Paul, metropolitan of Nicaea (eighth/ninth century)
Obverse
The Virgin standing, holding the Child. On either side, block monograms reading Θεοτόκε and βοήθη. Wreath border.
Θεοτόκε βοήθη
Reverse
In the center, a cruciform monogram reading Παύλῳ. Along the circumference, between the inner circle of dots and outer wreath border, an inscription beginning at 12 o'clock:
+ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛ..ΗΝΙΚΑΙΑΣ
Παύλῳ μητροπολιτῃ Νηκαίας
Obverse
The Virgin standing, holding the Child. On either side, block monograms reading Θεοτόκε and βοήθη. Wreath border.
Θεοτόκε βοήθη
Reverse
In the center, a cruciform monogram reading Παύλῳ. Along the circumference, between the inner circle of dots and outer wreath border, an inscription beginning at 12 o'clock:
+ΜΗΤΡΟΠΟΛ..ΗΝΙΚΑΙΑΣ
Παύλῳ μητροπολιτῃ Νηκαίας
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.4830 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 28.0 mm; field: 25.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 3 no. 59.11. |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθη Παύλῳ μητροπολίτῃ Νικαίας.
Mother of God, help Paul, metropolitan of Nicaea.
Bibliography
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 3: West, Northwest, and Central Asia Minor and the Orient (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
- Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, vol. 2, Les églises et les monastères des grands centres byzantins (Open in Zotero)
- Die Städte Kleinasiens im 7. und 8. Jahrhundert (Open in Zotero)
- De Thematibus (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Zacos-Veglery dated this specimen to the seventh or eighth century. Granted, the letter forms are archaic and could justify such a date; but we prefer to place it in the years of the iconophile reaction (between 787-815) because of the iconography of the obverse and of the existence of a second border of dots on the reverse.