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{{Short description|Imperial Roman military office}}{{Italics title}} File:West Roman army command structure.svg|right|thumb|300px|The high command structure of the West Roman army {{circa|410–425}}, based on the Notitia DignitatumNotitia Dignitatum (Latin for “master of soldiers”; {{plural form}}: ) 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, the emperor remaining the supreme commander) of the empire. In Greek sources, the term is translated either as strategos or as stratelates (although these terms were also used non-technically to refer to commanders of different ranks).

Establishment and development of the command

{{Further|Late Roman army}}The office of magister militum was created in the early 4th century, most likely when the emperor Constantine the Great defeated all other contemporary Roman emperors, which gave him control over their respective armies. Because the Praetorian Guards and their leaders, the Praetorian Prefects, had supported Constantine’s enemy, Maxentius, he disbanded the Guard and deprive the Prefects of their military functions, reducing them to a purely civil office. To replace them, he created two posts, one as head of the infantry, as the magister peditum (“master of foot“), and one for the more prestigious cavalry, the magister equitum (“master of horse“). These offices had precedents in the immediate imperial past, both in function and idea.BOOK, Bendle, Christopher, The office of “Magister Militum” in the 4th century CE: a study into the impact of political and military leadership on the later Roman Empire, 2024, Franz Steiner Verlag, 978-3-515-13614-3, Studies in ancient monarchies, Stuttgart, 31, The latter title had existed since republican times, as the second-in-command to a Roman dictator.Under Constantine’s successors, the title was also established at a territorial level: magistri peditum and magistri equitum were appointed for every praetorian prefecture (per Gallias, per Italiam, per Illyricum, per Orientem), and, in addition, for Thrace and, sometimes, Africa. On occasion, the offices would be combined under a single person, then styled magister equitum et peditum or magister utriusque militiae (“master of both forces“). Overall, magistri were employed and utilized according to circumstances. Sometimes more or fewer generals would be employed in a given area.Bendle, 2024. 31.As such they were directly in command of the local mobile field army of the comitatenses, which acted as a rapid reaction force. Other magistri remained at the immediate disposal of the emperors, and by the late fourth century or early fifth century were termed in praesenti (“in the presence” of the emperor).Over the course of the fourth century in the Western Roman Empire the system of only two magistri remained largely intact, with usually one magister having paramount authority, for example Merobaudes, who was the main power behind the appointment of emperor Valentinian II, and then Bauto. Finally, Arbogastes inherited the position of western magister militum and controlled emperor Valentinian II from behind the scenes, either killing him or driving him to suicide before appointing his own puppet emperor, Eugenius. Such a powerful position continued in the west often with the title of magister utriusque militiae (abbreviated MVM), and was held by Stilicho, Aetius, Ricimer, and others. In the east, there were two senior generals, who were each appointed to the office of magister militum praesentalis.During the reign of Emperor Justinian I, with increasing military threats and the expansion of the Eastern Empire, three new posts were created: the magister militum per Armeniam in the Armenian and Caucasian provinces, formerly part of the jurisdiction of the magister militum per Orientem, the magister militum per Africam in the reconquered African provinces (534), with a subordinate magister peditum, and the magister militum Spaniae (c. 562).In the course of the 6th century, internal and external crises in the provinces often necessitated the temporary union of the supreme regional civil authority with the office of the magister militum. In the establishment of the exarchates of Ravenna and Carthage in 584, this practice found its first permanent expression. Indeed, after the loss of the eastern provinces to the Muslim conquest in the 640s, the surviving field armies and their commanders formed the first themata.Supreme military commanders sometimes also took this title in early medieval Italy, for example in the Papal States and in Venice, whose Doge claimed to be the successor to the Exarch of Ravenna.magistri militum“>

List of magistri militum

{{RomanMilitary}}

Unspecified commands

• 383–385/8: Bauto, magister militum under Valentinian IIPLRE I, p. 1114
• 385/8–394: Arbogast, magister militum under Valentinian II and EugeniusPLRE I, p. 1114
• 383–388: AndragathiusPLRE I, p. 62
• ?–480: Ovida

Comes et magister utriusque militiae“>

Comes et magister utriusque militiae

• 392–408: Stilicho
• 411–421: Constantius (III)Hughes, Ian: Aetius: Attila’s Nemesis, p. 74
• 422–425: Castinus
• 425–430: FelixHughes, Ian: Aetius: Attila’s Nemesis, p. 75
• 431–432: BonifaciusHughes, Ian: Aetius: Attila’s Nemesis, p. 85
• 432–433: Sebastianus
• 433–454: AetiusHughes, Ian: Aetius: Attila’s Nemesis, p. 87, Heather, Peter: The Fall of the Roman Empire, pp. 262, 491
• 455–456: Avitus and Remistus
• 456: Messianus
• 456–472: Ricimer
• 472–473: Gundobad
• 475: Ecdicius Avitus
• 475–476: Orestes

