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Michael Lizix asekretis and judge of Iberia (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Michael holding a scepter in his right hand. Remains of an inscription on left: χ|α. : [ὁ Μι]χα(ήλ). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.

κε..
σδμι
ασηκρητ
Sκριτ,ιRη
ριαστλι
.ικι

Κ(ύρι)ε [β(οή)θ(ει) τ]ῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ) Μι[χ(αὴλ)] ἀσηκρῆτ(ις) (καὶ) κριτ(ῇ) Ἰβηρίας τῷ Λί[ζ]ικι

Obverse

Bust of St. Michael holding a scepter in his right hand. Remains of an inscription on left: χ|α. : [ὁ Μι]χα(ήλ). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.

κε..
σδμι
ασηκρητ
Sκριτ,ιRη
ριαστλι
.ικι

Κ(ύρι)ε [β(οή)θ(ει) τ]ῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ) Μι[χ(αὴλ)] ἀσηκρῆτ(ις) (καὶ) κριτ(ῇ) Ἰβηρίας τῷ Λί[ζ]ικι

Accession number BZS.1958.106.865
Diameter 26.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 4, no. 75.4.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Μιχαὴλ ἀσηκρῆτις καὶ κριτῇ Ἰβηρίας τῷ Λίζικι.

Lord, help your servant Michael Lizix, asekretis and judge of Iberia.

Commentary

Lizix is attested as a first name in the VIIIth c. (Laurent, Corpus II, no. 691) and as a family name in the XIth-XIIth (S. G. Mercati, “Versi di Basilio Cecaumeno in morte di Anastasio Lizix,” SBN 1 [1925] 149-166; cf. P. Gautier, “Monodies inédites de Michel Psellos,” REB 36 [1978] 86-91). A Michael Lizix is attested in the twelfth century, while Psellos a century earlier mentions an Anastasios Lizix and another one whose first name is not known and who must have been an asekretis, since Psellos dictated a pittakion to him (Sathas, MB V, 241). No secure identification is possible.

Bibliography