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Niketas Anzas, protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou, judge of the Hippodrome, and grand chartoularios (1045–60)

 
 

Obverse

Half-length depiction of the Virgin carrying Christ on her right arm (Dexiokratousa). The child, unusually large, is seen in profile placing a hand on the lower part of the Virgin’s neck. Sigla at left and right: μ̣̅ρ̅Θ̅Υ̅ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Indeterminate border.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines preceded by three horizontal decorative elements, the middle one above the nomen sacrum. There is a line of decoration following the inscription, likely a pellet between two horizontal bars. Indeterminate border.

Θ̅Κ̅.,Θ,
ΝΙΚΗΤΑa
ΣΠΑΘΑΡ,ΕΠΙ
Τ,ΓΚΛΚΡΙΤ
ΤΙΠΠΟΔΡ,Μ,S
ΧΤΛΑΡ,
ΤΑΝ

Θ(εοτό)κ[ε] β(οή)θ(ει) Νικήτᾳ (πρωτο)σπαθαρ(ίῳ) ἐπὶ τ(οῦ) Χρ(υσο)(τρι)κλ(ίνου), κριτ(ῇ) τοῦ Ἱπποδρ(ό)μ(ου) (καὶ) μ(ε)γ(άλῳ) χ(αρ)τουλαρ(ίῳ) τῷ Ἀνζᾷ

Obverse

Half-length depiction of the Virgin carrying Christ on her right arm (Dexiokratousa). The child, unusually large, is seen in profile placing a hand on the lower part of the Virgin’s neck. Sigla at left and right: μ̣̅ρ̅Θ̅Υ̅ : Μ(ήτη)ρ Θ(εο)ῦ. Indeterminate border.

Reverse

Inscription of seven lines preceded by three horizontal decorative elements, the middle one above the nomen sacrum. There is a line of decoration following the inscription, likely a pellet between two horizontal bars. Indeterminate border.

Θ̅Κ̅.,Θ,
ΝΙΚΗΤΑa
ΣΠΑΘΑΡ,ΕΠΙ
Τ,ΓΚΛΚΡΙΤ
ΤΙΠΠΟΔΡ,Μ,S
ΧΤΛΑΡ,
ΤΑΝ

Θ(εοτό)κ[ε] β(οή)θ(ει) Νικήτᾳ (πρωτο)σπαθαρ(ίῳ) ἐπὶ τ(οῦ) Χρ(υσο)(τρι)κλ(ίνου), κριτ(ῇ) τοῦ Ἱπποδρ(ό)μ(ου) (καὶ) μ(ε)γ(άλῳ) χ(αρ)τουλαρ(ίῳ) τῷ Ἀνζᾷ

Accession number BZS.1958.106.2522
Diameter 1.0 mm
Previous Editions

J. Nesbitt and W. Seibt, “The Anzas Family,” DOP 67 (2013): 191–92.

Translation

Θεοτόκε βοήθει Νικήτᾳ πρωτοσπαθαρίῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ Χρυσοτρικλίνου, κριτῇ τοῦ Ἱπποδρόμου καὶ μεγάλῳ χαρτουλαρίῳ τῷ Ἀνζᾷ.

Mother of God, help Niketas Anzas, protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou, judge of the Hippodrome, and grand chartoularios.

Commentary

This type is represented by two seals at Dumbarton Oaks (this specimen 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 matter is uncertain, this group may belong to the same Niketas Anzas attested by two other groups of seals, which he used as a spatharokandidatos (BZS.1947.2.1008 and Koltsida-Makre, Συλλογής Ορφανίδη-Νικολαΐδη, no. 215; and BZS.1951.31.5.1408 and Koltsida-Makre, Συλλογής Ορφανίδη-Νικολαΐδη, no. 216). Although the depiction of the Virgin rather than St. Nicholas suggests that the present 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

  • 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)
  • Βυζαντινά Μολυβδόβουλλα: Συλλογής Ορφανίδη-Νικολαΐδη Νομισματικού Μουσείου Αθηνών (Open in Zotero)