Domestikos
Encyclopedia
Domestikos in English
sometimes [the] Domestic, was a civil, ecclesiastic and military office
in the late Roman Empire
and the Byzantine Empire
.
, established in the late 3rd century. These were a corps of men that served as a staff to the Roman Emperor, while also functioning as an officer school. These continued in existence in the Eastern Roman Empire until the late 6th century. In the Byzantine army
, the old protectores domestici had vanished by the 7th century, and the name only remained as a title associated with certain guard units. Following the creation of the tagmata
in the mid-8th century, four of them, the Scholai
, the Exkoubitoi
, the Hikanatoi
and the Noumera, as well as, uniquely, the thema of the Optimatoi
, were led by a domestikos. To them was added the short-lived tagma of the Athanatoi in the late 10th century.
The most important among them, the domestikos tōn scholōn ("Domestic of the Schools
") would by the 10th century rise to be the commander-in-chief of the army after the Emperor, and the post would later in the same century be divided in two, with the domestikoi of the East (tēs anatolēs) and of the West (tēs dyseōs) commanding the military forces in Asia Minor
and Europe (the Balkans
) respectively. In his capacity as the de facto commander-in-chief of the army, the domestikos tōn scholōn was replaced by the megas domestikos in the 12th-13th centuries, while the ordinary domestikos became an honorary title awarded to mid-level officials during the Palaiologan period.
In the Palaiologan period, the office initially fell in rank below those of prōtovestiarios
and the megas stratopedarchēs, but was raised by the mid-14th century to be one of the highest ranks, directly below that of Caesar
. It remained the formal head of the army, although in fact it was bestowed to generals and high-ranking courtiers alike, among others George Mouzalon
, John Palaiologos (brother of Michael VIII), Michael Tarchaneiotes
, Alexios Strategopoulos
and John Kantakouzenos
(the future John VI). The office also included various ceremonial functions, as detailed in the account of offices of pseudo-Kodinos.
("domestic of the imperial table") attested in 680 derives from the old castrensis palatii.
. They were the choirmasters, leading the singing and the acclamations of the Emperor and the patriarch.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
sometimes [the] Domestic, was a civil, ecclesiastic and military office
Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy
The Byzantine Empire had a complex system of aristocracy and bureaucracy, which was inherited from the Roman Empire. At the apex of the pyramid stood the Emperor, sole ruler and divinely ordained, but beneath him a multitude of officials and court functionaries operated the administrative...
in the late Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
and the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
.
Military usage
The domestikoi trace their ancestry to the protectores domestici guard unit of the Late Roman armyLate Roman army
The Late Roman army is the term used to denote the military forces of the Roman Empire from the accession of Emperor Diocletian in 284 until the Empire's definitive division into Eastern and Western halves in 395. A few decades afterwards, the Western army disintegrated as the Western empire...
, established in the late 3rd century. These were a corps of men that served as a staff to the Roman Emperor, while also functioning as an officer school. These continued in existence in the Eastern Roman Empire until the late 6th century. In the Byzantine army
Byzantine army
The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct descendant of the Roman army, the Byzantine army maintained a similar level of discipline, strategic prowess and organization...
, the old protectores domestici had vanished by the 7th century, and the name only remained as a title associated with certain guard units. Following the creation of the tagmata
Tagma (military)
The tagma is a term for a military unit of battalion or regiment size. The best-known and most technical use of the term however refers to the elite regiments formed by Byzantine emperor Constantine V and comprising the central army of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th–11th centuries.-History and...
in the mid-8th century, four of them, the Scholai
Scholae Palatinae
The Scholae Palatinae , were an elite military guard unit, usually ascribed to the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great as a replacement for the equites singulares Augusti, the cavalry arm of the Praetorian Guard...
, the Exkoubitoi
Excubitors
The Excubitors were founded in circa 460 AD as the imperial guards of the early Byzantine emperors. Their commanders soon acquired great influence and provided a series of emperors in the 6th century...
, the Hikanatoi
Hikanatoi
The Hikanatoi , sometimes Latinized as Hicanati, were one of the Byzantine tagmata, the elite guard units based near the imperial capital of Constantinople...
and the Noumera, as well as, uniquely, the thema of the Optimatoi
Optimatoi
The Optimatoi were initially formed as an elite Byzantine military unit. In the mid-8th century, however, they were downgraded to a supply and logistics corps and assigned a province in north-western Asia Minor, which was named after them...
