Gettone “Eulogia” di San Simeone Stilita il Giovane

[apollonia]

Salve.

Il gettone è della LEU NUMISMATIK – WEB AUCTION 18, LOT 4014, 18 - 20 Dec 2021.

Starting price: 50 CHF

Lot 4014. Anonymous, circa 10th century. Token (Lead, 51 mm, 39.81 g), "Eulogia" of St. Symeon Stylites the Younger. +EVΛOΓIA TOV AΓIOV CHMEONOC TOV ΘAVMATOVPΓOV AMHN ("Blessing of Saint Symeon the Miracle Worker, amen") Nimbate half-length bust of St. Symeon the Younger, wearing monastic hood and holding book of Gospels, seated on column, flanked by two flying angels; to left, flight of stairs; below, on the left side of the column, Symeon’s mother St. Martha nimbate, standing right; on the right side of the column, Symeon’s disciple Konon nimbate, standing left, both with their hands raised in gesture of supplication; to left and right of Martha, H / A/ΓI/A – M/A/P/ΘA (“Saint Martha”); to left of Konon, MA/ΘH/[TIC] (“disciple”). Rev. Non-figurative decoration and a central dot. Cf. Gary Vikan: Art, Medicine, and Magic in Early Byzantium, in: DO Papers 38, pp. 65-86, fig 7. A highly interesting token blessing associated to Byzantine pilgrimage. Very fine.

Come suggerisce il nome, i gettoni "eulogia" erano benedizioni personali che i pellegrini potevano portare a casa dopo aver visitato un luogo santo o un santo stilita, come San Simeone il Giovane, che secondo quanto riferito visse in cima a una colonna per 68 anni. Originariamente fatti in terracotta, più tardi i gettoni eulogia come questo furono spesso prodotti in piombo.