Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081)
Obverse
Bust of Christ with a large face and lightly bearded. He wears a tunic and himation, raising his right hand in blessing and holding a book in his left. The book cover is decorated with three rows of pellets; each row consists of three pellets. He has a nimbus cruciger, each arm of which contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left and right: ΙΣ̅ΧΣ̅ : Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.
Reverse
The emperor Nikephoros III standing on a rectangular dais, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over his left wrist. He holds in his right hand a labarum with an X along the upright shaft and in his left a globus cruciger. The cross surmounting the globus is composed of four pellets. Circular inscription. Border of dots.
νικηοροσασιλευσ.οταν
Νικηφόρος βασιλεὺς [ὁ] Βοταν(ιάτης)
Obverse
Bust of Christ with a large face and lightly bearded. He wears a tunic and himation, raising his right hand in blessing and holding a book in his left. The book cover is decorated with three rows of pellets; each row consists of three pellets. He has a nimbus cruciger, each arm of which contains a decoration consisting of five pellets. Sigla at left and right: ΙΣ̅ΧΣ̅ : Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς Χ(ριστό)ς. Border of dots.
Reverse
The emperor Nikephoros III standing on a rectangular dais, wearing a crown and a loros, an end of which is draped over his left wrist. He holds in his right hand a labarum with an X along the upright shaft and in his left a globus cruciger. The cross surmounting the globus is composed of four pellets. Circular inscription. Border of dots.
νικηοροσασιλευσ.οταν
Νικηφόρος βασιλεὺς [ὁ] Βοταν(ιάτης)
Accession number | BZS.1958.106.648 |
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Diameter | 31.0 mm |
Previous Editions | DO Seals 6, no. 85.12. For a parallel specimen, with bibliography, Speck–Sode, Berlin II, no. 183. |
Translation
Νικηφόρος βασιλεὺς ὁ Βοτανιάτης.
Nikephoros Botaneiates, basileus.
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)
- Byzantinische Bleisiegel in Berlin II (Open in Zotero)
Commentary
The emperor's name can be easily read on the Berlin specimen.