Skip to Content

Niketas Kasnitzes, protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and strategos (tenth/eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Theodore Tiron, holding a spear in his right hand and a shield in his left. Inscription at left and right: |Θ|Ε|Ο  Ο|Τ,|Ρ|Ο,: ὁ ἅ(γιος) Θεό(δωρος) ὁ Τ(ή)ρο(ν). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines. Border of dots.

ΚΕ,Θ,
ΝΙΚΗΤ
ΑΣΠΑΘ,ΕΠΙ
ΤΓΚΛ,
ΣΡΤ,Γ,Τ.
ΚΝΗ

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) Νικήτᾳ (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρ(υσο)(τρι)κλ(ίνου) (καὶ) σ<τ>ρατ(η)γ(ῷ) τ[ῷ] Κασνήτζ(ῃ).

Obverse

Bust of St. Theodore Tiron, holding a spear in his right hand and a shield in his left. Inscription at left and right: |Θ|Ε|Ο  Ο|Τ,|Ρ|Ο,: ὁ ἅ(γιος) Θεό(δωρος) ὁ Τ(ή)ρο(ν). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines. Border of dots.

ΚΕ,Θ,
ΝΙΚΗΤ
ΑΣΠΑΘ,ΕΠΙ
ΤΓΚΛ,
ΣΡΤ,Γ,Τ.
ΚΝΗ

Κ(ύρι)ε β(οή)θ(ει) Νικήτᾳ (πρωτο)σπαθ(αρίῳ) ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρ(υσο)(τρι)κλ(ίνου) (καὶ) σ<τ>ρατ(η)γ(ῷ) τ[ῷ] Κασνήτζ(ῃ).

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1229
Diameter 1.0 mm
Previous Editions

Parallels: Jordanov, Preslav, nos. 366–8 ( = Corpus 2, nos. 292–4). PBW : Niketas 20240 (boulloterion 4168).

Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore.

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει Νικήτᾳ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου καὶ στρατηγῷ τῷ Κασνήτζῃ.

Lord, help Niketas Kasnitzes, protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou and strategos.

Commentary

Jordanov dates the parallels from Preslav to the eleventh century. The present seal is more complete than these parallels and allows us to correct the reading of the inscriptions on both obverse and reverse.

Other members of the Kasnitzes family include a contemporary, Theodore Kasnitzes, protospatharios and strategos (Preslav, no. 464 = Corpus 2, no. 291), whose seal was also found in Preslav. The famous church of Nicholas ho tou Kasnitzou in Kastoria, from the end of the eleventh century, was founded by Nikephoros Kasnitzes, magistros.

Bibliography