NIkephoros Botaneiates, anthypatos patrikios and vestes, last quarter 11th century. Seal (Lead, 29 mm, 40.23 g, 12 h). ...H[T]/P... Saint Demetrios standing facing, nimbate, holding spear in his right hand and resting his left on shield. Rev. +KЄ [R,Θ,] / NIKHΦⲰ / ANΘVΠ,T,ΠPI / RECTI TO R,/TANIA/TH in six lines. M. C. Bartusis: A Seal of Nikephoros Votaneiates, in: ANSMN 29 (1984), p. 135-141. An interesting and very heavy seal of the later emperor. Scrape on the obverse, otherwise, very fine.


The stellar career of the later emperor, Nikephoros Botaneiates, can be traced in the sigillographic record. This seal, belonging to the 1050s, attests the earliest known stage, with the relatively modest court rank of anthypatos patrikios.