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Euphemianos of the monastery of (Christ) Philanthropos (twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Christ standing on a dais with palm trees at left and right. Sigla: ΙΣ̅ΧΣ̅:  Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Inscription: ο|φη|λανθρ|πο|σ : ὁ Φηλάνφρωπος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Border of dots.

ευφη
μινον
φιλ̅ν̅ε
σκεπε

Εὐφημιανόν, ὦ Φιλάν(θρωπ)ε, σκέπε

Obverse

Christ standing on a dais with palm trees at left and right. Sigla: ΙΣ̅ΧΣ̅:  Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Inscription: ο|φη|λανθρ|πο|σ : ὁ Φηλάνφρωπος. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines. Border of dots.

ευφη
μινον
φιλ̅ν̅ε
σκεπε

Εὐφημιανόν, ὦ Φιλάν(θρωπ)ε, σκέπε

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4979
Diameter 21.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 56.1; Laurent, Corpus 5.3: no. 1910. Cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 830.

Translation

Εὐφημιανόν, ὦ Φιλάνθρωπε, σκέπε.

You who love mankind, watch over Euphemianos.

Commentary

Twelve-syllable verse. Euphemianos' office is not mentioned, but he was likely a monk or hegoumenos.

Although the specimen was cast with a channel, and is thus a seal, we note that the blank was at the same time cast with a hook at top, allowing the seal to be worn as a medallion.

The monastery of Christ Philanthropos, situated near the Blachernae Church, was founded by the empress Irene, the wife of Alexios I Komnenos: Janin, Églises: 525–27.

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)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (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)
  • Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 1, Siegellegenden von Alpha bis inclusive My (Open in Zotero)