Watch List notes:

BYZANTINE SEALS. Niketas imperial protospatharios and domestikos of the Optimatoi, Circa 9th century. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 28 mm, 16.97 g, 11 h), Nicomedia, capital of the Optimatoi theme. Cruciform invocation monogram reading: Κύριε βοήθει; around, TΩ - CΩ / ΔΟΥ-ΛΩ (Lord please aid your servant). Rev. +NHK/HTA B'AC/ΠΑΘ' S ΔΟΜ/ ΤΩΝ Ο/ΠTHM in five lines within plain border. Possibly unpublished, Cf. DO 71.17. & Zacos 2624. A scarce seal giving the name of an otherwise unknown Byzantine officer. A few uncleaned spots, otherwise, very fine.


The optimatoi (from the Latin "Optimates" = the best) were originally an elite Byzantine military unit. After the partition of the administration of the empire into the Theme system in the the late 8th century, their name was given to the Theme of Optimatoi, across the Bosporos from Constantinople. The Theme's capital was Nicomedia.