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John Aidesimos, first chartoularios of the Nea Ekklesia (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription of four lines, preceded and followed by decoration. Border of dots.


τοναι
δεσιμον
εκγενουσ
ιαννην


τὸν Αἰδέσιμον ἐκ γένους Ἰωάννην

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, preceded by decoration. Border of dots.


νεαστε
πρτον
χαρτλα
ρινγρα
φ

Νέας τε πρῶτον χαρτουλαρίων γράφω

Obverse

Inscription of four lines, preceded and followed by decoration. Border of dots.


τοναι
δεσιμον
εκγενουσ
ιαννην


τὸν Αἰδέσιμον ἐκ γένους Ἰωάννην

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, preceded by decoration. Border of dots.


νεαστε
πρτον
χαρτλα
ρινγρα
φ

Νέας τε πρῶτον χαρτουλαρίων γράφω

Accession number BZS.1958.106.5205
Diameter 19.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5 no. 48.2b.

Translation

τὸν Αἰδέσιμον ἐκ γένους Ἰωάννην Νέας τε πρῶτον χαρτουλαρίων γράφω.

I have inscribed John, Aidesimos by descent and first chartoularios of the Nea.

Commentary

Two twelve-syllable verses. The reading has been restored with reference to the better preserved parallel from the same boulloterion: BZS 1958.106.5528.

The Nea Ekklesia was a sanctuary built in the Great Palace in 880 by Basil I and consecrated to the Mother of God, St. Elias, St. Michael, and St. Nicholas. The ceremony commemorating its inauguration was marked by a procession departing from the church of the Theotokos of the Pharos and leading to the Nea, where a liturgy was celebrated followed by a banquet in the Chrysotriklinos (Listes, 214; ODB 2:1146). By the twelfth century the church had become a monastery. From the fact that chartoularioi and oikonomoi were attached to the church we may infer that the church enjoyed revenues from extensive estates.

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)
  • Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
  • Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (Open in Zotero)