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Home ▸ Catalog ▸ |Antiquities| ▸ |Byzantine Antiquities||View Options:   | | | |
There is much we could say about this Byzantine eunuch general who served under Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. On our seal, the title of doux (from which English "duke" is derived) was just one of many high-ranking positions enjoyed by Nikerites during his long career, which included posts in the Peloponnese (as anagrapheus), Bulgaria, & Cyprus. However, for our current infatuation in solar eclipses, this anecdote from Anna Komnene's Alexiad overshadows all others!
"In the course of the discussion a certain Nicolas, one of the Emperor's [Alexios'] secretaries, came up to him and whispered in his ear, 'You may expect an eclipse of the sun to take place today [16 February 1086],' and on the Emperor's expressing a doubt, he swore with an oath that he was not lying. Then the Emperor, with his habitual quick-wittedness, turned to the Scythians and said, 'I appoint God as judge; and if a sign appears in the heavens this day, you will know for a surety that I have good reason for suspecting, and therefore not receiving, your embassy because your leaders are not sincere in their overtures for peace. If, however, no sign appears, I shall stand convicted of having been wrong in my surmise.' Before two hours had passed, the light of the sun failed, and the whole of its disc was darkened by the moon's passing over it. At that sight the Scythians were terrified, and the Emperor handed them over to Leo Nicerites (he was a eunuch, brought up among the soldiers from babyhood, and much respected) and ordered him to take a sufficient guard and conduct them to the Queen of Cities. And Leo started very willingly on the road to Constantinople. But the barbarians who were throughout intent on regaining their liberty, slew the guards who were keeping a very careless watch over them when they reached little Nicaea, and returned by devious paths to those who had sent them. Nicerites with three others escaped with difficulty and rejoined the Emperor at Goloë."BZ113298. Lead bulla (tag seal), DOCBS Online BZS.1951.31.5.1259 (same boulloterion or dies); Wassiliou-Seibt BSML II 2526; CGB Istanbul 2.204; Seibt BBÖ I p. 226, 10, VF, uneven, off-centered impression, uniform yellow oxide patina with spots of roughness, remnants of channel for cord visible, weight 10.582 g, maximum diameter 22.1 mm, c. 1100 A.D.; obverse [CΦΓA]/ΓIC Λ[E]/ONTO[C] (sic!; "Seal of Leo/Leon") in three lines, a cross above (off blank), all within dotted border; reverse ΔOV/KOC TOV / [N]IKEPI/TOV (of Duke Nikerites) in three lines within dotted border; ex Time Machine, with a historical connection between Nikerites and a solar eclipse!; very rare;
Byzantine, Lead Bulla Seal, c. 6th Century A.D.
Reading a block monogram of such complexity as on the present Byzantine seal can be maddening, like a quadratic or more complex polynomial equation whose solutions are all found to be reasonable. The inherent ambiguity of many block monograms may have been one reason why they fell out of favor during the seventh century A.D. Nevertheless, through patient study, some possible clues have been squeezed out of ours. The monogram may in fact combine a personal name with the office of a bishop (written in the genitive, EΠICKOΠOY, or "of the bishop") or perhaps even an archbishop (APXIEΠICKOΠOY). The person's name is a much trickier question with multiple possibilities, including Markou, Mariou, Marianou, Maurikiou, Eukarpiou, or even Kyprianou (all transliterated into English in genitive form). Another, less probable, possibility is an unidentified eparch (bishop of an eparchy or diocese).BZ114045. Lead seal, cf. Zacos BLS 1208 (for very similar obv.); DOCBS BZS.1951.31.5.3062 (for similar seal with block monogram), Choice gVF, attractive, yellow oxide patina, weight 10.259 g, maximum diameter 22.1 mm, die axis 330o, c. 6th century A.D.; obverse facing bust of Virgin Hodeghetria, nimbate, wearing tunic and maphorion, holding infant Christ on her left arm/shoulder, nimbate, wearing tunic and himation, dove (i.e., the Holy Spirit) above, cross pattée behind; reverse complex block monogram, containing the letters A, Y, E (lunate), I, K, Π, Ο, P, C, and M and/or X, and possibly N; extremely rare;
Byzantine Empire, Lead Bulla Seal, Anonymous, c. 7th - 9th Century A.D.
Many Byzantine seals included the name of the sender. For anonymous seals, such as this one, the name of the sender would have been in the document to which the seal was attached. Some anonymous Byzantine seals included verses saying (in Greek): "Observe the document to see whose seal I am" or "The document clearly reveals the writer," etc.BZ113989. Lead bulla (tag seal), unpublished in references held by Forum; DOCBS -, Zacos -, Jordanov -, et al. -, F, bump and marks, weight 7.039 g, maximum diameter 20.4 mm, die axis 0o, 7th - 9th Century A.D.; obverse nimbate and draped bust of St. John the Baptist facing, long cross staff in right hand, Θ over IW-Π/P/ΔO/M (or similar, Greek abbreviation: Ο Αγιος Ιωαννης ο Προδρομος - Saint John the forerunner); reverse the Virgin nimbate, veiled, and draped, with head of nimbate infant Christ before breast, star left and right over MP - ΘV (MP ligate, Greek abbreviation: Mητηρ Θεου - Mother of God) divided across field;
Byzantine, 2 Bronze Square Coin Weights, c. 300 - 900 A.D.
