Niketas hypatos and monetarios (ninth century)
Obverse
Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: .Σ|Δ̣Λ̣. No border visible.
Θεοτόκε βοήθει [τ]ῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of four lines. No border visible.
Ν̣Ι̣ΚΗ
ΤΑΥΠΑΤ̣
κΜΝΙΤ̣.
ΡΙ/
Νικήτᾳ ὑπάτῳ κ(αὶ) μωνιτ[α]ρίῳ
Obverse
Cruciform invocative monogram (type V). In the quarters: .Σ|Δ̣Λ̣. No border visible.
Θεοτόκε βοήθει [τ]ῷ σῷ δούλῳ
Reverse
Inscription of four lines. No border visible.
Ν̣Ι̣ΚΗ
ΤΑΥΠΑΤ̣
κΜΝΙΤ̣.
ΡΙ/
Νικήτᾳ ὑπάτῳ κ(αὶ) μωνιτ[α]ρίῳ
| Accession number | BZS.1951.31.5.325 |
|---|---|
| Diameter | 28.0 mm |
| Credit Line | Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Bequest of Thomas Whittemore. |
Translation
Θεοτόκε βοήθει τῷ σῷ δούλῳ Νικήτᾳ ὑπάτῳ καὶ μωνιταρίῳ.
Mother of God, help your servant Niketas, hypatos and monetarios.
Commentary
The Latin term "monitarius" is encountered in the Ravenna papyri in regard to a certain Laurentius monitarius who died before 572 (see Brown, Gentlemen, 279, Laurentius no. 8). The standard literature has failed to note that the first publication of a seal carrying this title appears in F. Barnabei, Notizie degli scavi (1886), 244; obverse with an inscribed cruciform monogram; reverse inscription Σεργίῳ ὑπ(άτῳ) κ(αῖ) μονηταρίῳ. See also a ninth-century seal in the Palermo Museum of a John, hypatos and monetarios (?): Laurent, Sicile, no. 2 (a different seal, however, is illustrated and the reading is contested by W. Seibt in ByzSl 36 [1975] 211). Grierson, Catalogue III/1, 73, quite correctly observed that since the official had "the still respectable title of consul" he was quite likely a mint-master, and not a mere moneyer. This interpretation is reinforced by this seal, which informs us that, on occasion at least, the control of dies and mint emissions rested with the protonotarios of Sicily, the highest civil administrator of the Theme. See also Zacos-Veglery, no. 2630: protospatharios and monetarios of Sicily.