E02904: Three lead seals of the metropolitan bishops of Hierapolis in southwest Phrygia (west central Asia Minor) with labelled images of *Philip (the Apostle, S00109). Probably 6th-7th c. or later.
Creators: name: Pnowakowski
Publisher: name: University of Oxford
Year: 2017
Subjects: History

description: Seal 1:<br><br>Lead seal. Diameter: 37 mm; Th. 3 mm. <br><br>Found in the south sector of the atrium of the cathedral amongst debris datable to the 11th/12th c. Triangular hole in the upper left-hand quarter of the obverse, probably caused during the striking of the seal. <br><br>Obverse: depiction of a bearded man with nimbus, standing. He is wearing a tunica and cloak, and is holding a long palm leaf in his left hand, while blessing with his right hand. The vertical label, flanking the figure, reads: [ὁ] ἅ|γ|ι|ο|ς Φ|ί|λι|ππ|ο|ς/'Saint Philip'. <br><br>Reverse: inscription in four lines, surrounded by a floral ornament: Γρη|γορίῳ με|τροπ(ολίτῃ) Ἱε|ραπόλ(εως)/'(Seal) of Gregorios, metropolitan (bishop) of Hierapolis.'<br><br>In spite of the archaeological context of the find, D'Andria plausibly argues that the shape of letters is characteristic of a much earlier period, perhaps the 6th/7th c.<br><br>Text: D'Andria 2005=2006, 359-361.<br><br>Seal 2:<br><br>Lead seal. Probably from the former Schlumberger collection. Diameter: 21-24 mm.<br><br>Obverse: image of a man with nimbus, standing. He is holding a large processional cross in his right hand. To the left of him there is a shrub or a palm leaf. Inscription flanking the figure reads: ὁ ἅγιος Φίλι- ππος/'Saint Philip.'<br><br>Reverse: a monogram, probably reading: + Χριστοφόρος μητροπολίτης Ἱεραπόλεως Πακατιανῆς/'+ Christophoros, metropolitan (bishop) of Hierapolis of (the province of Phrygia) Pakatiane' (Laurent's interpretation. According to Schlumberger, less plausibly, the monogram reads: + Φίλιππος μητροπολίτης Ἱεραπόλεως Φρυγίας Πακατιανῆς/'+ Philippos, metropolitan (bishop) of Hierapolis of (the province of) Phrygia Pakatiane').<br><br>Dating: probably 6th/7th c., as suggested by Laurent, although Schlumberger opted for a date in the 11th or 12th c. Sylvain Destephen records the owner of the seal as bishop Christophoros in the third volume of the Prosopographie chrétienne du Bas-Empire, and places him in the period: 575-625 (see PCBE 3, s.v. Christophoros 2). <br><br>Text: Laurent 1963, no. 728.<br><br>Seal 3:<br><br>Lead seal. Dimensions not specified. Found in the Byzantine Courtyard House at the ancient agora. <br><br>Obverse: depiction of the Archangel Michael. <br><br>Reverse: A man with nimbus, standing. Fragmentary inscription: [Φίλιπ]|πος/'Philip.' <br><br>Paul Arthur supposes that the seal belonged to a cleric, probably a bishop. The building, where the seal was found, dates probably to c. 11th c. and could have served as the administrative centre of a large estate. Some coins of the emperors Leo VI (886-912), Michael IV (1034-1041), and Constantine X (1057-1059) were also unearthed there. It is possible that the seal dates to the 6th/7th c., like the two object discussed above, but the image of the Archangel Michael, shown on the obverse, is a characteristic feature of middle Byzantine seals.<br><br>Text: Arthur 2006, 93.