Nicholas imperial spatharios and kommerkiarios of the West (tenth century)
Obverse
Inscription of four lines. Border of dots.
ΘΕ̅
οειθ,
τσδ
ουλ,
Θεω(τόκε) βοείθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)
Obverse
Inscription of four lines. Border of dots.
ΘΕ̅
οειθ,
τσδ
ουλ,
Θεω(τόκε) βοείθ(ει) τῷ σῷ δούλ(ῳ)
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
νηκο
.αο,σπα
.κεκμερ
.ιαριο.
.σεοσ
Νηκο[λ]άο β(ασιλικῷ) σπα[θ(αρίῳ)] κὲ κωμερ[κ]ιαρίο <τῆς> [Δύ]σεως
Accession number | BZS.1958.106.4339 |
---|---|
Diameter | 25.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 1, no. 1.29. |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Νικολάῳ βασιλικῷ σπαθαρίῳ κὲ κομμερκιαρίῳ τῆς Δύσεως.
Theotokos, help your servant Nicholas imperial spatharios and kommerkiarios of the West.
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)
Commentary
The quality of engraving on the obverse is strikingly poor when compared to the reverse, probably because the obverse side had to be replaced when Nicholas was serving away from major urban centers, while the reverse side remained as it was fabricated at the time of his appointment, probably in Constantinople. Cf. SBS 1 (1987) 98: two other cases where one (the reverse) side of the boulloterion was replaced.