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Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of Christ bearded, wearing a chiton and himation and holding the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left and right: ισ̅χσ̅ : (ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.

Reverse

The emperor Nikephoros III standing on a round dais, wearing a crown (surmounted by a cross?) and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist and decorated with five dots. He holds a labarum in the right hand and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription. Border of dots.

........δεσ..τ.οτανιατη

[Νικηφόρ()] δεσ[π(ό)τ()] τ[] Βοτανιάτῃ.

Obverse

Bust of Christ bearded, wearing a chiton and himation and holding the right hand in blessing and a book in the left. He has a nimbus cruciger; each arm contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left and right: ισ̅χσ̅ : (ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.

Reverse

The emperor Nikephoros III standing on a round dais, wearing a crown (surmounted by a cross?) and a loros, an end of which is draped over the left wrist and decorated with five dots. He holds a labarum in the right hand and a globus cruciger in the left. Circular inscription. Border of dots.

........δεσ..τ.οτανιατη

[Νικηφόρ()] δεσ[π(ό)τ()] τ[] Βοτανιάτῃ.

Accession number BZS.1958.106.492
Diameter 30.0 mm
Previous Editions

DO Seals 6, no. 85.2.

Translation

Νικηφόρ δεσπότ τ Βοτανιάτῃ.

Nikephoros Botaneiates, despotes.

Commentary

On many of Nikephoros’s seals Christ’s head tends to be long and narrow. Here the head is relatively round and his visage softer than, for example, BZS.1958.106.484 and BZS.1958.106.646.

Bibliography

  • Catalogue of Byzantine Seals at Dumbarton Oaks and in the Fogg Museum of Art, Vol. 6, Emperors, Patriarchs of Constantinople, Addenda (Open in Zotero)