Nomos 38

BYZANTINE SEALS, The Oikonomeion - The Treasury - of Haghia Sofia. Constantinople. Early 12th century. Seal (Lead, 56 mm, 105.18 g, 12 h). Η ΑΓΙΑ - CΟΦΙΑ / ΜΗΡ - ΘV The Virgin, nimbate, seated facing on a backless throne and holding the infant Christ, nimbate, seated facing on her lap and raising his right hand in benediction; on the left and on the right, five emperors, crowned and wearing a loros, standing facing, their heads inclined toward the Virgin, and each offering her a scroll listing donations; all within a circular dotted border. Rev. +ΘOY CΟ/ΦΊΑC ΟΙΚΟΝΟ/ΜΕΊΟΥ ΛΌΓΟΥC/ΕΓΏ ΚΡΑΤΎΝΩΝ/ΤΟΎC ΥΠΗΚΌΟΥC/CΚΈΠΩ = Θεοῦ Σοφίαϛ Οἰκονομείου λόγοιϛ, ἐγὼ κρατύνων, τούς ὑπηκόους = I (the Virgin) am the one that controls the accounts of the treasury of Hagia Sophia, and protects the subjects of the empire. In six lines within a circular dotted border. From the same boulloterion as the only other known example: Geneva 275 = Wassiliou-Seibt, metrischen, 932 = Zacos Spink II, (1999), 208 = Zacos & Veglery I (illustrated on the title page of the plate volume). This example corrects the reading of the reverse legend, misread due to double-striking. A great rarity: the second, and better, example known. Well-struck, well-centered and with an attractive patina. Minor marks, otherwise, good very fine.

From an important collection of Byzantine seals, ex Roma 9, 22 March 2015, 961.

Aside from its rarity and historical interest, this seal is particularly important for another reason; and that is because it shows its reader how to correctly pronounce the words within its metric inscription. Phonetic accents - the circumflex (περισπωμένη), the acute (οξεία) and the grave (βαρεία) - are all indicated on this seal (the smooth breathing - ψιλή - is shown as well). Such phonetic signs are always found in manuscripts but are virtually never found on seals, since their inscriptions are invariably written in capital letters. We can safely assume that the engraver who created the boulloterion for this seal had to have not only been closely affiliated with the Patriarchate and very well-educated. The only mistake - and it is a rather scholarly one - in this seal's inscription is that in the word ὑπηκόους, the smooth breathing (ψιλή = ὑ) was used, instead of the correct rough breathing (δασεία = ὐ).