Protovestiarios

Not to be confused with the Palaiologan-era office of protovestiarites.

Protovestiarios (Greek: πρωτοβεστιάριος, "first vestiarios") was a high Byzantine court position, originally reserved for eunuchs.^[1]

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" (Latin: sacra vestis), coming under the praepositus sacri cubiculi. In Greek, the term used was oikeiakon vestiarion (Greek: οἰκειακόν βεστιάριον, "private wardrobe"), and by this name it remained known from the 7th century onward. As such, the office was distinct from the public or imperial wardrobe, the basilikon vestiarion, which was entrusted to a state official, the chartoularios tou vestiariou.^[2][3] The private wardrobe also included part of the Byzantine emperor's private treasury, and controlled an extensive staff.^[2]

Consequently, the holders of this office came second only to the parakoimomenos in court hierarchy, functioning as the latter's aides. In the 9th–11th centuries, protovestiarioi were appointed as generals and ambassadors.^[1] In the 11th century, the title rose further in importance, eclipsing the kouropalates;^[4] transformed into an honorary title, it also began being given to non-eunuchs, including members of the imperial family.^[5] As such, the title survived until the late Palaiologan period, its holders including high-ranking ministers and future Byzantine emperors.^[1]

The female equivalent was the protovestiaria (Greek: πρωτοβεστιαρία), the head of the Byzantine empress' servants. Protovestiarioi are also attested for private citizens, in which case again the title refers to their head servant and treasurer.^[1]

Notable protovestiarioi

• Constantine Leichoudes, later patriarch as Constantine III
• Andronikos Doukas
• Alexios Raoul, under John III Vatatzes
• George Mouzalon, chief minister of Theodore II Laskaris and short-lived regent
• Alexios V Doukas
• John III Vatatzes
• Michael Tarchaneiotes, nephew of Michael VIII Palaiologos

See also

• Vestararius, papal office derivative of the protovestiarios

References

Citations

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Kazhdan 1991, p. 1749.
2. ^ ^{a b} Bury 1911, p. 125.
3. ^ Haldon 1997, p. 181.
4. ^ Gibbon 1860, p. 242.
5. ^ Holmes 2005, p. 84.

Sources

• Bury, John B. (1911). The Imperial Administrative System of the Ninth Century: With a Revised Text of the Kletorologion of Philotheos. London, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZoBDAAAAIAAJ. 
• Gibbon, Edward (1860). The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. New York, New York: Harper & Brothers. http://books.google.com/books?id=kl4OAAAAYAAJ. 
• Haldon, John F. (1997). Byzantium in the Seventh Century: The Transformation of a Culture. Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-52-131917-1. http://books.google.com/?id=pSHmT1G_5T0C. 
• Holmes, Catherine (2005). Basil II and the Governance of Empire (976–1025). Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-927968-5. http://books.google.com/books?id=_h3_c0U1jVoC. 
• Kazhdan, Alexander Petrovich, ed (1991). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. New York, New York and Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6. http://books.google.com/books?id=Q3u5RAAACAAJ.