Institutions of the Byzantine Empire

The Byzantine Empire had a complex system of Bureaucratie and Aristocratie. The majority of the stations and the titles were purely honorary, the emperor being the only leader. During the most thousand years of existence of the Empire, various titles were created, removed and much lost or gained in prestige. At the beginning, the titles were the same ones as those of the Roman Empire late, the Byzantine Empire then not being distinguished from Rome. At the time of Héraclius at the 7th century, much of the titles had become obsolete; at the time of Alexis I {{er}}, much of the stations was lately created or completely altered, but hardly changed until the fine Empire.

Aristocratic titles

Imperial titles

; Basileus ( Βασιλεύς ): See the article Basileus .
Les Byzantine exclusively held the term “basileus” with the emperor of Constantinople, the kings and leaders of Occident being called “ rigas ” which is a hellenized form of the Latin word “ rex ”.
La female form is “ basilissa ” to refer to the empress, who was also called “ Eusebestati Augousta ” (most pious of Augusta), “ Kyria ” (Lady) or “ Despoina ” (the female form of despostes ).
La Primogéniture was never legally established to regulate the succession of the Byzantine emperors, because, in theory, the Roman Emperor was chosen by the senate, the people and the army. This principle was strongly anchored in the Roman tradition “republican”, where the hereditary royalty was excluded and where the convergence of several decisional stations of the Republic were incarnated in the emperor. Many emperors, anxious to safeguard the right to the throne of their first-born, made them crown Co-emperors when they were still children, being ensured thus that at the time of their death the throne would not be temporarily vacant. In this case, the need for an imperial selection was not necessary. In other cases, the new emperor went up on the throne after having married the widow of the precedent or after having forced the precedent to abdicate and to becoming monk. Certain emperors were also deposited because perceived like inadequate, for example following a military defeat. ( See the article Violent deaths and oustings of the Byzantine emperors ) ; Basileopator : It is an honorary title given to the “father” of the emperor, although the basileopator is not necessarily the parent. The first basileopator was Zautzès, noble under Leon IV. Romain I {{er}} Lécapène was also called kind when it took the regency of Constantin VII. ; Porphyrogénète ( Porphyrogenitos , πορφυρογένητος ): See the article Porphyrogénète . ; Autokrator ( αυτοκράτωρ ): This title has originally the same direction that Imperator of which it is the Greek translation. It was used by Héraclius which used also the term “ kyrios ” ( κύριος ) which means “lord”. ; Rosefish ( Sebastos Σεβαστός ): “Majesty”, the title is a literal translation of “ Augustus ” or “ Augustos ” and was used by many emperors. Under Alexis I {{er}}, it became less important after the creation of the dignity of Protosébaste. The female form is “ sebasta ”. ; Despot ( Δεσπότης ): The title of despot was created by Manuel I {{er}} Comnène at the 12th century like the most title after that of emperor. A Despote could be the chief of a Despotat; for example the Despotat de Morée around Mystras was held by the heirs with the Byzantine throne after 1261. The female form, “ despoina ” can apply to leading of a despotat or the woman of a despot. ; Sébastocrator ( σεϐαστοκράτωρ ): See the article Sébastokrator ; César (whose Greek form is Kaisar ). When Alexis Ier created the title of sébastocrator, that of césar became the third in importance and the fourth when Manuel Ier created that of despot. The female form is “ kaisarissa ”. ; Panhypersébaste ( Πανυπερσέβαστος ) and Protosébaste ( Πρωτοσέβαστος ): Titles developed starting from rosefish. Alexis Ier and the following emperors could create a certain number of titles by adding the suffixes like “ side ” (“all”), “ hyper ” (“above”) or “ proto ” (“first”) with the existing titles.

The titles of despot, sébastocrator, césar, panhypersébaste, and protosébaste were normally reserved to the family member imperial and could be distinguished by colors and the different shapes from crown. However, they could also fall to foreigners. In fact, the first despot was a foreigner, Béla III of Hungary; that meant that Hungary was regarded as a state dependant on the Empire. The first foreigner with being called sébastocrator was Stefan Nemanja of Serbia to which it title was given in 1191. Kalojan of Bulgaria used also this titer.
Justinien II named Tervel, Khan of Bulgarian, césar in 705; the title then developed in Slavic in “ czar ” or “ Tsar ”. Andronic II Paleologist named also Roger de Flor, chief of the Catalan Compagnie, kaisar in 1304. The title of protosébaste was given to Enrico Dandolo, Doge de Venise, before its implication in the Fourth crusade.

