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Michael spatharokandidatos and tourmarches of Strobilos (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. George holding α spear and round shield. Inscription in two columns: |.ε|ορ|γ,|ο,: Ὁ ἅγιος Γεόργιος. No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

...ΧΑΗ
...ΠΑΘΚΑ
..ΔΤΡ
.ΑΡΧΣΤ
ΡΟΙΛ

Μιχαὴλ βασιλικῷ σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ καὶ τρουμάρχ Στροβίλου

Obverse

Bust of St. George holding α spear and round shield. Inscription in two columns: |.ε|ορ|γ,|ο,: Ὁ ἅγιος Γεόργιος. No visible border.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

...ΧΑΗ
...ΠΑΘΚΑ
..ΔΤΡ
.ΑΡΧΣΤ
ΡΟΙΛ

Μιχαὴλ βασιλικῷ σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ καὶ τρουμάρχ Στροβίλου

Accession number BZS.1958.106.5080
Diameter 25.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 2, no. 80.3.

Translation

Μιχαὴλ βασιλικῷ σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ καὶ τρουμάρχῃ Στροβίλου.

Michael imperial spatharokandidatos and toumarches of Strobilos.

Commentary

Strobilos (today Aspat or Çufut kalesi) is a port and fortress on a conical hill overlooking the straits between the Karian coast and Kos; it is attested from the 8th century onward. It was the seat of an archon; in the 11th century at least, it became the seat of a tourmarches (DO Seals 2, no. 80.2 and 80.3). See Zakythinos, Meletai 25, 148-49; C. Foss, "Strobilos and Related Sites," Anatolian Studies 38 (1988) 147-74; ODB III, 1667-68.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 2: South of the Balkans, the Islands, South of Asia Minor (Open in Zotero)
  • Μελέται περὶ τῆς διοικητικῆς διαιρέσεως καὶ τῆς ἐπαρχιακῆς διοικήσεως ἐν τῷ βυζαντινῷ κράτει (Open in Zotero)
  • Strobilos and Related Sites (Open in Zotero)