Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
Obverse
Bust of Christ lightly bearded, wearing a chiton and himation and holding the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left and right: ισ̅ΧΣ̅ : Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.
Reverse
The emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates standing on a dais, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist. He holds a labarum in the right hand and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription. Border of dots.
........δεσποτ,τοτ......
[Νικηφόρ(ῳ)] δεσπότ(ῃ) τῷ Βοτ[ανιάτῃ]
Obverse
Bust of Christ lightly bearded, wearing a chiton and himation and holding the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left and right: ισ̅ΧΣ̅ : Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.
Reverse
The emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates standing on a dais, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist. He holds a labarum in the right hand and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription. Border of dots.
........δεσποτ,τοτ......
[Νικηφόρ(ῳ)] δεσπότ(ῃ) τῷ Βοτ[ανιάτῃ]
Accession number | BZS.1955.1.4336 |
---|---|
Diameter | 29.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 85.5. |
Translation
Νικηφόρῳ δεσπότῃ τῷ Βοτανιάτῃ.
Nikephoros Botaneiates, despotes.
Bibliography
- Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 6, Emperors, Patriarchs of Constantinople, Addenda (Open in Zotero)
Parallel Seals
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
Commentary
The decoration of the cover on the book which Christ holds is clearly visible. One can discern a row of two pellets above and below. In the center appears a pellet within a circle, as on our BZS.1951.31.5.9 and BZS.1951.31.5.1680. On the loros draped over the emperor’s wrist are four dots, in contrast to the five dots that sometimes appear, as for example on BZS.1958.106.492.