Theodore Maniakes, protospatharios and katepano of the basilikon (eleventh century)
Obverse
Half-length depiction of the Mother of God, holding Christ on her left arm, and pointing to him with her right hand. No epigraphy visible. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
...οδ.
.ασπαθ..
.κατεπ..
.ασ,λ..
ομανι
ακ,
[Θε]οδώ[ρος] (πρωτο)σπαθ(άριος) [(καὶ)] κατεπ[άνω τ(ῶν)] βασ(ι)λ[ικ(ῶν)] ὁ Μανιάκ(ης)
Obverse
Half-length depiction of the Mother of God, holding Christ on her left arm, and pointing to him with her right hand. No epigraphy visible. Border of dots.
Reverse
Inscription of six lines. Border of dots.
...οδ.
.ασπαθ..
.κατεπ..
.ασ,λ..
ομανι
ακ,
[Θε]οδώ[ρος] (πρωτο)σπαθ(άριος) [(καὶ)] κατεπ[άνω τ(ῶν)] βασ(ι)λ[ικ(ῶν)] ὁ Μανιάκ(ης)
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.1123 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 1.0 mm |
| Previous Editions | Mentioned in Jordanov, Corpus 2, p. 275. See also PBW : Theodore 20332 (boulloterion 5538). |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Θεοδώρος πρωτοσπαθάριος καὶ κατεπάνω τῶν βασιλικῶν ὁ Μανιάκης.
Theodore Maniakes, protospatharios and katepano of the basilikon.
Bibliography
- Corpus of Byzantine Seals from Bulgaria (Open in Zotero)
- Les listes de préséance byzantines des IXe et Xe siècles (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
This seal is the only attestation of Theodore Maniakes, but several other eleventh- and twelfth-century members of his family are known, from both seals and written sources; see I. Jordanov, Corpus 2, pp. 274–6.
The office was called the κατεπάνω or πρωτοσπαθάριος (ἐπὶ) τῶν βασιλικῶν, and, according to the Kleterologion of Philotheos, belonged to the stratarchai. He commanded the military unit from which came certain imperial dignitaries: spatharioi, kandidatoi of the hippodrome, and imperial mandatores. Oikonomides notes the military activities of the unit attested in several sources (Listes, 328).