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Niketas Xiphilinos, koiaistor (eleventh/twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

σρ
γισνικη
τντονι
ιλινον
γρει

σφραγὶς Νικήταν τὸν Ξιφιλῖνον γράφει

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ιΚ̣̣
σπο.Ν̣
ρχοΝ̣τ
κοι..τ
ρ̣.ε

δικασπό[λ]ων ἄρχοντα, κοια[ίσ]τωρά [μ]ε

Obverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

σρ
γισνικη
τντονι
ιλινον
γρει

σφραγὶς Νικήταν τὸν Ξιφιλῖνον γράφει

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.

ιΚ̣̣
σπο.Ν̣
ρχοΝ̣τ
κοι..τ
ρ̣.ε

δικασπό[λ]ων ἄρχοντα, κοια[ίσ]τωρά [μ]ε

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4018
Diameter 29.0 mm
Previous Editions

Laurent, Corpus II, no. 1117; cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden I, no. 647.

Translation

σφραγὶς Νικήταν τὸν Ξιφιλῖνον γράφει δικασπόλων ἄρχοντα, κοιαίστωρά με.

The seal inscribes me, Niketas Xiphilinos, koiaistor and chief of judges.

Commentary

The inscription consists of two dodecasyllabic verses.

It is difficult to say whether the words δικασπόλων ἄρχοντα represent a circumlocution for a specific office (nomophylax, epi ton kriseon), as Laurent thought, or a gloss on koiaistor (whose duties included supervision of judges and tribunals), as Wassiliou-Seibt understood them. On the career of Niketas Xiphilinos (fl. 1100), see Oikonomides, Dated Seals, no. 105.

Bibliography

  • Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 1, Siegellegenden von Alpha bis inclusive My (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • A Collection of Dated Byzantine Lead Seals (Open in Zotero)