Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
Obverse
Bust of Christ lightly bearded, wearing a tunic and himation and holding the right hand in blessing and a book in the left hand. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left and right: Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.
Reverse
The emperor Nikephoros III standing on a round dais, wearing a crown with a cross 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. The cross atop the globus is off-center to the left and has the extended ends found on other seals of this emperor. Circular inscription. Border of dots.
νικηορ,δεσπ,τ,τοτανιατη
Νικηφόρ(ῳ) δεσπ(ό)τ(ῃ) τῷ Βοτανιάτῃ.
Obverse
Bust of Christ lightly bearded, wearing a tunic and himation and holding the right hand in blessing and a book in the left hand. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left and right: Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.
Reverse
The emperor Nikephoros III standing on a round dais, wearing a crown with a cross 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. The cross atop the globus is off-center to the left and has the extended ends found on other seals of this emperor. Circular inscription. Border of dots.
νικηορ,δεσπ,τ,τοτανιατη
Νικηφόρ(ῳ) δεσπ(ό)τ(ῃ) τῷ Βοτανιάτῃ.
| Accession number | BZS.1958.106.484 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 32.0 mm; field: 29.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 85.1; Zacos–Veglery, no. 98b. For similar seals, see Seibt–Zarnitz, no. 1.1.8 and Seibt, Bleisiegel, no. 26. |
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)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Das byzantinische Bleisiegel als Kunstwerk: Katalog zur Ausstellung (Open in Zotero)
- Die byzantinischen Bleisiegel in Österreich, Vol. 1, Kaiserhof (Open in Zotero)
- Actes de Lavra, Vol. 1, Des origines à 1204 (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
This seal is of interest for the slight differences in inscription and in the depiction of Christ shown on other seals attributed to Nikephoros III Botaneiates.
For a gold bulla of Botaneiates in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection, see Grierson, “Byzantine Gold Bullae,” no. 6 (republished in Zacos–Veglery, no. 96; see also the same author’s no. 97 = Spink I, no. 1).