Primicerius
Encyclopedia
The Latin
term primicerius, hellenized as prim(m)ikērios , was a title applied in the later Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire
to the heads of administrative departments, and also used by the Church to denote the heads of various colleges. Etymologically the term derives from primus in cera, which is to say in tabula cerata, the first name in a list of a class of officials, which was usually inscribed on a waxed tablet.
, there were several primicerii (primikērioi in Greek, from the 12th century usually spelled primmikērioi). In the court, there was the primicerius sacri cubiculi (in Byzantine times the primikērios of the kouboukleion), in charge of the emperor's bedchamber, almost always a eunuch. The title was also given to court officials in combination with other offices connected to the imperial person, such as the private treasury (eidikon) or the imperial wardrobe (vestiarion
). Other primicerii headed some of the scrinia (departments) of the palace, chiefly the notarii
(notarioi or taboularioi in Byzantine sources).
In the military, the use of the term was also restricted to units associated with the imperial court, chiefly imperial guards. Thus in the 4th to 6th centuries there were the primicerii of the protectores domestici and of the Scholae Palatinae
. In the later Byzantine era, under the Komnenian emperors, primmikērioi appear as commanders in the palace regiments of the Manglabitai, Vardariōtai
, Vestiaritai
and the Varangians
.
In the late 11th century, the dignity of megas prim(m)ikērios ("Grand Primicerius") was established, which ranked very high in court hierarchy well into the Palaiologan period, where he functioned as a chief of ceremonies. Primmikērioi continue to be in evidence in the Byzantine Empire and the Despotate of Morea
until their fall to the Ottomans
.
and Defensores, which occupied an important place in the administration of the Roman Church
in Late Antiquity
and in the Early Middle Ages
.
When young clerics were assembled in schools for training in the ecclesiastical service in the different districts of the Western Church (from the fifth or sixth century), the directors of these schools were also commonly given this title. Thus, an inscription of the year 551
from Lyon mentions a "Stephanus primicerius scolae lectorum servientium in ecclesia Lugdunensi". Isidore of Seville
treats of the obligations of the primicerius of the lower clerics in his "Epistola ad Ludefredum". From this position the primicerius also derived certain powers in the direction of liturgical functions.
In the regulation of the common life of the clergy in collegiate and cathedral churches, according to the Rule of Chrodegang and the statutes of Amalarius of Metz
, the primicerius appears as the first capitular after the archdeacon
and archpresbyter, controlling the lower clerics and directing the liturgical functions and chant. The primicerius thus became a special dignitary of many chapters by a gradual development from the position of the old primicerius of the scola cantorum or lectorum.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church
, the title was used for the heads of the colleges of the notarioi and taboularioi in the Church bureaucracy, but also for the chief lectors, cantors, etc. of a church.
In modern usage of the Russian Orthodox Church
, the word primicerius (primikirii) is reserved for a junior cleric (sometimes a reader or subdeacon
) holding a torch or a candle before officiating bishop during the divine service; usually he goes ahead in different pontifical processions, which may be an explanation for the choice of given word (the second part of the word in this case corresponds not to "wax (of a tablet)" but to "candle wax").
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
term primicerius, hellenized as prim(m)ikērios , was a title applied in the later Roman Empire 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...
to the heads of administrative departments, and also used by the Church to denote the heads of various colleges. Etymologically the term derives from primus in cera, which is to say in tabula cerata, the first name in a list of a class of officials, which was usually inscribed on a waxed tablet.
Civil and military
From their origin in the court of the DominateDominate
The Dominate was the "despotic" latter phase of government in the ancient Roman Empire from the conclusion of the Third Century Crisis of 235–284 until the formal date of the collapse of the Western Empire in AD 476. It followed the period known as the Principate...
, there were several primicerii (primikērioi in Greek, from the 12th century usually spelled primmikērioi). In the court, there was the primicerius sacri cubiculi (in Byzantine times the primikērios of the kouboukleion), in charge of the emperor's bedchamber, almost always a eunuch. The title was also given to court officials in combination with other offices connected to the imperial person, such as the private treasury (eidikon) or the imperial wardrobe (vestiarion
Vestiarion
The vestiarion , sometimes with the adjectives basilikon or mega , was one of the major fiscal departments of the Byzantine bureaucracy. In English, it is often known as the department of the Public Wardrobe...
