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Niketas Anzas, spatharokandidatos (eleventh century, first half)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Nicholas, blessing with this right hand and holding a book in his left. Border of dots. Inscription in two columns: |ΝΙ|ΚΟ.|Α : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νικό[λ]α[ος]. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines followed by a cross decoration. Border of dots.

Κ̅Ε̅ο
Θ,ΤΣ,
ΙΚ,Τ,ΣΠΑΘ,ρ,
ΚΑΝ,Τ
ΑΝΖΑ
   

Κ(ύρι)ε βο[ή]θ(ει) τῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ) Νικ(ή)τ(ᾳ) σπαθ(α)ρ(ο)κανδ(ι)δ(άτῳ) τῷ Ἀνζᾷ

Obverse

Bust of St. Nicholas, blessing with this right hand and holding a book in his left. Border of dots. Inscription in two columns: |ΝΙ|ΚΟ.|Α : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νικό[λ]α[ος]. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines followed by a cross decoration. Border of dots.

Κ̅Ε̅ο
Θ,ΤΣ,
ΙΚ,Τ,ΣΠΑΘ,ρ,
ΚΑΝ,Τ
ΑΝΖΑ
   

Κ(ύρι)ε βο[ή]θ(ει) τῷ σῷ δ(ούλῳ) Νικ(ή)τ(ᾳ) σπαθ(α)ρ(ο)κανδ(ι)δ(άτῳ) τῷ Ἀνζᾷ

Accession number BZS.1947.2.1008
Diameter 1.0 mm
Previous Editions

J. Nesbitt and W. Seibt, “The Anzas Family,” DOP 67 (2013): 190–91. Parallel: I. Koltsida-Makre, Συλλογής Ορφανίδη-Νικολαΐδη, no. 215 (=PBW, boulloterion 5026, Niketas 20265).

Translation

Κύριε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Νικήτᾳ σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ τῷ Ἀνζᾷ.

Lord, help your servant Niketas Anzas, spatharokandidatos.

Commentary

Niketas is the earliest known member of the Anzas family. Two types of seals, which are distinguished by only minor differences in spelling, alignment, and decoration, belonged to him when he held the rank of spatharokandidatos, at some point between 1035 and 1055. A parallel to the present specimen is in the Orphanide-Nikolaïde Collection in Athens: I. Koltsida-Makre, Βυζαντινά μολυβδόβουλλα Συλλογής Ορφανίδη-Νικολαΐδη Νομισματικού Μουσείου Αθηνών (Athens, 1996), no. 215.

A second type belonging to Niketas is represented by two seals, one in the Fogg Art Museum (BZS.1951.31.5.1408) and the other in the Orphanide-Nikolaïde Collection in Athens: Koltsida-Makre, Βυζαντινά μολυβδόβουλλα, no. 216.

A third type, dating to 1045–60, could also belong to the same Niketas. This type is represented by two seals at Dumbarton Oaks (BZS.1958.106.2522 and BZS.1958.106.3254) and possibly a third at the Hermitage (former Lichačev Collection, ex-Schlumberger Collection): G. Schlumberger, Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Paris, 1884), 463, no. 4 (with facsimile); N. P. Lichačev, Istoričeskoe značenie italo-grečeskoj ikonopisi: Izobraženija Bogomateri v proizvedenijah italo-grečeskih ikonopiscev i ih vlijanie na kompozicii nekotoryh proslavlennyh russkih ikon (St. Petersburg, 1911), app. p. 21–22, no. 22, pl. VI, no. 22; V. Laurent, Le Corpus des sceaux de l’Empire byzantin, vol. 2, L’administration centrale (Paris, 1981), no. 350 (eleventh century, second half), with a photo of BZS.1958.106.3254. Although the depiction of the Virgin rather than St. Nicholas suggests that this third type could belong to a different Niketas, the predominance of the Virgin on seals after the second quarter of the eleventh century could mean that Niketas changed his seal’s patron.

Bibliography

  • Βυζαντινά Μολυβδόβουλλα: Συλλογής Ορφανίδη-Νικολαΐδη Νομισματικού Μουσείου Αθηνών (Open in Zotero)
  • The Anzas Family: Members of the Byzantine Civil Administration in the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Centuries (Open in Zotero)
  • Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Istoriceskoe znacenie italo-greceskoj ikonopisi: Izobra zenija Bogomatera v prozvedenijah italo-greceskih ikonopiscev i ih vlijanie na kompozicii nekotoryh proslavlennyh russkih ikon (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)