, were led by a domestikos. To them was added the short-lived tagma of the Athanatoi in the late 10th century.
The most important among them, the domestikos tōn scholōn ("Domestic of the Schools
Domestic of the Schools
The Domestic of the Schools was a senior Byzantine military office, extant from the 8th century until at least the early 14th century. Originally simply the commander of the Scholai, the senior of the elite tagmata regiments, the Domestic quickly rose in prominence: by the mid-9th century, its...
") would by the 10th century rise to be the commander-in-chief of the army after the Emperor, and the post would later in the same century be divided in two, with the domestikoi of the East (tēs anatolēs) and of the West (tēs dyseōs) commanding the military forces in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
and Europe (the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
) respectively. In his capacity as the de facto commander-in-chief of the army, the domestikos tōn scholōn was replaced by the megas domestikos in the 12th-13th centuries, while the ordinary domestikos became an honorary title awarded to mid-level officials during the Palaiologan period.
Grand Domestic
The title of megas domestikos , the Grand Domestic in English, was given to the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine land army, below the Emperor. Its exact origin is somewhat unclear: it is first mentioned in the 9th century, and most likely derives from the domestikos tōn scholōn, with the epithet megas added to connote the supreme authority of its holder, following contemporary practice evident in other offices as well. Both titles appear to have co-existed for a time, until the megas domestikos fully replaced the earlier office by the mid-11th century, although the office is still sometimes referred to as the megas domestikos of the scholai or "of the army". In the Komnenian period, in an echo of the 10th-century arrangements, the megas domestikos would sometimes command the entire field army of East or West.In the Palaiologan period, the office initially fell in rank below those of prōtovestiarios
Protovestiarios
Protovestiarios was a high Byzantine court position, originally reserved for eunuchs.-History and functions:The title is first attested in 412, as the comes sacrae vestis, an official in charge of the Byzantine emperor's "sacred wardrobe" , coming under the praepositus sacri cubiculi...
and the megas stratopedarchēs, but was raised by the mid-14th century to be one of the highest ranks, directly below that of Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
. It remained the formal head of the army, although in fact it was bestowed to generals and high-ranking courtiers alike, among others George Mouzalon
George Mouzalon
George Mouzalon was a high official of the Empire of Nicaea under Theodore II Laskaris . Of humble origin, he became Theodore's companion in childhood and was raised to high state office upon the latter's assumption of power. This caused great resentment from the aristocracy, which had monopolized...
, John Palaiologos (brother of Michael VIII), Michael Tarchaneiotes
Michael Tarchaneiotes
Michael Tarchaneiotes was a Byzantine aristocrat and general, active against the Turks and in the Balkans from 1278 until his death from disease in 1284.- Life :...
, Alexios Strategopoulos
Alexios Strategopoulos
Alexios Strategopoulos was a Byzantine general during the reign of Michael VIII Palaiologos, rising to the rank of megas domestikos and Caesar. He is most notable for leading the reconquest of Constantinople from the Latins in 1261.- Early life :...
and John Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos or Cantacuzenus was the Byzantine emperor from 1347 to 1354.-Early life:Born in Constantinople, John Kantakouzenos was the son of a Michael Kantakouzenos, governor of the Morea. Through his mother Theodora Palaiologina Angelina, he was a descendant of the reigning house of...
(the future John VI). The office also included various ceremonial functions, as detailed in the account of offices of pseudo-Kodinos.
Civil and palace functionaries
From 355, civil domestici are also attested at the head of various bureaus, and various high administrative positions remained associated with the title domestikos until the late Byzantine Empire. Some court positions were also renamed, as their departments became independent: the domestikos tēs basilikēs trapezēsEpi tes trapezes
The epi tēs trapezēs was a Byzantine court post, responsible for the imperial banquets.-History:The office, more fully known as the domestikos tēs basilikēs trapezēs , epi tēs basilikēs trapezēs or epi tēs trapezēs tou despotou , is first mentioned as extant...
("domestic of the imperial table") attested in 680 derives from the old castrensis palatii.
Ecclesiastic usage
In an ecclesiastical context, a domestikos was the head of a group associated with church ritual, especially in reference to choir singersChoir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. They were the choirmasters, leading the singing and the acclamations of the Emperor and the patriarch.