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Nikephoros, imperial notarios of the Phylax (eleventh century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Theodore holding a spear and a round shield decorated with a circle of pellets. Inscription in two columns: |ΘΕ|Ο|Ρ|Ο : Ὁ ἅ(γιος) [Θ]ε[ό]δ[ωρος]. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots

Κ̅Ε̅,
ΝΙΚΗΦΟ
Ρ,̅ΝΟΤΑ
Ρ,ΤΦΥ
ΛΑΚˊ

Κύριε βοήθει Νικηφόρ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ τοῦ Φύλακος

Obverse

Bust of St. Theodore holding a spear and a round shield decorated with a circle of pellets. Inscription in two columns: |ΘΕ|Ο|Ρ|Ο : Ὁ ἅ(γιος) [Θ]ε[ό]δ[ωρος]. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines. Border of dots

Κ̅Ε̅,
ΝΙΚΗΦΟ
Ρ,̅ΝΟΤΑ
Ρ,ΤΦΥ
ΛΑΚˊ

Κύριε βοήθει Νικηφόρ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ τοῦ Φύλακος

Accession number BZS.1958.106.2933
Diameter 26.0 mm; field: 20.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 5, no. 27.3; Laurent, Corpus 2: no. 674

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει Νικηφόρῳ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ τοῦ Φύλακος.

Lord, help Nikephoros, imperial notarios of the Phylax.

Commentary

The Phylax was a depository within the confines of the great palace where various imperial treasures were safeguarded (Theophanes Cont., 253.7–8, 255.15–16). It abutted the Chrysotriklinos (see Laurent, Corpus 2:346). As a treasury it was independent of the fisc. Hendy (Monetary Economy, 311) is correct that the eidikon and the Phylax appear to be similar treasuries, but at least in the eleventh century, as our seals testify to, the Phylas had its own personnel, and by extension, a separate identity.

Bibliography