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Nikephoros archbishop of Anchialos (eleventh century

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Michael holding scepter and globus. Inscription in two columns: Μ|ΙΧ|Α: Μιχαήλ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, cross above. Border of dots.


ΚΕ̅,θ,
νικηφο
ροτοαρ
χιεπισκο
ποσαγχι
αλου

Κύριε βοήθει Νικηφόρο το ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Ἀγχιάλου

Obverse

Bust of St. Michael holding scepter and globus. Inscription in two columns: Μ|ΙΧ|Α: Μιχαήλ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of six lines, cross above. Border of dots.


ΚΕ̅,θ,
νικηφο
ροτοαρ
χιεπισκο
ποσαγχι
αλου

Κύριε βοήθει Νικηφόρο το ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Ἀγχιάλου

Accession number BZS.1958.106.5236
Diameter 16.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 1, no. 73.2.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει Νικηφόρο το ἀρχιεπίσκοπος Ἀγχιάλου.

Lord, help Nikephoros the archbishop of Anchialos.

Commentary

An interesting syntactical error: the dative Νικηφόρῳ followed by the article τῷ (most unusual in this position, but note that the same peculiarity appears on DO Seals 1, no. 73.3 = BZS 1958.106.1389) and the nominative ἀρχιεπίσκοπος. All this indicates a poor knowledge of Greek on the part of the engraver (if not the owner) of the seal.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of the Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and at the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 1: Italy, North of the Balkans, North of the Black Sea (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • La Thrace Orientale et La Mer Noire: Géographie Ecclésiastique et Prosopographie (VIIIe-XIIe Siècles) (Open in Zotero)