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In the reign of Theophilus, Petronas was a spatharocandidate before he was raised to the rank of protospatharios (Cont. Th. 123). Among the seals published by Schlumberger may be mentioned those of Martin, Logothete of the Course (Sig. 529) [Baoi]λikų σñabaρokaVδιδάτῳ καὶ λογοθέτῃ τοῦ ὀξέως δρόμου, of Kosmas protonotary of Thessalonica (ib. 103),' and of Clement, commerciarius of Hellas (ib. 167). These and the seal of Thomas (ὑπάτῳ βασ. σπ. καὶ τουρμάρχῃ, Panchenko, xiii. 106) are not later than ninth century. Spatharocandidates will also be found in the correspondence of Photios.

The spatharocandidates were not, like the spathars, under the Protospatharios Tv Baotiкŵv; they did not form a taxis in any officium; and in this they resembled the order of the protospatharioi.

(10) δισύπατοι,

The senatorial order of dɩoσúñатоι seems to have been a late institution, perhaps of the eighth century, and we seldom hear of it. Theodore of Studion addresses a letter (i. 12, ed. Migne, p. 949) Θωμᾷ δισυπάτῳ, and in the reign of Leo V we meet Θωμᾶς πατρίκιος àñò diσvπáτwv yevóμevos (Scr. Incert. 358,2), who may be the same person. The disupatoi seem to have been a very small class; seals are rare. Of the five published by Schlumberger, only one (Sig. 215) is as early as the ninth century: Θεοδώτῳ δισυπάτ(ῳ) πατρικίῳ) β(ασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπ(αθαρίῳ) καὶ διοικήτῃ) Σικελίας).

(11) πρωτοσπαθάριοι.

The protospatharios was originally the chief of the taxis of Imperial spatharioi. Narses, the eunuch and cubicularius, held this post under Justinian (Theoph. 243,1). The order of protospatharioi was probably differentiated from the spatharioi under the Heraclian dynasty. In A.D. 717-8 we meet Sergios ὁ πρωτοσπαθάριος καὶ στρατηγὸς Σικελίας. Numerous seals of protospatharioi of the eighth and ninth centuries will be found in Schlumberger, Sig.

(12) πατρίκιοι.

The order of patricians founded by Constantine survived till the latest period of the Empire. In the fourth and fifth centuries it was a very high dignity, sparingly bestowed. Theodosius II made an enactment disqualifying eunuchs (Theoph. 9621), but in the sixth century this was a dead letter. Justinian (as we saw above) opened the patriciate to all illustres, and in his time the number of patricians increased considerably. The same law of Justinian (Nov. 80) enacts

1 I question whether the seal of Constantine Kontomytes (ib. 109) is as early.

that consuls should have precedence among patricians. In the reign of Justinian II (A.D. 711) we find Barisbakurios, the Count of the Opsikian Theme, designated as ржтопатрíкιоs (Theoph. 38029), which appears to mean that he was the senior or doyen of the iepà táģis tŵv évτíμwv tatρikiwv (Cer. 374). A seal of this patrician is published by Schlumberger (Sig. 249): Βαρασβα[κ]ουρίῳ πατρικίῳ καὶ κόμ[ιτ]ι τοῦ θεοφυλάκτου βασιλικοῦ ὀψικίου. For the patricians as an order in the Senate cp. John of Epiphania, F. H. G. iv. 274 (oi π. tŷs συγκλήτου βουλῆς).

(13) ἀνθύπατοι.

This order seems to have been of comparatively late institution. Schlumberger (Sig. 438) has published some seals of avoúnатоι (who are not patricians) mostly later than the ninth century. One (No. 6), with Kwvoravτívov ávovñátov, is of the sixth or seventh century, and probably belonged to a provincial governor with the proconsular title. We may suspect that No. 5 (Aavida avoνñaтw) is also earlier than the Isaurian epoch. The first occasion on which we hear of a waтρíкιOS kal åv¤úñatos is when the Emperor Theophilus raised Alexius Musele to be patrician and anthypatos (Cont. Th. 108). There seems good reason to think that at this time there was no order of ávěúñaтoɩ, and that the title conferred on Alexius (who was presently elevated to the rank of magister) was singular.1 For in the Taktikon Uspenski, which was drawn up soon after the death of Theophilus, we find no mention οἱ πατρ. καὶ ἀνθ. distinguished from simple πατρίκιοι (as we find in the of work of Philotheos), but we find ὁ πατρίκιος καὶ ἀνθύπατος enumerated as a singular office or dignity (p. 111, between the Domestic of the Schools and the Strategos of the Armeniacs). It is legitimate to infer that under Theophilus, and in the first part of the reign of Michael III, there was only one ȧvoúñатоs, and we may guess that the office was created for Alexius Musele. In that case the description of the ceremony for the creation of avoúnarо in Cer. i. 49 may date from the reign of Theophilus.