Titles of court

; Pansebastohypertatos , panoikeiotatos , protoproèdre: They are examples of double-barrelled names created by the addition of suffixes. These titles were carried by the family members imperial with Alexis Ier and meant the close relationship with the emperor, but they were attached to no capacity. ; Protovestiaire ( Protovestiarios ): This title was usually given to a minor character of the entourage of the emperor. The associated load was to take care of the garderobe of the emperor, in particular during the military campaigns. Sometimes the protovestiarios had also the load of the intendance of the imperial house and personal finances of the emperor. The old term, before the time of Justinien, was curopalate (or kouropalatès in Greek), derived from curator ( kourator ), an official station of the Lower Empire responsible for the financial businesses. The cloakroom ( vestiaros ) was a subordinate of the protovestiaire. The protovestiaria and the vestiaria occupied the same functions near the empress.

The Byzantines had also aristocratic titles for less important members of the imperial family. These titles resulted generally from the Latin titles, such as for example prinkeps (prince), soft (duke), komes (count). There were also titles like cleisourarque, apokomes , and akrita , equivalent to the marquis, Viscounts, and barons in Occident.

Palatine functions

A certain number of stations allowed their holders of cotoyer the emperor, even if these titles were not inevitably aristocratic. ; Parakimomene ( parakoimomenos ): Literally “that which sleeps with the emperor”, bodyguard, then great chamberlain. He acquired then high positions like that of the direction of Kitonites. The parakimomenes had such an influence that they controlled sometimes the State. ; Kitonite : chamberlain, officer of the wardrobe ; Pankernès : The taster of drinks. ; Megas konostaulos : The large constable, in load of the imperial stables. ; Préposite: The chief of the eunuques ones. ; Hypogrammateus : This title was given to the imperial under-secretary.

Military titles

Army

; Exarque ( Exarchos ): See the article Exarque . ; Domestic ( Domestikos ): The domestikoi were originally imperial guards which had become generals in the Thèmes. The title was declined in several stations:

; Large servant ( Megas domestikos ): The commander of all the army.

; Domestic of the scholes ( Domestikos your Scholon ): The commander of the scholes or scholae , originally a prestigious division of the army, become a topic thereafter. It was a prestigious title and which concentrated many capacities.

; Domestic of the topics ( Domestikos tou thematos ): The commander and military chief of the topics. There were two of them: for Europe and for Asia.

; Strategist ( Strategos ): See the article Strategist .
Ce military title for the commander of the topic was also called “ soft ”. It was more or less the equivalent of a general or an admiral. ; Tourmarque ( τουρμάρχης ): The commander of a Tourme, a division of the army. ; Protospathaire ( Protospatharios ): A senior officer of the guard impérale. He appeared in the imperial processions. The title seems to go back to Héraclius, it was allotted later to civils servant like the strategists at the 8th century. The spatharios was subordinate for him. ; Protostrator : Originally the Master of the stables of the emperor. The title more tardily appoints the commander of the army. ; Stratopédarque ( stratopedarchès ): The chief of camp, another rank of the army which could have legal capacities. ; Protokentarchos and kentarchos : Commanders of smaller divisions, the name is derived from “Centurion”. ; Mérarque ( Merarchès ): A commander of a division of cavalry.

Navy

; Large Duke ( Megas dux ): The large duke was the admiral as a chief and organized the naval topics. He was certainly among the rare ones to know the secrecy of the composition of the Greek fire. At the end of the dynasty Paleologist, the megas dux was with the head of the government and the bureaucracy, and more only of the marine. ; Large Drongaire ( Megas drungarios ): A subordinate of the megas dux which was in load of the officers. ; Drongaire ( Drungarios - δρουγγάριος ): A naval officer as well as army. The drungarokomes was higher to him. It belongs to the staff and it orders a regiment. ; Catépan ( Katepano ): The catépan was the governor of a naval topic, like the Catépanat of Pouilles. The title was developed at the 9th century. The title is also attested in Médie at the 11th century when it could appoint the governor of a province containing several topics. As from the 14th century, whereas the topics had already disappeared, this title was given to a simple chief of canton subordinate to the duke.

Other military titles

; Kontostaulos : The Greek name of “Constable”, the chief of the Frank Mercenary S . ; Hetairiarchès : The Barbarian chief of the mercenaries S. ; Akolouthos : “Assistant”, the chief of the guard varègue. ; Spartharocanditat ( Spatharokandidatos ), Manglavites : Other titles varègues.

Administrative titles

There was plethora of administrative titles in the vast Byzantine bureaucracy. Some were reserved for the noble ones, others were not aristocratic but the member elects served the emperor of the same manner.

