★ A wonderful seal with an impressive portrait of St. Nicholas ★

Sergios, imperial protospatharios, epi ton oikeiakon and domestikos of the Noumeroi, 10th century. Seal (Lead, 28 mm, 11.96 g, 12 h). +KЄ ROHΘЄI TⲰ CⲰ Δ૪Λ, - Θ / N/IK-O/Λ, Nimbate facing bust of Saint Nicholas, raising his right hand in benediction and holding a book of Gospels in his left hand . Rev. +CEPΓIO / R’A’CΠAΘ’ ЄΠ/I T, VKIAKⲰN S / ΔOMЄCTIK’ / TⲰ N૪MЄP’ in five lines. A wonderful seal with an impressive portrait of St. Nicholas and attesting an extremely rare military office. Minor surface roughness and the flan somewhat bent, otherwise, extremely fine.

From a European collection, formed before 2005.

The Byzantine tagma of the Noumeros ('The Number') was an elite infantry guard stationed in the Capital during the 9th and 10th centuries. They were tasked with guarding the city’s walls and the imperial palace. As domestikos, Sergios was their commander.