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Protasekretis
The or ( gr, πρωτ σηκρῆτις), Latinized as or , was a senior official in the Byzantine bureaucracy. The title means "first ", illustrating his position as the head of the order of the , the senior class of imperial notaries. The post evolved gradually. The first are attested from the 6th century, and several Ecumenical Patriarchs of Constantinople and one emperor, Anastasios II (), were drawn from their ranks. Aside from possibly anachronistic references to Maximus the Confessor being a under Emperor Heraclius (), the earliest confirmed occurrence (as ) comes from the ''Liber Pontificalis'' for the year 756.. As head of the imperial chancery (the effective successor of the late Roman ), the position was highly influential: in the 899 ''Kletorologion'' of Philotheos, a list of court precedence of officials, he is placed seventh among the , the financial ministers of the state. From documents and sigillographic evidence, the holders of the office held the digniti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Byzantine Bureaucracy
Through the 5th century Hellenistic political systems, philosophies and theocratic Christian-Eastern concepts had gained power in the eastern Greek-speaking Mediterranean due to the intervention of Important religious figures there such as Eusebius of Caesarea and Origen of Alexandria who had been key to the constant Christianized world of late antiquity. By the 6th century they had already influenced the definitive power of the monarch as the representative of God on earth and his kingdom as an imitation of God's holy realm. The Byzantine empire was a monarchic theocracy, adopting, following and applying the Hellenistic political systems and philosophies. The monarch was the incarnation of the law ''nomos empsychos'', and his power was immeasurable and divine in origin. He was the ultimate benefactor, carer and saviour of his people, '' Evergétis'', '' Philanthrōpía'' and ''Sōtēr''. They in turn were his ''paroikoi'' (subjects). He was the sole administrator and lawgi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Asekretis
The term ''asekretis'' ( gr, ἀσηκρῆτις, asēkrētis, invariable form) designated a senior class of secretaries in the Byzantine imperial court in the 6th–12th centuries. The term is derived from the Latin ''a secretis'', and in its full form was "''asekretis'' of the court" (ἀσηκρῆτις τῆς αὺλῆς, ''asēkrētis tēs aulēs''). It seems to be an innovation of the 6th century, as the contemporary historian Procopius of Caesarea found it necessary to explain it to his readers. Modern scholars have sometimes assumed that it dates to the 4th century, but the only reference to it, in the acts of the Council of Chalcedon, actually dates from a 6th-century translation of the document. The ''asekretis'' succeeded the '' referendarii'' as the senior-most members of the imperial secretariat, above the '' notarii''. Some of them were attached to the praetorian prefectures. Seals of the office's holders survive from the 6th and 7th centuries, while a referenc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Megas Droungarios Tes Viglas
The ''Droungarios'' of the Watch ( el, δρουγγάριος τῆς βίγλης/βίγλας, ''droungarios tēs viglēs/viglas''), sometimes anglicized as "Drungary of the Watch", was originally a senior Byzantine military post. Attested since the late 8th century, the ''droungarios'' commanded the '' Vigla'' or "Watch", one of the elite professional cavalry regiments ('' tagmata'') of the middle Byzantine period, and was in charge of the Byzantine emperor's personal security. From , the office was disassociated from its military origin and was transformed into a senior judicial position, thereafter usually referred to as the Grand ''Droungarios'' of the Watch (μέγας δρουγγάριος τῆς βίγλης/βίγλας, ''megas droungarios tēs viglēs/viglas''). The office continued to exist as a mostly honorific court dignity in the Palaiologan era, until the very end of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-15th century. Military office The ''Droungarios'' of the Watch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dekanos
''Decanus'' means "chief of ten" in Late Latin. The term originated in the Roman army and became used thereafter for subaltern officials in the Byzantine Empire, as well as for various positions in the Church, whence derives the English title "dean". History and functions The ''decanus'' was originally the leader of a 10-man '' contubernium'', which consisted of the squad of eight legionaries who lived in the same tent, plus the two support units/servants of the contubernium. The title must not be confused with the ''decurio'', which was a title given to civic officials and to leaders of 30-strong squadrons (''turmae'') of cavalry. ''Decanus'' is equivalent to the rank of the ''dekarchos'' ("commander of ten") in Greek texts. From the 4th century CE the term ''decanus'' became used for palace messengers, particularly those in the service of Roman empresses. ''Decani'' also apparently served as guards at gates, and in the 6th century, John Lydus equates them with the ancient l ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Latinisation (literature)
Latinisation (or Latinization) of names, also known as onomastic Latinisation, is the practice of rendering a ''non''-Latin name in a Latin style. It is commonly found with historical proper names, including personal names and toponyms, and in the standard binomial nomenclature of the life sciences. It goes further than romanisation, which is the transliteration of a word to the Latin alphabet from another script (e.g. Cyrillic). For authors writing in Latin, this change allows the name to function grammatically in a sentence through declension. In a scientific context, the main purpose of Latinisation may be to produce a name which is internationally consistent. Latinisation may be carried out by: * transforming the name into Latin sounds (e.g. for ), or * adding Latinate suffixes to the end of a name (e.g. for '' Meibom),'' or * translating a name with a specific meaning into Latin (e.g. for Italian ; both mean 'hunter'), or * choosing a new name based on some attri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Photios I Of Constantinople
