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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: ισ̅ΧΣ̅ : (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,τοτ......

[Νικηφόρ()] δεσπότ() 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: ισ̅ΧΣ̅ : (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,τοτ......

[Νικηφόρ()] δεσπότ() τῷ Βοτ[ανιάτῃ]

Accession number BZS.1955.1.4336
Diameter 29.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 85.5.

Translation

Νικηφόρ δεσπότ τῷ Βοτανιάτῃ.

Nikephoros Botaneiates, despotes.

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.

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)