★ A seal of the commander of the imperial guard ★

N., protospatharios and epi tou manglabiou, 2ndh half 9th-1st half 10th century. Seal (Lead, 22 mm, 5.66 g, 12 h). KЄ ROIΘH T... ('Lord, help your servant'); in fields to left and right, IC - XC Bust of Christ wearing cross nimbus, raising his right hand in benediction and holding book of Gospels in his left. Rev. ...A'CΠAΘ, S ЄΠ[I TO]V MAΓΓΛ...; in fields to left and right, MHP - ΘV Nimbate, facing bust of the Virgin. Unpublished in the standard references. Struck slightly off center, otherwise, good very fine.

As ‘epi tou manglabiou’ the owner of this seal was the commander of the imperial guard of the ‘manglabitai’ ('club-bearers') and thus a very important and influencial figure at the imperial court due to his proximity to the emperor.