Niketas, thesmographos, illoustrios and judge of Thrace, 11th century. Seal (Lead, 31 mm, 11.09 g, 12 h). +CΦPAΓ, / RЄRAIA / NIKHTA / [Θ]ЄCMO/[Γ]PAΦ, ('Secure and valid seal of Niketas, thesmographos') in five lines. Rev. IΛΛ૪/CTPI૪ TЄ / S ΔIKAC/ΠOΛOV / ΘPAK, ('Illoustrios and judge of Thrace') in five lines. Unpublished in the standard references. Minor striking weakness on obverse, otherwise, good very fine.



This attractive and unpublished seal of the important provincial judge Niketas has a metric legend composed of two twelve-syllable verses, a poetic form that was very popular in middle-Byzantine times. Niketas uses the archaic synonym 'dikaspolos' instead of the formal 'krites' for his judicial office, undoubtedly to allow the correct number of syllables.