Per Gallias“>

Per Gallias

• 352–355: Claudius Silvanus
• 362–364: Jovinus, magister equitum under Julian and JovianPLRE I, p. 1113
• ?–419: Gaudentius
• 425–430: Aetius
• 435–439: Litorius
• 452–458: Agrippinus
• 458–461: Aegidius
• 461/462: Agrippinus
• 462-473: Gundioc
• ?–472: Bilimer

Per Hispanias“>

Per Hispanias

• 441–442: AstyriusHydatius, Chronica Hispania, 122
• 443: MerobaudesHydatius, Chronica Hispania, 128
• 446: VitusHydatius, Chronica Hispania, 134

Per Ilyricum“>

Per Ilyricum

• ?–350: Vetranio, magister peditum under ConstansPLRE I, p. 1112
• 361: Iovinus, magister equitum under JulianPLRE I, p. 1113
• 365–375: Equitius, magister utriusquae militiae under Valentinian IPLRE I, p. 125
• 395–? Alaric I
• 448/9 Agintheus (known from Priscus to have held office as the latter’s embassy proceeded towards the court of Attila).
• 468–474: Julius Nepos
• 477–479: Onoulphus
• 479–481: Sabinianus Magnus
• 528: Ascum
• 529–530/1: Mundus (1st time)
• 532–536: Mundus (2nd time)
• c. 538: Justin
• c. 544: Vitalius
• c. 550: John
• 568–569/70: Bonus
• 581–582: Theognis

Per Orientem“>

Per Orientem

• c. 347: Flavius Eusebius, magister utriusquae militiaePLRE I, p. 307
• 349–359: Ursicinus, magister equitum under ConstantiusPLRE I, p. 1112
• 359–360: Sabinianus, magister equitum under Constantius IIPLRE I, p. 1112
• 363–367: Lupicinus, magister equitum under Jovian and ValensPLRE I, p. 1113
• 371–378: Iulius, magister equitum et Peditum under ValensPLRE I, p. 1113
• 383: Richomeres, magister equitum et peditumPLRE I, p. 1114
• 383–388: Ellebichus, magister equitum et peditumPLRE I, p. 1114
• 392: Eutherius, magister equitum et peditumPLRE I, p. 1114
• 393–396: Addaeus, magister equitum et peditumPLRE I, p. 1114
• ?~399: Gainas
• 395/400: Fravitta
• 433–446: Anatolius
• 447–451: Zeno
• 460s: Ardabur Aspar
• –469: Iordanes
• 469–471: Zeno
• 483–498: Ioannes Scytha
• c. 503–505: Areobindus Dagalaiphus Areobindus
• 505–506: Pharesmanes
• ?516–?518: Hypatius
• ?518–529: Diogenianus
• 520–525/526: Hypatius
• 527: Libelarius
• 527–529: Hypatius
• 529–531: Belisarius
• 531: Mundus
• 532–533: Belisarius
• 540: Buzes
• 542: Belisarius
• 543–544: Martinus
• 549–551: Belisarius
• 555: Amantius
• 556: Valerianus
• 569: Zemarchus
• 572–573: Marcian
• 573: Theodorus
• 574: Eusebius
• 574/574–577: Justinian
• 577–582: Maurice
• 582–583: John Mystacon
• 584–587/588: Philippicus
• 588: Priscus
• 588–589: Philippicus
• 589–591: Comentiolus
• 591–603: Narses
• 603–604 Germanus
• 604–605 Leontius
• 605–610 Domentziolus

Per Armeniam“>

Per Armeniam

• Sittas
• Dorotheus (530-532)
• Peter, direct predecessor of John Tzibus
• John Tzibus (?–541)
• Valerian
• Dagisthaeus (?–550)
• Bessas (550–554)BOOK, Jones, Arnold Hugh Martin, Martindale, J. R., Morris, J., The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire: Volume 2, AD 395–527, 1980, Cambridge University Press, 9780521201599, 228, en,
• MartinBOOK, Martindale, J. R., The Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire 2 Part Set: Volume 3, AD 527–641, 1992, Cambridge University Press, 978-0-521-20160-5, 845, en,
• JustinBOOK, Greatrex, Geoffrey, Lieu, Samuel N. C., The Roman Eastern Frontier and the Persian Wars AD 363–628, 2005, Routledge, 978-1-134-75645-2,books.google.com/books?id=0UGEAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT253, en,
• John Mystacon
• Heraclius the Elder (c. 595)BOOK, Kaegi, Walter Emil, Heraclius, Emperor of Byzantium,archive.org/details/heracliusemperor00kaeg, limited, 2003, Cambridge University Press, 978-0521814591, 22, en,

