PB seal of Basil Kamytzes?, protospatharios, ek prosopou (AD 11th century, first half).
Obv: Bust of St. Michael holding a sceptre. Inscription: Μ[ι]χα[ήλ]. Border of dots.
Rev: Inscription of five lines beginning with a decoration: Βασίλ(ειος) (πρωτο)σπαθ(άριος) (καὶ) ἐκ προσ(ώπου) [...]ρ Καμ[μύ]τζιτ. Border of dots.
For Kamytzes family, see Andreas Gkoutzioukostas and Alexandra-Kyriaki Wassiliou-Seibt, "The origin and the members of the Kamytzes family: A contribution to Byzantine prosopography," DOP 72 (2018), 169-180.
The surname Kamytzes is mentioned for the first time in the tenth century by Pseudo Symeon (PmbZ 25573). The oldest certain member of the Kamytzes family in Byzantium is the military commander (strategos) Theodoros Kamitzes, with the title protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou (DO 58.106.972, first half of the eleventh century). Another earliest family member whose seal is known in the first half of the 11th century is Basil Kamytzes, who bore the title of spatharokandidatos and epi tou Chrysotriklinou (DO BZS.1951.31.5.2218). The bottom right lines on the reverse of our seal does not allow clear reading; however, the Kamytzes family name seems the possible solution. If so, this seal would make an important contribution to the Byzantine prosopography and lineage of the aristocratic Kamytzes family.
Condition: Near Very Fine.
Weight: 10.92 g.
Diameter: 21.40 mm.