Nomos AG
obolos 24 21 Aug 2022
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BYZANTINE SEALS, Provincial Administration. Pherses Tzotzikios, patrikios and strategos of Boukellarioi, 1100-1110. Seal or Bulla (Lead, 25 mm, 19.80 g, 12 h), Ancyra, seat of the Boukellarioi theme. O /Γ/E- O/P/Γ/I Nimbate and draped bust of youthful and beardless St. Georgios facing, holding spear over his right shoulder and small shield with which he covers his left side. Rev. ΦEPCIC / ΠATPIK, S / STPAT TOY / BOYKEΛ / •✱• in five lines within round dotted border. Unpublished and important! For a later seal of Pherses, see Nomos 22 (2021) 417, when he was elevated to Anthypatos and had expanded authority over Cappadocia. A unique seal of Pherses Tzotzikios, issued before his elevation to Anthypatos. A very artistic depiction of the youthful saint. Good very fine.
This seal doesn't offer the surname of the officer that it mentioned. Nevertheless, an example auctioned in Roma e96, lot 1612, informs us that Pherses Tzotzikios was patrikios and strategos of the Voukellarioi. The style of that seal is similar to the exceptional seal we had in Nomos where Pherses is named Anthypatos and strategos of Cappadocia.
There is no doubt that all three seals are actually from the same officer, Pherses Tzotzikios, from different phases of his military carrier, with the present seal being the oldest of the three.
According to Skylitzes, in around 1016 a certain Tzotzikios, son of Theudatos, was the strategos (general) of Dorostolon. As both the names Pherses and Theudatos are of Georgian origin, it is quite plausible that the issuer of this seal is none other than the Tzotzikios mentioned by Skylitzes.
This seal doesn't offer the surname of the officer that it mentioned. Nevertheless, an example auctioned in Roma e96, lot 1612, informs us that Pherses Tzotzikios was patrikios and strategos of the Voukellarioi. The style of that seal is similar to the exceptional seal we had in Nomos where Pherses is named Anthypatos and strategos of Cappadocia.
There is no doubt that all three seals are actually from the same officer, Pherses Tzotzikios, from different phases of his military carrier, with the present seal being the oldest of the three.
According to Skylitzes, in around 1016 a certain Tzotzikios, son of Theudatos, was the strategos (general) of Dorostolon. As both the names Pherses and Theudatos are of Georgian origin, it is quite plausible that the issuer of this seal is none other than the Tzotzikios mentioned by Skylitzes.