★ The usurper Nicephorus Melissenus ★

Nicephorus Melissenus, usurper 1080-1081. Seal (Lead, 33 mm, 36.73 g, 12 h). IC - XC Christ seated facing on an ornate and high-backed throne, wearing cross-nimbus, raising his right hand in the fold of his garment and holding book of Gospels in his left. Rev. [+NI]KHΦOP, ΔЄCΠ'T [P, O?] MЄ[ΛI]CHNOC Nicephorus standing on dais facing, wearing loros and crown with pendilia, holding labarum in his right hand and globus cruciger in his left. Cheynet, Istanbul 1.41 (from a different boulloterion with a variant reverse legend). DO Seals 86.1 (same). Zacos/Veglery 99 (same). A well-preserved seal struck from a hitherto unknown boulloterion of this highly interesting Byzantine usurper. Some deposits and rough spots, otherwise, good very fine.

Ex Leu Web Auction 19, 26-28 February 2022, 3452 and previously from a European collection, acquired before 2021.

This fascinating seal belongs to Nicephorus Melissenus, a distinguished statesman and general, and brother-in-law of the later emperor, Alexius I Comnenus. After the disastrous Battle of Manzikert in 1071, Melissenus remained loyal to Michael VII Ducas, but once Nicephorus III Botaneiates usurped the throne in 1078, the general was exiled to Asia Minor. This proved to be a mistake on Botaneiates’ part, as Melissenus quickly started gathering troops and proclaimed himself emperor in 1080. Botaneiates opted to send Alexius, who had some experience in dealing with usurpers, to quell the rebellion, but the latter refused to fight his own brother-in-law. The next year, the Comnenians themselves made a bid for the throne, and after they successfully captured Constantinople, Melissenus was made Caesar and given authority over the strategically important city of Thessalonica. He continued serving under the Comnenians in a military capacity, fighting against the Normans, the Pechenegs and the Cumans, before passing away in 1104.

As for the seal, the slight breakage on the channel mouth on the reverse probably obscures part of the legend. The word 'Romaion' (for 'despotes of the Romans') and a definite article for the family name (ho Melissenos) is expected, which is why we propose to complete the legend 'P, O' in the upper right.