterion (linked to this entry).

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 2: South of the Balkans, the Islands, South of Asia Minor (Open in Zotero)
  • Karallia, Kibyra Minor, and Mylome/Justinianupolis (Open in Zotero)
  • Theophanis Chronographia (Open in Zotero)
  • Ioannis Zonarae Epitome Historiarum (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische metrologische Quellen (Open in Zotero)
  • De Administrando Imperio (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierosolymitikē Vivliothēkē, ētoi Katalogos tōn en tais vivliothēkais : tou hagiōtatou apostolikou te kai katholikou orthodoxou patriarchikou thronou tōn Hierosolymōn kai pasēs Palaistinēs apokeimenōn Hellēnikōn Kōdikōn (Open in Zotero)
  • Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
  • Les sceaux byzantins de la Collection Henri Seyrig (Open in Zotero)
  • Du stratège de thème au duc: chronologie de l’évolution au cours du XIe siècle (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)
  • Τὸ ναυτικὸ θέμα τῶν Κιβυρραιωτῶν: Συμβολὴ στὸ πρόβλημα τῆς ἴδρυσής Του (Open in Zotero)
  • Cibyrra et Cibyrréotes (Open in Zotero)