Nikephoros 47 was bishop of Rhousianon; owner of two seals probably to be dated to the ninth century (see below): Laurent, Corpus V 1, no. 915, Zacos and Veglery 950 A. The Laurent seal reads on the obverse: η παν - αγια τη θε - οτοκε β β - ωηθη; and on the reverse: .+Νι. - κηφορ - ου επισκ' - του Ρου - + σιαν, i.e. ἡ πανάγια Θεοτόκε βοήθει Νικηφόρου ἐπισκόπου τοῦ Ῥουσιαν(οῦ). The name and title on the Zacos and Veglery seal read: Νικηφόρου ἐπισκόπου τοῦ Ῥουσιανοῦ. Zacos and Veglery date their seal to the eighth century, and point to its similarity to the other seal, which Laurent dated to the tenth century. Laurent noted that the epigraphy and the formulae of his seal were characteristic of the eighth century, but, holding that the see of Rhousianon (Rossano) probably did not exist until the late ninth century, considered the seal to be a piece of deliberate archaism ("d'archaisme voulu"). It should be noted, however, against the earlier date of Zacos and Veglery, that the form of the betas (resembling a capital Roman R) does not appear before the early to mid ninth century. Since the date of the creation of the see is uncertain (it was formerly subject to Thourioi, last attested in the seventh century) and the seals both seem to be earlier in style than normal tenth century seals, perhaps they could better be dated in the middle or late ninth century. Cf. also ODB III, p. 1813, s.v. Rossano.

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