In the reign of Michael III, Antigonos, Domestic of the Schools, is described as ȧvoúñαтоs κаì жатρíкios (Cont. Th. 236). We may conjecture that it was in the latter part of the reign of Michael III that the rank of ȧvoúñатоs was extended, so as to constitute a class higher than patricians, to which only patricians could be raised. In the time of Leo VI it seems to have been conferred on not a few, as he contemplates the possibility of almost any of the chief administra

It is perhaps significant that according to Stephen Asolik, ii. 6, p. 171 transl. Dulaurier, Theophilus conferred the proconsular patriciate on Ashod, an Iberian prince. Cp. Marquart, Osteuropäische und ostasiatische Streifzüge, 421.

tive officials being invested with this order. The ȧvoúπaтo are ἀνθύπατοι usually designated as avoúmaтoɩ kai maтpíkɩoi (regularly in Philotheos and constantly in the Ceremonies); cp. ἀνθυπατοπατρικίους, in περὶ ταξ. 4851.

(14) μάγιστροι.

1

In A.D. 718-19 Nicetas Xylinites was the payloтpos of the deposed Emperor Artemios (Theoph. 40025 μayloтpov avтoû)1; in A.D. 741 the patrician Theophanes was μάγιστρος ἐκ προσώπου of Artavasdos (ib. 415). Under Constantine V and his successors (A.D. 767-89) a certain Peter is μáyɩστpos (ib. 44226, 45616, 4642), and in A.D. 792 Michael Lachanodrakon (ib. 4681).

2

In Cer. i. 43 a document is preserved dating from A.D. 768, and describing the ceremony of investing the sons of Constantine V with the rank of Caesar. There we find 8 μáyιoτpos playing a part in the ceremony (219,, 2204), but he is also designated as о πρŵτоs̟·μ. (2245, 13), while at certain stages of the solemnity of μáylorpoi appear as a velum (21811, 22116). At this time, then, μáyɩσтpos was a dignity which could be conferred on more than one person, but among the μáуlσтρoι μάγιστροι there was one, & μ. oг å πρŵтоs μ., who had certain high functions in μ. οι πρῶτος the court. Evidently this office is to be identified with that held by Xylinites in A.D. 718 and Theophanes in A. D. 741.

The payloтpos of the eighth century is the magister officiorum shorn of most of his old functions. This is not only clear from the name (the magistri militum and the magistri scriniorum were not termed μaylorpoi in Greek), but can be proved by several facts. (1) The part which the μáytoтpos plays in the eighth-century ceremony, just referred to, is appropriate to the position occupied by the mag. off. as master of ceremonies. (2) In ceremonies which are of older date (Cer. i. 68 and 70)3 the μáyιтpos acts as master of ceremonies; and these seem to supply a link between the eighth and seventh centuries. (3) In the ceremony for the creation of a μáyɩorpos (i. 46) he is described as kepaλǹ Tоû σEKрéтov (23313), which seems to mean that he was the highest in rank at an imperial audience (σέκρετον = κονσιστώριον, see below under the σEкрETIKO). This ceremony (231-3) dates from a time when there was only one μάγιστρος, for no other μάγιστροι are mentioned, whereas in the second ceremony described in the same chapter (234-6) the μáyιoтpoι appear. (4) Stylianos, the father-in1 See further below under the λoyoßétηs tov Spóμov, p. 91, where the evidence for the mag. off. in the seventh century is given.

2 This was shown by Diehl. Cp. Bury, Ceremonial Book, 431.

3 See Bury, ib. 433.

• Contrast 2321, with 235,; in the second case the pay. must be already a patrician.

law and minister of Leo VI, was a μáyιorpos, and he (quite exceptionally) bore the full title of μ. tŵv ¿ppiklwv, by which he is designated in Leo's Novels.

In the ninth century the chief evidence for the μáyɩorpoɩ is as follows:

Theoktistos was μ. under Nicephorus I and Michael I: Theodore Stud. Ep. i. 24, ed. Migne, Theoph. 492,, 500.

Under Michael II we hear of τὰς τῶν μαγίστρων τιμάς : Cont. Th. 72g.

In the same reign Christophoros was made μ.: Gen. 35.

Theodore of Studion addressed a letter of consolation to Stephen, magister, apparently in a. D. 821, in which he is described (ad fin.) as TηS σνуKÀŃτоν πрштóẞаероv (Ер. ii. 76, ed. Migne).

Under Theophilus, Alexios Musele was raised to the rank of μ. before he became Caesar: Cont. Th. 108.

