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John Philaretos ostiarios and ek prosopou of the Myrelaion (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. John Kalybites, holding a cross in his right hand and a book in his left. Inscription in two columns: |Ι̅|Οκα|λι|ι|τ,: Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης) ὁ Καλιβίτ(ης). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.

κε̅,θ,
ι̅οστια
ρ,Sεκπρ
σπ,τμυ
ρελετ
φ,λ,ρετ,

Κ(ύριε) β(οή)θ(ει) Ἰω(άννῃ) ὀστιαρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) ἐκ πρωσώπ(ου) τοῦ Μυρελέου τῷ Φ(ι)λ(α)ρέτ(ῳ)

Obverse

Bust of St. John Kalybites, holding a cross in his right hand and a book in his left. Inscription in two columns: |Ι̅|Οκα|λι|ι|τ,: Ὁ ἅ(γιος) Ἰω(άννης) ὁ Καλιβίτ(ης). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.

κε̅,θ,
ι̅οστια
ρ,Sεκπρ
σπ,τμυ
ρελετ
φ,λ,ρετ,

Κ(ύριε) β(οή)θ(ει) Ἰω(άννῃ) ὀστιαρ(ίῳ) (καὶ) ἐκ πρωσώπ(ου) τοῦ Μυρελέου τῷ Φ(ι)λ(α)ρέτ(ῳ)

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4964
Diameter 23.0 mm; field: 21.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 46.1.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει Ἰωάννῃ ὀστιαρίῳ καὶ ἐκ πρωσώπου τοῦ Μυρελέου τῷ Φιλαρέτῳ.

Lord, help John Philaretos, ostiarios and ek prosopou of Myrelaion.

Commentary

St. John Kalybites possessed a "golden book," which he passed on to his mother at his death. As noted in Seibt–Zarnitz (154), John Philaretos was a eunuch and was involved with the administration of Myrelaion's properties. Other members of the family include an Epiphanios Philaretos, magsitros and protasekretis, and a Romanos Philaretos, protonobelissimos.

The Myrelaion, located west of the Forum Tauri, was a mansion to which Romanos I Lekapenos added a church between 920 and 922; he then organized the whole into a nunnery (see ODB 2:1428–29 and Janin, Églises, 351–54). Its property included domains of Miletus and the whole island of Leros, which it received from Anna Dalassene, the mother of Emperor Alexios Komnenos. It possessed a sekreton, of which two members, who were responsible for the administration of imperial domains, are known from seals published in Zacos, Seals II: Constantine protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and grand kourator of Myrelaion (no. 973, eleventh century); and Michael protospatharios, praipositos epi tou koitonos, and grand kourator of Myrelaion (no. 1017, eleventh century).

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Volume 5: The East (continued), Constantinople and Environs, Unknown Locations, Addenda, Uncertain Readings (Open in Zotero)
  • Das byzantinische Bleisiegel als Kunstwerk: Katalog zur Ausstellung (Open in Zotero)
  • Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)
  • La géographie ecclésiastique de l’empire byzantin, Vol. 1, Le siège de Constantinople et le patriarcat oecuménique, Pt. 3, Les églises et les monastères (Open in Zotero)
  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)