; Prefect of the court: The Prefect of the court (Latin: Praefectus praetorio ) was originally a military Roman title which was tiny room to a civil role. The title was removed at the 7th century and before to have evolved to that of domestikos . After the reform of the Dioclétien, the capacities of the prefects were étandaient on the adminsitratifs fields, financial, legal and even legislatures. The governors of province were chosen or revoked by their recommendation, recommendation which was to be approved by the emperor. He had a treasure peronnel and was to pay balances it and the food of the troops placed at his disposal. He was also a supreme judge of call; if the call resulted from a lower court of justice, there could not be call in front of the emperor. It could enact laws of its own authority, but they related to only points of detail. ; Anthypathe ( Anthypathos ), proconsul: It was since the 6th century an honorary dignity given especially as from the 9th century to almost all the civil or military senior officials. ; Archonte: The Archonte was the chief of a small state then as from the 12th century the title was given to the noble great landowners and to the simple notable ones. ; Protoasékrétis: The protoasékrétis had the load of the Chancellerie and was responsible for the recording for the laws and governmental edicts. The asekrétis was a subordinate. Others subordinates included/understood the chartulaire (in load of the imperial documents), the kastrinsios (the chamberlain of the palate), the mystikos (the private secretary) or the eidikos (official of the treasure). ; Logothète ( logothéthès ): The logothète was a secretary and a bureaucrat more or less high in the hérarchie. Logothète was a title conferred at the origin with those which checked the budget of the State. However starting from the reign of Justinien, their role becomes more important and they become true ministers. A known logothète was Nicéphore {{Ier}} which became emperor.

; Large Logothète ( Megas logothétès ): Large the logothète was with the head of the logothète. It was personally responsible for the legal system and the treasure (one can comaprer its role with a chancellor of Europe).

; Logothète of Drome ( Logothétès tou dromou ): The logothètes of the Stations had the load of the diplomacy and the imperial postal service. It had in its attributions the reception of the foreign ambassadors.

; Logothétès your oikeiakon : This logothète with the interior matters dealt of the safety of Constantinople and the local economy.

; Logothète of the génikon ( Logothètès tou génikou ): The general logothète was responsible for the taxes and their covering.

; Logothète of the stratiôtikon ( Logothétès tou stratiotikou ): The logothète with the armies was to pay the soldiers.

The logothètes had originally influence on the emperor, but much of these titles became honorary. In the late Empire, the logothète became the mesazôn (littéalement “the man in the medium”, the manager).

; Prefect ( Præfectus ): Prefect is an official title subordinate in Constantinople reserved for the local government. ; Éparque ( Έπαρχοι ) or archonte: Same level that the prefect, it manages a fortress or a naval base. ; Questeur ( Quæstor ): The stations of Questeur S were originally reserved for the businesses financial and legal, they lost to be able to them with the development of the logothètes. ; Silentiaire: The silentiaire which was class of the cubicularii (chamberlains), was charged to maintain the good order in the solemn assemblies (silentia) held by the basileus and in the imperial processions. It was of senatorial row and had as a badge a gold rod. The silentiaire was also employed in other functions as diplomat. Their load ends up becoming an honorary title. ; Powerful orator ( Tribounos ): Equivalent of the Roman title “powerful orator”, person in charge of the maintenance of the roads, the monuments and the buildings. ; Toparque: The toparque one was a magistrate of a city at the 9th century. ; Magistre ( magister officiorum , Magister militum , maistor in Greek): An old Roman, main term of the offices and Master of the army. At the time of Honorius, these stations had become honorary and were removed thereafter. ; Sacellaire ( Sacellarios ): Under Héraclius, an honorary supervisor of the other administrators of the de luxe hotel, logothètes, etc ; Praetor ( Prætor ): The Préteur S are originally administrators of Constantinople, in load of the taxes; after Alexis, a civil governor of a topic. ; Kephale : Literally the “head”. The civil governor of a Byzantine city. ; Drogman or dragoman : A Turkish title which was applied to the interpreters and the ambassadors. ; Horeiarios : In load of the distribution of the food of the attics of state. ; Orphanotrophe: It was in the beginning the chief of the principal old people's home of Constantinople, but as from the 9th century he becomes a large officer of the empire. It was not always an ecclesiastic and as from the 10th century its jurisdiction extends on several old people's homes.

The protosékretis, logothètes, prefects, questeurs, magistres and sacellaires, inter alia, were members of the senate, until it becomes unutilised and obsolete after Heraclius.

Sources

Warren T. Treadgold. has off History the Byzantine State and Society . Stanford: Stanford University Near, 1997. ISBN 0-8047-2630-2
H.R. Davidson. The Viking Road to Byzantium . London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., 1976. ISBN 0049400495
Michael Angold. The Byzantine Aristocracy: IX to XIII Centuries . Oxford: International BAR Series, 1984. ISBN 0860542831.
Deno John Geanakoplos. Emperor Michael Palaeologus and the West, 1258-1282: With Study in Byzantine-Latin Relations . Hamden, Connecticut: Archon Books, 1973. ISBN 1208013105.
Alexiad of Anne Comnène, http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/AnnaComnena-Alexiad.html
Declines and Fall off the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon, http://www.ccel.org/g/gibbon/decline/
Byzantine Monastic Foundation Documents of Dumbarton Oaks

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