Per Thracias“>

Per Thracias

• 377–378: Saturninus, magister equitum under ValensPLRE I, p. 1113
• 377–378: Traianus, magister peditum under ValensPLRE I, p. 1114
• 378: Sebastianus, magister peditum under ValensPLRE I, p. 1114
• 380–383: Saturninus, magister peditum under Theodosius IPLRE I, p. 1114
• 392–393: Stilicho, magister equitum et peditumPLRE I, p. 1114
• 412–414: Constans
• 441: Ioannes the Vandal, magister utriusque militiaePLRE II, p. 597
• 464–467/468: BasiliscusPLRE II, p. 211
• 468–474: Armatus
• 474: Heraclius of Edessa
• 511: Hypatius
• 512–{{circa}} 513: Cyrillus
• {{circa}} 513–{{circa}} 515: Alathar
• 515: Vitalian
• 525-c. 530: Germanus
• 530–533: Chilbudius
• 550–c. 554: Artabanes
• 588: Priscus (1st time)
• 593: Priscus (2nd time)
• 593–594: Peter (1st time)
• 594–c. 598: Priscus (2nd time)
• 598–601: Comentiolus
• 601–602: Peter (2nd time)

Praesentalis“>

Praesentalis

• 351–361: Arbitio, magister equitum under Constantius IIPLRE I, p. 1112
• 361–363: Nevitta, magister equitum under JulianPLRE I, p. 1113
• 363–379: Victor, magister equitum under ValensPLRE I, p. 1113
• 366–378: Arinthaeus, magister peditum under ValensPLRE I, p. 1113
• 364–369: Iovinus, magister equitum under Valentinian IPLRE I, p. 1113
• 364–366: Dagalaifus, magister peditum under Valentinian IPLRE I, p. 1113
• 367–372: Severus, magister peditum under Valentinian IPLRE I, p. 1113
• 369–373: Theodosius, magister equitum under Valentinian IPLRE I, p. 1113
• 375–388: Merobaudes, magister peditum under Valentinian I, Gratian and Magnus MaximusPLRE I, pp. 1113–1114
• 388–395: Timasius
• 394–408: Stilicho, magister equitum et peditumPLRE I, p. 1114
• 399–400: Gainas
• 400: Fravitta
• 409: Varanes and ArsaciusPLRE I, p. 152
• 419–: Plinta
• 434–449: Areobindus?
• 443–451: Apollonius
• 450–451: Anatolius
• 475–477/478: Armatus
• 485–: Longinus
• 492–499: John the Hunchback
• 518–520: Vitalian John Moorhead, Justinian (London, 1994), p. 16.
• 520–?: JustinianJohn Moorhead, Justinian (London, 1994), p. 17.
• 528: Leontius
• 528–529: Phocas
• 520–538/9: Sittas
• 536: Germanus
• 536: Maxentianus
• 546–548: Artabanes
• 548/9–552: Suartuas
• 562: Constantinianus (uncertain)
• 582: Germanus (uncertain)
• 585–c. 586: Comentiolus
• 626: Bonus (uncertain)

Per Africam“>

Per Africam

Western Empire

• 373–375: Theodosius, magister equitum PLRE I, p. 1113
• 386–398: Gildo, magister equitum et peditumPLRE I, p. 395

Eastern Empire

• 534–536: Solomon
• 536–539: Germanus
• 539–544: Solomon
• 544–546: Sergius
• 545–546: Areobindus
• 546: Artabanes
• 546–552: John Troglita
• 578–590: Gennadius

Magister militae in Byzantine and medieval Italy“>

Magister militae in Byzantine and medieval Italy

Venice

• 8th century: Marcellus
• 737: Domenico Leoni under Leo III
• 738: Felice Cornicola under Leo III
• 739: Theodatus Hypatus under Leo III
• 741: Ioannes Fabriacius under Leo III
• 764–787: Mauricius Galba

Later, less formal use of the term

By the 12th century, the term was being used to describe a man who organized the military force of a political or feudal leader on his behalf. In the Gesta Herwardi, the hero is several times described as magister militum by the man who translated the original Old English account into Medieval Latin. It seems possible that the writer of the original version, now lost, thought of him as the hereward’ ( and ) – the supervisor of the military force. That this later use of these terms was based on the classical concept seems clear.Gesta Herwardi {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110121072543boar.org.uk/ariwxo3FNQsupTitle.htm |date=2011-01-21 }} The term is used in chapters XII, XIV, XXII and XXIII. See The Name, Hereward for details.

See also

• Structural history of the Roman military

References

Citations

{{Reflist}}

Sources

• Bendle, Christopher. 2024. The Office of “Magister Militum” in the 4th Century CE: a Study into the Impact of Political and Military Leadership on the Later Roman Empire. Studies in Ancient Monarchies. Stuttgart: Franz Steiner Verlag. ISBN 978-3-515-13614-3.
• JOURNAL, Boak, AER, The Roman Magistri in the Civil and Military Service of the Empire, Harvard Studies in Classical Philology, 1915, 26, 73–164, 10.2307/310606, 310606,
• Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire (PLRE), Vols. I-III

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