Nicholas Anzas magistros, judge of the Velum of Thrace and Macedonia (eleventh century)
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin orans with medallion of Christ before her (Episkepsis type, according to Seibt, SBS 1 [1987] 54). Sigla: ΘΥ: Μήτηρ Θεοῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of seven lines. Indeterminate border.
.....
νικολα.
μαγιστρ
κριτ,τη.
θρακησμ.
κεδονια.
.ανζ.
Κύριε βοήθει Νικολάῳ μαγίστρῳ, κριτῇ τοῦ βήλου Θρᾴκης καὶ Μακεδονίας τῷ Ἀνζᾷ
Obverse
Bust of the Virgin orans with medallion of Christ before her (Episkepsis type, according to Seibt, SBS 1 [1987] 54). Sigla: ΘΥ: Μήτηρ Θεοῦ. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of seven lines. Indeterminate border.
.....
νικολα.
μαγιστρ
κριτ,τη.
θρακησμ.
κεδονια.
.ανζ.
Κύριε βοήθει Νικολάῳ μαγίστρῳ, κριτῇ τοῦ βήλου Θρᾴκης καὶ Μακεδονίας τῷ Ἀνζᾷ
| Accession number | BZS.1955.1.2928 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 22.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 43.13; Nesbitt and Seibt, “Anzas Family,” 196, fig. 5c |
Translation
Κύριε βοήθει Νικολάῳ μαγίστρῳ, κριτῇ τοῦ βήλου Θρᾴκης καὶ Μακεδονίας τῷ Ἀνζᾷ.
Lord, help Nicholas magistros, judge of the Velum of Thrace and Macedonia.
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)
- Die Darstellung der Theotokos auf byzantinischen Bleisiegeln, besonders im 11. Jahrhundert (Open in Zotero)
- Philippes et la Macédoine orientale à l’époque chrétienne et byzantine; recherches d’histoire et d’archéologie (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantinische Rang- und Ämterstruktur im 8. und 9. Jahrhundert: Faktoren und Tendenzen ihrer Entwicklung (Open in Zotero)
- La Macédoine orientale à l’époque byzantine: à propos d'un livre récent (Open in Zotero)
- Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 1 (Open in Zotero)
- Byzantine Lead Seals, Vol. 2 (Open in Zotero)
- Theophanes Continuatus, Ioannes Cameniata, Symeon Magister, Georgius Monachus (Open in Zotero)
- The Anzas Family: Members of the Byzantine Civil Administration in the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Centuries (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
Laurent, Corpus 2, nos. 815–16, published two other eleventh-century seals that belonged to a certain Nicholas Anzas, judge of the hippodrome and imperial notarios; on the first, decorated with the Virgin orans without medallion, the owner bears the title of hypatos, while on the second, decorated with the Virgin orans with medallion, he has the superior title of vestes. The present seal could have belonged to the same person at an even later stage of his career, when he became magistros and occupied one of twelve chairs of the Velum judges.
Three types of seals, dating from 1060 to 1080, attest the judicial career of Nicholas Anzas. They trace his rise in rank from hypatos to magistros, as well as duties relating to both the capital and the provinces. The first type is represented by two seals, one in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection (BZS.1958.106.4151) and one in the former Zacos Collection.
With the second type, Nicholas has moved up a grade to the rank of vestes. Four seals of this type are known: the best-preserved is in the Vienna Coin Cabinet (no. 337; Wassiliou and Seibt, Österreich 2: no. 67a; Laurent, Corpus 2: no. 816). The other three are in the former Schlumberger Collection (Schlumberger, Sigillographie, 522–23, no. 3 [with facsimile]; 618, no. 1 [reading vestarches instead of vestes]), the Dumbarton Oaks Collection (BZS.1955.1.2929), and in Vienna at the Mechitharist monastery (Vienna, Mechitharist Monastery, no. 37; Wassiliou and Seibt, Österreich 2: no. 67b). The obverse is one of the earliest examples of the Virgin Episkepsis type, which began appearing around the year 1060.
The third type documents a further rise in rank. Nicholas has the title of magistros and occupies the post of judge of Thrace and Macedonia. Nicholas’s rise in rank is reflected in his judicial duties as well: from the Hippodrome to the Velum, as well as additional duties associated with Thrace and Macedonia. This type is known from two seals, one in the Dumbarton Oaks Collection (this specimen) and one in Vienna (Vienna Coin Cabinet, no. 113; Wassiliou and Seibt, Österreich 2: no. 196).