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John metropolitan of Edessa (twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with a medallion of Christ on her breast. Sigla: ̅-θ̅υ : Μή(τηρ) Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, preceded by a cross. Border of dots.

+
θ̅κεRοη
θειι̅τρ,
πολιτου
εδεσου

Θ(εοτό)κε βοήθει Ἰω(άννου) μητρ(ο)πολίτου Ἐδέσου

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin orans with a medallion of Christ on her breast. Sigla: ̅-θ̅υ : Μή(τηρ) Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, preceded by a cross. Border of dots.

+
θ̅κεRοη
θειι̅τρ,
πολιτου
εδεσου

Θ(εοτό)κε βοήθει Ἰω(άννου) μητρ(ο)πολίτου Ἐδέσου

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4817
Diameter 25.0 mm; field: 18.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 73.3.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Ἰωάννου μητροπολίτου Ἐδέσου.

Mother of God, help John, metropolitan of Edessa.

Commentary

John is not known from other sources. His election and appointment to the see of Edessa are probably related to the military successes of the Byzantines against the Crusader states in the twelfth century.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 4: The East (Open in Zotero)
  • Vizantijskie praviteli Edessy v XI v. (Open in Zotero)
  • Die Ostgrenze des byzantinischen Reiches: von 363 bis 1071 nach griechischen, arabischen, syrischen und armenischen Quellen (Open in Zotero)
  • Des Grecs aux Croisés: Etude sur l’histoire d’Edesse entre 1071 et 1098 (Open in Zotero)
  • Eastern Turkey: An Architectural and Archaeological Survey (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Dictionnaire d’histoire et de géographie ecclésiastiques (Open in Zotero)
  • Hierarchia Ecclesiastica Orientalis: Series episcoporum ecclesiarum christianarum orientalium (Open in Zotero)