). Other primicerii headed some of the scrinia (departments) of the palace, chiefly the notarii
Notarius
A notarius is a public secretary who is appointed by competent authority to draw up official or authentic documents . In the Roman Catholic Church there have been apostolic notaries and even episcopal notaries...
(notarioi or taboularioi in Byzantine sources).
In the military, the use of the term was also restricted to units associated with the imperial court, chiefly imperial guards. Thus in the 4th to 6th centuries there were the primicerii of the protectores domestici and of the Scholae Palatinae
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...
. In the later Byzantine era, under the Komnenian emperors, primmikērioi appear as commanders in the palace regiments of the Manglabitai, Vardariōtai
Vardariotai
The Vardariotai , sometimes Anglicized as Vardariots, were an ethnic and territorial group in the later Byzantine Empire, which provided a palace guard regiment during the 12th and 13th centuries.-History:...
, Vestiaritai
Vestiaritai
The Vestiaritai were a corps of imperial bodyguards and fiscal officials in the Byzantine Empire, attested from the 11th to the 15th centuries.-History and functions:...
and the Varangians
Varangians
The Varangians or Varyags , sometimes referred to as Variagians, were people from the Baltic region, most often associated with Vikings, who from the 9th to 11th centuries ventured eastwards and southwards along the rivers of Eastern Europe, through what is now Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.According...
.
In the late 11th century, the dignity of megas prim(m)ikērios ("Grand Primicerius") was established, which ranked very high in court hierarchy well into the Palaiologan period, where he functioned as a chief of ceremonies. Primmikērioi continue to be in evidence in the Byzantine Empire and the Despotate of Morea
Despotate of Morea
The Despotate of the Morea or Despotate of Mystras was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centuries. Its territory varied in size during its 100 years of existence but eventually grew to take in almost all the southern Greek peninsula, the...
until their fall to the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
Ecclesiastical use
In ecclesiastical use the term was given to heads of the colleges of NotariiNotarius
A notarius is a public secretary who is appointed by competent authority to draw up official or authentic documents . In the Roman Catholic Church there have been apostolic notaries and even episcopal notaries...
and Defensores, which occupied an important place in the administration of the Roman Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
in Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
and in the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
.
When young clerics were assembled in schools for training in the ecclesiastical service in the different districts of the Western Church (from the fifth or sixth century), the directors of these schools were also commonly given this title. Thus, an inscription of the year 551
551
Year 551 was a common year starting on Sunday of the Julian calendar. The denomination 551 for this year has been used since the early medieval period, when the Anno Domini calendar era became the prevalent method in Europe for naming years.- Byzantine Empire :* Beirut is destroyed by an...
from Lyon mentions a "Stephanus primicerius scolae lectorum servientium in ecclesia Lugdunensi". Isidore of Seville
Isidore of Seville
Saint Isidore of Seville served as Archbishop of Seville for more than three decades and is considered, as the historian Montalembert put it in an oft-quoted phrase, "le dernier savant du monde ancien"...
treats of the obligations of the primicerius of the lower clerics in his "Epistola ad Ludefredum". From this position the primicerius also derived certain powers in the direction of liturgical functions.
In the regulation of the common life of the clergy in collegiate and cathedral churches, according to the Rule of Chrodegang and the statutes of Amalarius of Metz
Amalarius of Metz
Amalarius of Metz was a liturgist. He wrote extensively on the Mass and was involved in the great Medieval debates regarding predestination. We must rely on his enemy, Florus of Lyon, for an account of Amalar's condemnation at Quierzy, 838. While the exact date of his death is not known, it is...
, the primicerius appears as the first capitular after the archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
and archpresbyter, controlling the lower clerics and directing the liturgical functions and chant. The primicerius thus became a special dignitary of many chapters by a gradual development from the position of the old primicerius of the scola cantorum or lectorum.
In the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, the title was used for the heads of the colleges of the notarioi and taboularioi in the Church bureaucracy, but also for the chief lectors, cantors, etc. of a church.
In modern usage of the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
, the word primicerius (primikirii) is reserved for a junior cleric (sometimes a reader or subdeacon
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
) holding a torch or a candle before officiating bishop during the divine service; usually he goes ahead in different pontifical processions, which may be an explanation for the choice of given word (the second part of the word in this case corresponds not to "wax (of a tablet)" but to "candle wax").