Nicholas Areobindenos, spatharokandidatos (eleventh century, first half)
Obverse
Bust of St. Nicholas, blessing with his right hand and holding a book in his left. Inscription in two columns: Ν̣|Ι – Κ|Ο|Λ: [ὁ ἅ(γιος)] Νικόλ(αος). Border of dots.
Λ
[... τῷ σ]ῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
ΝΙΚΟΛ
ΣΠΑΘΑΡ̣
ΚΑΝ,Τ̣
ΑΡΕΟΙΝ̣
ΗΝ̣
Νικολ(άῳ) σπαθαρ(ο)κανδ(ι)δ(άτῳ) τῷ Ἀρεοβινδηνῷ
Obverse
Bust of St. Nicholas, blessing with his right hand and holding a book in his left. Inscription in two columns: Ν̣|Ι – Κ|Ο|Λ: [ὁ ἅ(γιος)] Νικόλ(αος). Border of dots.
Λ
[... τῷ σ]ῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of five lines. Border of dots.
ΝΙΚΟΛ
ΣΠΑΘΑΡ̣
ΚΑΝ,Τ̣
ΑΡΕΟΙΝ̣
ΗΝ̣
Νικολ(άῳ) σπαθαρ(ο)κανδ(ι)δ(άτῳ) τῷ Ἀρεοβινδηνῷ
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.1321 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 23.0 mm |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Κύριε or Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Νικολάῳ σπαθαροκανδιδάτῳ τῷ Ἀρεοβινδηνῷ.
Lord or Mother of God, help your servant Nicholas Areobindenos, spatharokandidatos.
Similar Seals
- Nicholas Areobindenos, spatharokandidatos and protonotarios of Chaldia (eleventh century)
- Nicholas Areobindenos, spatharokandidatos and protonotarios of Chaldia (eleventh century)
- Nicholas Areobindenos, spatharokandidatos and protonotarios of Chaldia (eleventh century)
- Nicholas Ar(eobindenos?), spatharokandidatos and epi tou manglaviou (eleventh century)
Commentary
Another group of seals depicting a bust of St. Nicholas belongs to a Nicholas Areobindenos, spatharokandidatos and protonotarios of Chaldia (see commentary at BZS.1958.106.1073). If these all belong to the same individual, the form of the omicron-upsilon ligature on this specimen argues in favor of dating the group slightly later than the tenth/eleventh-century date previously assigned to the protonotarios seals. See also PBW : Nikolaos 20205.