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Nicholas Anzas, vestes, judge of the Hippodrome, and imperial notarios (1060–80)

 
 

Obverse

Half-length depiction of the Mother of God orans, with a medallion of Christ before her. Sigla at left and right: Μ̅Ρ̅Θ̅Υ̅ — Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines. Border of dots.

Θ̅Κ̅Ε̅,Θ,
ΝΙΚΟΛΑΩ
ΕΣΤ,ΚΡΙΤ,
ΕΠΙΤΙΟ
ΔΡΟΜ,SΑΝ,
ΤΑΡ,ΤΟΑΝ
a

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Νικολάῳ βέστ, κριτ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου καὶ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ το Ἀνζᾷ

Obverse

Half-length depiction of the Mother of God orans, with a medallion of Christ before her. Sigla at left and right: Μ̅Ρ̅Θ̅Υ̅ — Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines. Border of dots.

Θ̅Κ̅Ε̅,Θ,
ΝΙΚΟΛΑΩ
ΕΣΤ,ΚΡΙΤ,
ΕΠΙΤΙΟ
ΔΡΟΜ,SΑΝ,
ΤΑΡ,ΤΟΑΝ
a

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Νικολάῳ βέστ, κριτ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου καὶ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ το Ἀνζᾷ

Accession number BZS.1955.1.2929
Diameter 1.0 mm
Previous Editions

Nesbitt and Seibt, “Anzas Family,” 196

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Νικολάῳ βέστῃ, κριτῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου, καὶ βασιλικῷ νοταρίῳ το Ἀνζᾷ.

Mother of God, help Nicholas Anzas, vestes, judge of the Hippodrome, and imperial notarios.

Commentary

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. A fine line, appearing above ra on line 5 of the reverse, makes it clear that Nicholas is still an imperial notarios—βα(σιλικῷ) ν(ο)ταρ(ίῳ)—rather than a protonotarios—β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)ν(ο)ταρ(ίῳ). Laurent reasonably observed that Nicholas’s duties as imperial notarios may have continued to involve the sakelle.

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 (this specimen), 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 (BZS.1955.1.2928) and one in Vienna (Vienna Coin Cabinet, no. 113; Wassiliou and Seibt, Österreich 2: no. 196).

Bibliography

  • Die byzantinischen Bleisiegel in Österreich, Vol. 2, Zentral- und Provinzialverwaltung (Open in Zotero)
  • Le Corpus des sceaux de l’empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • Sigillographie de l’Empire byzantin (Open in Zotero)
  • The Anzas Family: Members of the Byzantine Civil Administration in the Eleventh, Twelfth, and Thirteenth Centuries (Open in Zotero)