Based on weight, c. 1 gram each, these are 1 scripula weights. Both are labeled with N, believed to indicate Numisma. The expected weight for a numisma is, however, c. 4 grams. Weights like these are exceedingly common with great variation in their actual weight, but we remain perplexed by the conflict between the very low weight of these specimens and their markings.AS43875. 2 Bronze Square Coin Weights, cf. Bendall 103 & 104, Collectible, green patina, each c. 1g, ex Ancient Treasures (Plamen Arsoff, Granada Hills, CA, 2011);
Late Roman - Byzantine, Syria-Palestina, Beit Nattif Imitative Ovoid Lamp, c. 270 - 500 A.D.
The size and form of this lamp is similar to the Beit Nattif ovoid lamp type, but differs in decorative details. Beit Nattif Lamps are named after the site in the Judean Foothills in south-central Israel where a workshop for the type was found. The type was, however, imitated throughout Israel. This lamp is not a very close to match to any of the many examples published in our references. We believe it is an imitative made by a small workshop somewhere other than Beit Nattif that produced for local use. Beit Nattif| Lamps| page in NumisWiki.AL93882. Beit Natif Imitative Ovoid Lamp, Adler 4.3, BN.1, 482 (decorations differ); Sussman Late LR2, 1162 (same), Choice, complete and intact, encrustations; 7.5 cm (3") long, c. 270 - 500 A.D.; mold made, buff-gray clay, traces of a brown slip(?), biconvex piriform shape, large filling hole with double rim, arches patterns on shoulder, tab handle ornamented with lines, slightly pinched nozzle with round tip, ring base;
Byzantine, Palaestina Secunda, Imitative Beit Natif Lamp, 5th - 6th Century A.D.
Sussman and Adler identify the type as a northern imitation of Beit Natif lamps. Sussman calls this handle type, which was not used at Beit Natif, "wing-shaped."AL78101. Imitative Beit Natif Lamp; Adler type BN.6, cf. 952; Sussman Late p. 50, fig. 33, near Choice, handle broken otherwise complete and intact, attractive, 8.8cm (3 1/2") long, 5.5cm (2 1/8") wide, 2.9cm (1 1/8") high, 5th - 6th century A.D.; reverse Bet Shean, Byzantine Palaestina Secunda, Imitative Beit Natif Lamp, 5th - 6th Century A.D.; mold made, buff-gray clay, red-orange slip, elongated shape, large bow rim nozzle decorated with an ornate basket or amphora and small dotted annulets around, high rim around large filling hole, herringbone wreath around shoulders, large rectangular handle rising diagonally ornamented with a palmette, low ring base;
Late Roman - Byzantine, Holyland (Syria Palaestina), Miniature "Candlestick" Oil Lamp, c. 350 - 500 A.D.
The pattern on the nozzle, branches issuing from a central ridge, is often called a "candlestick," meaning it is a representation of the menorah. Some authorities believe it is a palm branch and it is sometimes indecisively called a a palm-menorah. The strongest evidence that the palm-menorah actually is a menorah is a variation of this lamp with a cross on the nozzle. This suggests that Jews and Christians used the same type of lamp, differentiated only by their respective religious symbol, a phenomenon also encountered on North African Red-Slip Lamps. The type is found across Israel but most commonly in Jerusalem and within 50 kilometers of Jerusalem. See our |Candlestick |Lamps page in NumisWiki. This is the smallest example of this type known to FORVM. AL78095. Miniature "Candlestick" Oil Lamp; Adler type BYZ.1; Alder 905 (7.4cm); Qedem 8 477 (8cm); Sussman Late 1553 (7.7cm), Choice, complete and intact, mild wear, 6.6cm (2 5/8") long, 4.5cm (1 3/4") wide, 2.2cm (7/8") high, c. 350 - 500 A.D.; grey-buff light clay, chalk inclusions, tear drop shape from above, no handle, double rim around filling hole, decorative radiating pattern around shoulder continues on the nozzle with six branches from a central ridge (palm-menorah), ring base;
Lot of 100 Bronze Ancient Trilobate Arrowheads, Hellenistic - Byzantine, c. 300 B.C. - 1000 A.D.
LT96894. Lot of 100 bronze trilobate arrowheads, mostly or all Hellenistic - Byzantine, c. 300 B.C. - 1000 A.D., c. 12 - 28 mm, some complete and intact, some with chips or bends, unattributed to type, no tags, from the same larger lot as the arrowheads in the photograph, as-is, no returns;
Byzantine Empire, Lead Amulet or Votive Mirror, c. 5th - 11th Century A.D.
In Greek and Hebrew the biblical term Charis (xapiς) refers to good will, loving-kindness, favor, in particular to God's merciful grace. It is used over 140 times in the New Testament and is a central concept in the theology developed by St. Augustine of Hippo. Epigraphically, the inscription resembles so-called 'magical' or 'gnostic' engraved gems and amulets, also bearing retrograde inscriptions and square lunate sigmas. Although this may have been a "mirror" it would never have been useful or used as one. Its purpose was likely to seek favor from God, ideally to seek the God's grace to strengthen the owner's faith and their exercise of Christian virtues. They may have been purchased to be left behind in a church, similar to how prayer candles are offered in Catholic churches today.BZ99058. Lead amulet or votive mirror, weight 10.250 g, maximum diameter 31.0 mm, die axis 0o, c. 5th - 11th Century A.D.; obverse H XA/PIC EI/MI (Greek: I am grace) in three retrograde lines; reverse blank (if a mirror, it would have originally been polished to provide a reflection); SOLD
Lot of 19 Ancient Lead Objects, 1st - 11th Century A.D.
AL25746. Lead Lot, 19 lead objects, Roman and Byzantine weights, seals, etc., actual items in the photograph, only one lot available; SOLD
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