| Nomos AG > obolos 30 | Auction date: 17 December 2023 |
| Lot number: 772 Price realized: 150 CHF (Approx. 173 USD / 158 EUR) Note: Prices do not include buyer's fees. | Show similar lots on CoinArchives Find similar lots in upcoming auctions on  |
| Lot description: BYZANTINE SEALS. Michael Pithokastrites, patrikios, hypatos and archon of Pantheon, second half of the 11th century. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 26 mm, 12.41 g, 12 h), Constantinople. MHP - ΘOY The Virgin, of the Episkepsis type, standing facing nimbate and orans, bearing a medallion of the infant Christ at her breast. Rev. -+- / ΘΚΕ ΒΟΗ/ΘΕΙ ΜΙΧΑΗΛ / ΠΡΙ ΥΠΑΤΩ / & APXΩΝΤΗ / ΤΟΥ ΠΑΝΘΕΟY / TΩ ΠIΘOK/CTPHT, /-*- (Virgin Mary please aid the patrikios and hypatos Michael Pithokastrites, the lord of the pantheon) in nine lines within round dotted border . Zacos, Geneve, 24 (from the same boulloterion). Immensely rare and only the second known example known. Slightly rough, otherwise, very fine. From a European collection. What is stunning on this seal, is the completely unusual title of the "Lord of the Pantheon" (άρχων του πανθέου). The title reminisces pagan practices and thus it is certainly strange to encounter it on a byzantine seal. Skylitses informs us that during the reigh of Romanos III Argyros, the future emperor Michael IV the Paphlagonian, was promoted to "archon of pantheon", thus it seems that it was a military honorific title of huge importance in the imperial court. The family name Pithokastrites is only mentioned on a seal of the 9th century, and this seal (DO 58.106.2766). It was a relatively small family, nevertheless Michael, was able to ascent the steps of byzantine bureaucracy and claim one of the highest titles, that of the hypatos. Starting price: 100 CHF |  |
