Skip to Content

Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of Christ lightly bearded, wearing a tunic and himation, and holding his right hand in blessing and the book in his left. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left: ΙΣ̅ : (ησοῦ)ς [Χ(ριστό)ς]. Border of dots.

Reverse

The emperor Nikephoros III standing on a dais, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist and decorated with seven dots. He holds a labarum in the right hand and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription along the circumference. Border of dots.

νικηορδ.....τωοτανιατη

Νικηφόρ() δ[εσπότ()] τῷ Βοτανιάτῃ

Obverse

Bust of Christ lightly bearded, wearing a tunic and himation, and holding his right hand in blessing and the book in his left. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left: ΙΣ̅ : (ησοῦ)ς [Χ(ριστό)ς]. Border of dots.

Reverse

The emperor Nikephoros III standing on a dais, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist and decorated with seven dots. He holds a labarum in the right hand and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription along the circumference. Border of dots.

νικηορδ.....τωοτανιατη

Νικηφόρ() δ[εσπότ()] τῷ Βοτανιάτῃ

Accession number BZS.1951.31.5.1680
Diameter 31.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 85.8.

Translation

Νικηφόρ δεσπότ τῷ Βοτανιάτῃ.

Nikephoros Botaneiates, despotes.

Commentary

The book Christ holds is decorated in the center with dot enclosed by a circle. This same type of ornament is found on BZS.1951.31.5.1683. The emperor’s face is exceptionally large and long. The representation is on the whole quite crude.

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)