During the absence of Theophilus on a military expedition in A. D. 831, special responsibility devolved upon & μáyloтpos for the security of the city: πeρì raέ. 504.

Manuel was μ. in and after a. D. 842: Cont. Th. 14813

In the Taktikon Uspenski μáytorpoɩ do not appear.

Under Theophilus or Michael III, Arsaber (brother-in-law of the Empress Theodora) became μ., and it was perhaps in Michael's reign that Theodora's nephews-in-law, Stephen and Bardas, became μ.: Cont. Th. 175.

Under Michael III his uncle Petronas was made μ.: Gen. 97 ̧; and Basil received ἡ τῶν μ. τιμή, ίδ. 11110.

In the same reign (Leo) Theodatakes was made a μ.: Nicetas, Vit. Ignatii apud Mansi, xvi. 237.

In Cer. 63112, however, in a document of the same reign, we read ἀναμεταξὺ τῶν δύο μαγίστρων.

In several ceremonies, which probably date from the reign of Michael III, the μáуioтpoι appear as an order like the patricians, and in Cer. i. 26 of the same period we meet the text el pèv kedeúel ὁ βασιλεὺς ποιῆσαι μαγίστρους κτλ. (p. 143).

Under Basil I Manuel 8 μ. is mentioned, Cont. Th. 30720.

In the Acts of the Fourth Council of Constantinople (a. D. 869–70) we meet Theodore яатρiкíoν кaì μayíσтpov (Mansi, xvi. 309), and in the same Acts we hear of οἱ μ. καὶ πατρίκιοι πάντες (ib. 409).

In the same reign we hear of τοῖς δυσὶ τῆς πολιτείας μαγίστροις, Cont. Th. 347, (οἱ λαμπρότατοι μ. 34720).

During Basil's campaign against Tephrike & μ. shared the responsibility for the government at Constantinople: Tepi ra§. 503,, and here

it is said that, in the case of such imperial absences, it was the custom of old (τὸ παλαιόν) for the emperor παρεᾶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀρχῆς ἐπικράτειαν καὶ τῷ μ. καὶ τῷ ἐπάρχῳ (of the city) τὴν τῆς πολιτείας καὶ τοῦ κοινοῦ [τὴν] διοίκησιν.

At the beginning of the reign of Leo VI Stephen (nephew-in-law of Theodora) was a μáyιoтpos (Cont. Th. 3541), and Stylianos was created μ. and Logothete of the Course: ib. 354,.

In the same reign, while Stylianos was in power, Katakalon, who became Domestic of the Schools, was a μ.: Cont. Th. 3592; and at the same period the μ. Leo Theodatakes was still alive: ib. 36111.

με

In the Vita Euthymii (3) Stylianos is designated as πрwтоμáуισтPOS. A number of the Novellae of Leo VI (1, 18, &c.) are addressed Στυλιανῷ τῷ περιφανεστάτῳ (or ὑπερφυεστάτῳ) μαγίστρῳ τῶν θείων ὀφφικίων.

A seal of Stylianos has been preserved (Sig. 533): Ervλiav(@) μαγίστρῳ ἀνθυπάτῳ) πατρικίῳ) βασιλικῷ) (πρωτο)σπαθαρίῳ καὶ λογ(οθέτῃ) τοῦ δρόμου). Clearly he was not yet Basileopator, so the date of the seal can be fixed to A. D. 886-8.

From this evidence we may infer that at some time in the eighth century the title μáycorpos was first conferred on eminent patricians for life, but involving certain duties. Not more than two bore this title at the same time. One of these was the leading member of the Senate; he was designated as protomagistros, or å μáyloTPOS; he was the κepaλǹ toû σekpétov; and he shared with the Praepositus and the Prefect the cares of government during imperial absences. Although he descends from the mag. off., his position is higher, as well as less onerous, and corresponds rather to that of a curopalates. Thе πржтоμάуισTpos is also mentioned in Philotheos, 78111

The second μáycorpos shares in the ceremonial duties of the first (Cont. Th. 347, cited above). This is illustrated by the document cited above from Cer. 631, and by the description of the creation of patricians, Cer. i. c. 48, which probably dates also from the reign of Michael III. There (143) 8 πρŵros μ. stands on the right of the new patrician, and afterwards another μ. stands on his left (cp. below, 144, ὁ ἐκ δεξιῶν μ. καὶ ὁ ἐξ ἀριστερῶν). There is nothing to show that before the reign of Michael III there were as many as three bearing the title at the same time. We may conclude that in the eighth and the first half of the ninth century there were not more than two magistri οἱ δύο τῆς πολιτείας μ., and that the practice of creating more than two was introduced under Michael III. In the minority of Constantine we find three-Stephen, John Eladas, and Leo Phocas (Cont.

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