Michael Tornikes, protospatharios and judge of the Hippodrome and of the Anatolikoi (eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of a richly clothed saint wearing on top of an elaborate hairstyle an oriental cap. Visible at l.: Ο|Α|ΓΙ|O|Σ: Ὁ ἅγιος .... Border of dots.
Obverse
Bust of a richly clothed saint wearing on top of an elaborate hairstyle an oriental cap. Visible at l.: Ο|Α|ΓΙ|O|Σ: Ὁ ἅγιος .... Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
+ΜΙΧΑΗ
Α,ΣΠΑΘ,ΚΡ
Τ,ΕΠΙΤ,ΙΠΠ
Δ,ΤΝΑ
Τ,ΤΤΟΡ
ΝΗΚ
Μιχαὴλ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ κριτῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου καὶ τῶν Ἀνατολικῶν τῷ Τορνήκῃ
Accession number | BZS.1958.106.2426 |
---|---|
Diameter | 26.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 3, no. 86.31. |
Translation
Μιχαὴλ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ κριτῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου καὶ τῶν Ἀνατολικῶν τῷ Τορνήκῃ.
Michael Tornikes, protospatharios and judge of the Hippodrome and of the Anatolikoi.
Bibliography
- 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. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Documents de sigillographie byzantine: La collection C. Orghidan (Open in Zotero)
- Sceaux byzantins du Musée National de Varsovie (Open in Zotero)
- Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The saint represented on the obverse could be St. Zacharias, the prophet Aaron, or St. Daniel. Cf. our comments in DOSeals 2.44.13 (BZS 1955.1.3050). A judge by the name of Tornikes was active at the tribunal of the Hippodrome shortly before 1028. (Peira 49.4). The seal of a Michael Tornikes is published in Corinth XII, no. 2819.