The nipsistiarios (Greek: νιψιστιάριος) was a Byzantine court position and rank reserved for eunuchs.
The office is first attested in a 7th-century seal, but was abandoned well before the 14th century, since it is not mentioned in the Book of Offices of pseudo-Kodinos.[1] As his name shows (from Greek νίπτειν, "to wash hands"), the nipsistiarios was tasked with holding a gold, gem-encrusted water basin and assisting the Byzantine emperor in performing the ritual ablutions before he exited the imperial palace or performed ceremonies. According to the Klētorologion of 899, his insigne of office was a kamision (tunic) embroidered with the figure of a basin in purple.[1][2] In the Klētorologion, he ranks as the lowest in the hierarchy of the specifically eunuch dignities, below the koubikoularios, but in the 10th century, there is a reference to the eunuch Samonas being promoted from koubikoularios to nipsistiarios.[1]
Bury, J. B. (1911). The Imperial Administrative System of the Ninth Century – With a Revised Text of the Kletorologion of Philotheos. London: Oxford University Press. OCLC 1046639111.
nipsistiarios, nipsistiarios, greek, νιψιστιάριος, byzantine, court, position, rank, reserved, eunuchs, office, first, attested, century, seal, abandoned, well, before, 14th, century, since, mentioned, book, offices, pseudo, kodinos, name, shows, from, greek, . The nipsistiarios Greek nipsistiarios was a Byzantine court position and rank reserved for eunuchs The office is first attested in a 7th century seal but was abandoned well before the 14th century since it is not mentioned in the Book of Offices of pseudo Kodinos 1 As his name shows from Greek niptein to wash hands the nipsistiarios was tasked with holding a gold gem encrusted water basin and assisting the Byzantine emperor in performing the ritual ablutions before he exited the imperial palace or performed ceremonies According to the Kletorologion of 899 his insigne of office was a kamision tunic embroidered with the figure of a basin in purple 1 2 In the Kletorologion he ranks as the lowest in the hierarchy of the specifically eunuch dignities below the koubikoularios but in the 10th century there is a reference to the eunuch Samonas being promoted from koubikoularios to nipsistiarios 1 References edit a b c Kazhdan 1991 p 1488 Bury 1911 pp 121 122 Sources editBury J B 1911 The Imperial Administrative System of the Ninth Century With a Revised Text of the Kletorologion of Philotheos London Oxford University Press OCLC 1046639111 Kazhdan Alexander 1991 Nipsistiarios In Kazhdan Alexander ed The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium Oxford and New York Oxford University Press p 1488 ISBN 0 19 504652 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nipsistiarios amp oldid 996769038, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
