The ''praepositus sacri cubiculi'' (
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
: "provost of the sacred bedchamber", in gr, πραιπόσιτος τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου κοιτῶνος, praipositos tou eusebestatou koitōnos) was one of the senior palace offices in the
Late Roman Empire
The Later Roman Empire spans the period from 284 AD (Diocletian's proclamation as emperor) to 641 (death of Heraclius) in the history of the Roman Empire.
Evidence
Histories
In comparison with previous periods, studies on Later Roman history a ...
. Its holder was usually a
eunuch
A eunuch ( ) is a male who has been castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function.
The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2nd millennium ...
, and acted as the grand
chamberlain
Chamberlain may refer to:
Profession
*Chamberlain (office), the officer in charge of managing the household of a sovereign or other noble figure
People
*Chamberlain (surname)
**Houston Stewart Chamberlain (1855–1927), German-British philosop ...
of the palace, wielding considerable authority and influence. In the 7th or 8th century, the title was also given to an
order of rank for eunuch palace servants. The title and office continued in use in the simplified form of ''praipositos'' (πραιπόσιτος) in the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
until the late 11th century.
History and evolution
The first securely identifiable holder of the office was
Eusebius
Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian ...
under Emperor
Constantius II
Constantius II (Latin: ''Flavius Julius Constantius''; grc-gre, Κωνστάντιος; 7 August 317 – 3 November 361) was Roman emperor from 337 to 361. His reign saw constant warfare on the borders against the Sasanian Empire and Germani ...
(), but the position may have been introduced already under
Constantine the Great
Constantine I ( , ; la, Flavius Valerius Constantinus, ; ; 27 February 22 May 337), also known as Constantine the Great, was Roman emperor from AD 306 to 337, the first one to Constantine the Great and Christianity, convert to Christiani ...
(), in replacement of the older ''a cubiculo''. He controlled the corps of the ''
cubicularii'' (κουβικουλάριοι, ), also eunuchs, and was responsible for the imperial bedchamber,
wardrobe
A wardrobe or armoire or almirah is a standing closet used for storing clothes. The earliest wardrobe was a chest, and it was not until some degree of luxury was attained in regal palaces and the castles of powerful nobles that separate accomm ...
and receptions.
Originally under the control of the ''castrensis sacri palatii'', he soon became directly subordinated to the Byzantine emperor. His proximity to the Byzantine emperor gave him great power, and several ''praepositi'' wielded considerable influence in the governance of the Byzantine Empire. In the ''
Notitia Dignitatum
The ''Notitia Dignitatum'' (Latin for "The List of Offices") is a document of the late Roman Empire that details the administrative organization of the Western and the Eastern Roman Empire. It is unique as one of very few surviving documents of ...
'', the ''praepositus'' is listed immediately after the
praetorian prefect
The praetorian prefect ( la, praefectus praetorio, el, ) was a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders be ...
s, the
urban prefect
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 ...
and the ''
magistri militum
( Latin for "master of soldiers", plural ) was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine the Great. The term referred to the senior military officer (equivalent to a war theatre commander ...
''. However, due to the loss of the relevant pages of the ''Notitia'', we do not know the structure of his ''
officium''. Senior assistants were the ''primicerius sacri cubiculi'' and the ''
comes sacrae vestis''.
During the 4th-5th centuries, the ''praepositus'' gained in power: in the late 4th century, he gained control over the imperial estates of
Cappadocia
Cappadocia or Capadocia (; tr, Kapadokya), is a historical region in Central Anatolia, Turkey. It largely is in the provinces Nevşehir, Kayseri, Aksaray, Kırşehir, Sivas and Niğde.
According to Herodotus, in the time of the Ionian Revo ...
(the ''domus divina per Cappadociam'' of the ''Notitia''), and was elevated in rank to ''
vir illustris
The title ''vir illustris'' ('illustrious man') is used as a formal indication of standing in late antiquity to describe the highest ranks within the senates of Rome and Constantinople. All senators had the title ''vir clarissimus'' ('very famous ...
'' and the equivalent of ''
quaestor
A ( , , ; "investigator") was a public official in Ancient Rome. There were various types of quaestors, with the title used to describe greatly different offices at different times.
In the Roman Republic, quaestors were elected officials who ...
''. A separate ''praepositus'' was also established for the household of the Byzantine empress (''praepositus
Augustae''), with a similar structure of subordinate officials. In the
Western Roman Empire
The Western Roman Empire comprised the western provinces of the Roman Empire at any time during which they were administered by a separate independent Imperial court; in particular, this term is used in historiography to describe the period fr ...