Photios I ( el, Φώτιος, ''Phōtios''; c. 810/820 – 6 February 893), also spelled PhotiusFr. Justin Taylor, essay "Canon Law in the Age of the Fathers" (published in Jordan Hite, T.O.R., & Daniel J. Ward, O.S.B., "Readings, Cases, Materials in Canon Law: A Textbook for Ministerial Students, Revised Edition" ollegeville, MN: The Liturgical Press, 1990, p. 61 (), was the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople from 858 to 867 and from 877 to 886. He is recognized in the Eastern Orthodox Church as Saint Photios the Great. Photios is widely regarded as the most powerful and influential church leader of Constantinople subsequent to John Chrysostom's archbishopric around the turn of the fifth century. He is also viewed as the most important intellectual of his time – "the leading light of the ninth-century renaissance". He was a central figure in both the conversion of the Slavs to Christianity and the Photian schism, and is considered " e great systematic compiler of the Ea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Epi Ton Kriseon
The ''epi ton kriseon'' ( el, ἐπὶ τῶν κρίσεων, "in charge of judgements") was a judicial official of the Byzantine Empire responsible for presiding over tribunals involving civil lawsuits. The position was first established by Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos (r. 1042–1055) as part of his legislative reforms, sometime between 1043 and 1047. During the 11th and 12th centuries, the tribunal of the ''epi ton kriseon'' was one of the four high courts of the Byzantine Empire, alongside those of the ''droungarios tes viglas'', the ''quaestor'' and the Eparch of Constantinople. According to the history of Michael Attaleiates, the thematic (provincial) judges had to write and submit copies of their verdicts to the ''epi ton kriseon''. This was possibly a safeguard due to the provincial judges' low level of legal knowledge, but the ''epi ton kriseon'' did not function as a court of appeal. The office survived at least until the dissolution of the Empire by the Fourth Crus ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quaestor Sacri Palatii
The ''quaestor sacri palatii'' ( gr, κοιαίστωρ/κυαίστωρ τοῦ ἱεροῦ παλατίου, usually simply ), in English: Quaestor of the Sacred Palace, was the senior legal authority in the late Roman Empire and early Byzantium, responsible for drafting laws. In the later Byzantine Empire, the office of the ''quaestor'' was altered and it became a senior judicial official for the imperial capital, Constantinople. The post survived until the 14th century, albeit only as an honorary title. Late Roman ''quaestor sacri palatii'' The office was created by Emperor Constantine I (), with the duties of drafting of laws and the answering of petitions addressed to the emperor. Although he functioned as the chief legal advisor of the emperor and hence came to exercise great influence, his actual judicial rights were very limited.. Thus from 440 he presided, jointly with the praetorian prefect of the East, over the supreme tribunal in Constantinople which heard appe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dikaiodotes
The ''dikaiodotes'' ( el, δικαιοδότης, "giver of the laws") was a Byzantine judicial office attested in the 11th–12th centuries. The title existed already since antiquity in the non-technical sense of "dispenser of the laws". The title acquired a technical sense probably under Alexios I Komnenos: in 1094, the ''dikaiodotes'' is attested as a distinct office, presiding over one of the Byzantine Empire's main tribunals in Constantinople. Its exact duties are unknown, but the office was among the most important in the civil administration during its existence. Its holders often held it in tandem with other titles, including the prestigious position of ''kanikleios'' (keeper of the imperial inkstand). Its last holder, the ''sebastos ( grc-gre, σεβαστός, sebastós, venerable one, Augustus, ; plural , ) was an honorific used by the ancient Greeks to render the Roman imperial title of . The female form of the title was (). It was revived as an honorific in the 11th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eparch Of The City (Constantinople)
The ''praefectus urbanus'', also called ''praefectus urbi'' or urban prefect in English, was prefect of the city of Rome, and later also of Constantinople. The office originated under the Roman kings, continued during the Republic and Empire, and held high importance in late Antiquity. The office survived the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, and the last urban prefect of Rome, named Iohannes, is attested in 599. Lançon (2000), p. 45 In the East, in Constantinople, the office survived until the 13th century. Regal period According to Roman tradition, in 753 BC when Romulus founded the city of Rome and instituted the monarchy, he also created the office of ''custos urbis'' (guardian of the city) to serve as the king's chief lieutenant. Appointed by the king to serve for life, the ''custos urbis'' served concurrently as the ''princeps Senatus''. As the second highest office sof state, the ''custos urbis'' was the king's personal representative. In the absence of the king from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chrysobull
A golden bull or chrysobull was a decree issued by Byzantine Emperors and later by monarchs in Europe during the Middle Ages and Renaissance, most notably by the Holy Roman Emperors. The term was originally coined for the golden seal (a ''bulla aurea''), attached to the decree, but came to be applied to the entire decree. Such decrees were known as golden bulls in western Europe and ''chrysobullos logos'', or chrysobulls, in the Byzantine Empire (χρυσός, ''chrysos'', being Greek for gold). For nearly eight hundred years, they were issued unilaterally, without obligations on the part of the other party or parties. However, this eventually proved disadvantageous as the Byzantines sought to restrain the efforts of foreign powers to undermine the empire. During the 12th century, the Byzantines began to insert into golden bulls sworn statements of the obligations of their negotiating partners. Notable golden bulls included: * The Golden Bull of 1082, issued by Alexios I Kom ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus
Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (; 17 May 905 – 9 November 959) was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 6 June 913 to 9 November 959. He was the son of Emperor Leo VI and his fourth wife, Zoe Karbonopsina, and the nephew of his predecessor Alexander. Most of his reign was dominated by co-regents: from 913 until 919 he was under the regency of his mother, while from 920 until 945 he shared the throne with Romanos Lekapenos, whose daughter Helena he married, and his sons. Constantine VII is best known for the '' Geoponika'' (τά γεοπονικά), an important agronomic treatise compiled during his reign, and three, perhaps four, books; ''De Administrando Imperio'' (bearing in Greek the heading Πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον υἱὸν Ῥωμανόν), ''De Ceremoniis'' (Περὶ τῆς Βασιλείου Τάξεως), '' De Thematibus'' (Περὶ θεμάτων Άνατολῆς καὶ Δύσεως), and '' Vita Ba ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
