The usurper Nicephorus Melissenus
Lot 3150
Nicephorus Melissenus, usurper 1080-1081. Seal (Lead, 34 mm, 19.75 g, 12 h). IC - XC Christ seated facing on an ornate and high-backed throne, wearing cross-nimbus, raising his right hand in the fold of his garment and holding book of Gospels in his left. Rev. +NIKHΦOP [AVT]KT-OP - PⲰMЄⲰN Ⲱ MЄΛICHNⲰC Nicephorus standing on dais facing, wearing loros and crown with pendilia, holding labarum in his right hand and globus cruciger in his left. Zacos/Veglery 99. Cf. Cheynet, Istanbul 1.41 and DO Seals 86.1 for similar seals with minor legend variants. A rare imperial seal of an interesting Byzantine usurper. Some marks and traces of corrosion. Very fine.

From a European collection, acquired before 2021.

This fascinating seal belongs to Nicephorus Melissenus, a distinguished statesman and general, and brother-in-law to the later emperor, Alexius I Comnenus. After the disastrous Battle of Manzikert in 1071, Melissenus remained loyal to Michael VII Ducas, but once Nicephorus III Botaneiates usurped the throne in 1078, the general was exiled to Asia Minor. This proved to be a mistake on Botaneiates’ part, as Melissenus quickly started gathering troops and proclaimed himself emperor in 1080. Botaneiates opted to send Alexius, who had some experience in dealing with usurpers, to quell the rebellion, but the latter refused to fight his own brother-in-law. The next year, the Comnenians themselves made a bid for the throne, and after they successfully captured Constantinople, Melissenus was made Caesar and given authority over the strategically important city of Thessalonica. He continued serving under the Comnenians in a military capacity, fighting against the Normans, the Pechenegs, and the Cumans, before passing away in 1104.
Starting price:
75 CHF
Hammer price:
260 CHF
Bid increment:
Closed
Minimum bid:
Closed
Number of bids:
Time left:
Closing time: 18-Jul-22, 16:31:30 CEST
All winning bids are subject to a 18.5% buyer's fee.

Cookies

We use cookies to enhance your online experience. By using our website, you accept our data privacy policy and the use of cookies.
Disconnected

Connection lost

You have lost your connection. Because we present current bids in real-time, your browser may display outdated or incorrect bidding information.

Please check your network connection and try again. We recommend refreshing the website to display the accurate bidding information again.