, the post continued in existence until its fall, and was also used in the court of the
Ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great
Theodoric (or Theoderic) the Great (454 – 30 August 526), also called Theodoric the Amal ( got, , *Þiudareiks; Greek: , romanized: ; Latin: ), was king of the Ostrogoths (471–526), and ruler of the independent Ostrogothic Kingdom of Italy b ...
, where it was held by a
Goth
A Goth is a member of the Goths, a group of East Germanic tribes. Two major political entities of the Goths were:
*Visigoths, prominent in Spanish history
*Ostrogoths, prominent in Italian history
Goth or Goths may also refer to:
* Goth (surname) ...
, Triwila. In the mid-6th century, however, the supervision of the Cappadocian estates was entrusted to a separate official in charge of the imperial patrimony, and its authority declined.
In the 7th-8th centuries, paralleling changes in many other administrative offices, the position of ''praepositus'', or ''praipositos'' in Greek, was much reduced in power, as parts of his ''officium'' were split off. The ''cubicularii'' of the bedchamber (distinguished as , in Greek) were separated under the ''
parakoimōmenos'', while the imperial wardrobe ( la, vestiarium, gr,
ασιλικὸνβεστιάριον, ) under its head, the ''
prōtovestiarios'', was also made into a separate department. The ''praipositos'' continued to supervise the remainder of the ''koubikoularioi'', with the ''
primikērios tou kouboukleiou'' as his chief aide. He retained a considerable role in court ceremonies, and ranked in the higher class of the ''
patrikioi''. According to
Constantine VII (), the ''praipositos'', together with the ''
prōtomagistros'' and the
eparch of 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 ...
used to form a
regency
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
in the emperor's absence.
The continuing actual office of ''praipositos'', however, is not to be confused with the dignity (, ) of the same name, which was a court rank created in the 7th or 8th century and restricted to eunuchs. According to Philotheos's ''
Klētorologion'' of 899, it ranked below the dignity of ''patrikios'' and above that of ''
prōtospatharios'', and the insignia (''brabeion'') of the office were
ivory
Ivory is a hard, white material from the tusks (traditionally from elephants) and teeth of animals, that consists mainly of dentine, one of the physical structures of teeth and tusks. The chemical structure of the teeth and tusks of mammals is ...
tablets. The title is last attested in 1087.
Notable ''praepositi''
*
Eusebius
Eusebius of Caesarea (; grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος ; 260/265 – 30 May 339), also known as Eusebius Pamphilus (from the grc-gre, Εὐσέβιος τοῦ Παμφίλου), was a Greek historian of Christianity, exegete, and Christian ...
(337–361)
*Eutherius (356–360)
*
Eutropius (East, circa 395–399)
[.]
*Deuterius (West, 408)
*Terentius (West, 408–409)
*Eusebius (West, 409)
*
Lausus
Lausus was the son of the ousted Etruscan king Mezentius, and fought with him against Aeneas and the Trojans in Italy. He appears in Virgil's Aeneid in Books VII and X. When his father is wounded by Aeneas, Lausus steps in between them, and Aeneas ...
(East, 420)
*
Chrysaphius (East, 443–450)
*Lauricius (West, 443–444)
*Faustus (
Anicius Acilius Aginantius Faustus
Anicius Acilius Aginantius (or Aginatius) Faustus ( 483–508), also known as Faustus ''albus'' ("white"), was a Roman politician under Odoacer's rule. His brothers included Rufius Achilius Maecius Placidus, and Rufius Achilius Sividius.
Life
F ...
?) (Ostrogothic Italy, under
Theoderic
Theodoric is a Germanic given name. First attested as a Gothic name in the 5th century, it became widespread in the Germanic-speaking world, not least due to its most famous bearer, Theodoric the Great, king of the Ostrogoths.
Overview
The name ...
)
*Triwila (Ostrogothic Italy, early 520s)
*
Urbicius (East, 470–481 and 491)
[.]
*
Amantius (East, 518)
[.]
*
Narses
, image=Narses.jpg
, image_size=250
, caption=Man traditionally identified as Narses, from the mosaic depicting Justinian and his entourage in the Basilica of San Vitale, Ravenna
, birth_date=478 or 480
, death_date=566 or 573 (aged 86/95)
, allegi ...
(East, 537/538–554 or 558/559)
[.]
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*{{ODB, last=Kazhdan, first=Alexander, authorlink=Alexander Kazhdan, title=Praepositus sacri cubiculi, page=1709
Ancient Roman titles
Byzantine palace offices
Byzantine titles and offices reserved for eunuchs