Skip to Content

Basil Anzas (1130–70)

 
 

Obverse

Mother of God standing and holding Christ on her left arm and pointing to him with her right hand. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, preceded by a cross. Border of dots.


σφρα
γισraσι
Λτου
ΑΝΑ

Σφραγὶς Βασιλείου τοῦ Ἀνζ

Obverse

Mother of God standing and holding Christ on her left arm and pointing to him with her right hand. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of four lines, preceded by a cross. Border of dots.


σφρα
γισraσι
Λτου
ΑΝΑ

Σφραγὶς Βασιλείου τοῦ Ἀνζ

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4180
Diameter 1.0 mm
Previous Editions

Nesbitt and Seibt, “Anzas Family,” 204, fig. 17b

Translation

Σφραγὶς Βασιλείου τοῦ Ἀνζᾶ.

Seal of Basil Anzas.

Commentary

In addition to this specimen, another is in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection (BZS.1955.1.4179), and a third is in Vienna (Vienna Coin Cabinet, no. 335, unpublished).

The epsilon and iota in line 3 are in ligature. This design is also found, for example, on a seal of the 1140s belonging to Constantine Komnenos, sebastos and megas droungarios; see Zacos–Veglery, no. 2716.

Bibliography

  • Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
  • The Anzas Family: Members of the Byzantine Civil Administration in the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Centuries (Open in Zotero)

Parallel Seals