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Orestes monk, imperial cleric, and chartophylax (tenth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin, nimbate, with the medallion of Christ before her. Circular inscription within a border of dots.

ΥΠΕΡΑΓ............

Ὑπεραγία Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σδούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription in five lines. Border of dots.

Ο....
ΗΜΟΝΑ
.ΚΛΗ
.ΧΑΡΤΟ
.ΥΛΑΚ,

ρεστῃ μοναχῷ βασιλικῷ κληρικῷ καὶ χαρτοφύλακι

Obverse

Bust of the Virgin, nimbate, with the medallion of Christ before her. Circular inscription within a border of dots.

ΥΠΕΡΑΓ............

Ὑπεραγία Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σδούλῳ

Reverse

Inscription in five lines. Border of dots.

Ο....
ΗΜΟΝΑ
.ΚΛΗ
.ΧΑΡΤΟ
.ΥΛΑΚ,

ρεστῃ μοναχῷ βασιλικῷ κληρικῷ καὶ χαρτοφύλακι

Accession number BZS.1958.106.47
Diameter 24.0 mm; field: 21.0 mm
Previous Editions

Laurent, Corpus V/1, no. 85.

Translation

Ὑπεραγία Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Ὀρεστῃ μοναχῷ βασιλικῷ κληρικῷ καὶ χαρτοφύλακι.

All-holy Theotokos, help your servant Orestes, monk, imperial cleric, and chartophylax.

Commentary

Although much of the name is chipped away, Laurent was correct that it can be restored as a result of the lack of other names that stat with Ο and end with Η in the dative. This is likely the same Orestes the chartophylax who is mentioned in a correspondence of the second quarter of the tenth century (Byzantion 24 (1954), 405-06, 430).