Vicarius
Encyclopedia
Vicarius is a Latin word, meaning substitute or deputy. It is the root and origin of the English word "vicar
" and cognate
to the Persian word most familiar in the variant vizier
.
Originally, in ancient Rome, this was an equivalent to the English "vice-
" (as in "deputy"), used as part of the title of various officials. Each vicarius was assigned to a specific superior official, after whom his full title was generally completed by a genitive (e.g. vicarius praetoris). At a low level of society, the slave of a slave
, possibly hired out to raise money to buy manumission
, was a servus vicarius.
Later, in the 290s, the Emperor Diocletian
carried out a series of administrative reforms, ushering the period of the Dominate
. These reforms also saw the number of Roman provinces increased, and the creation of a new administrative level, the diocese
. The dioceses, initially twelve, grouped several provinces, each with its own governor
. The dioceses were headed by a vicarius, or, more properly, by a vices agens praefectorum praetorio ("deputy of the praetorian prefect
"). An exception was the Diocese of Oriens, which was headed by a comes
("count").
According to the Notitia dignitatum
(an early fifth century imperial chancery
document), the vicarius had the rank of vir spectabilis; the staff of a vicarius, his officium
, was rather similar to a gubernatorial officium. For example, in the diocese of Hispaniae, the his staff included:
Vicar
In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...
" and cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...
to the Persian word most familiar in the variant vizier
Vizier
A vizier or in Arabic script ; ; sometimes spelled vazir, vizir, vasir, wazir, vesir, or vezir) is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in a Muslim government....
.
Originally, in ancient Rome, this was an equivalent to the English "vice-
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
" (as in "deputy"), used as part of the title of various officials. Each vicarius was assigned to a specific superior official, after whom his full title was generally completed by a genitive (e.g. vicarius praetoris). At a low level of society, the slave of a slave
Slavery in ancient Rome
The institution of slavery in ancient Rome played an important role in society and the Roman economy. Besides manual labor on farms and in mines, slaves performed many domestic services and a variety of other tasks, such as accounting...
, possibly hired out to raise money to buy manumission
Manumission
Manumission is the act of a slave owner freeing his or her slaves. In the United States before the passage of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolished most slavery, this often happened upon the death of the owner, under conditions in his will.-Motivations:The...
, was a servus vicarius.
Later, in the 290s, the Emperor Diocletian
Diocletian
Diocletian |latinized]] upon his accession to Diocletian . c. 22 December 244 – 3 December 311), was a Roman Emperor from 284 to 305....
carried out a series of administrative reforms, ushering the period of the Dominate
Dominate
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...
. These reforms also saw the number of Roman provinces increased, and the creation of a new administrative level, the diocese
Roman diocese
A Roman or civil diocese was one of the administrative divisions of the later Roman Empire, starting with the Tetrarchy. It formed the intermediate level of government, grouping several provinces and being in turn subordinated to a praetorian prefecture....
. The dioceses, initially twelve, grouped several provinces, each with its own governor
Roman governor
A Roman governor was an official either elected or appointed to be the chief administrator of Roman law throughout one or more of the many provinces constituting the Roman Empire...
. The dioceses were headed by a vicarius, or, more properly, by a vices agens praefectorum praetorio ("deputy of the praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect was the title of a high office in the Roman Empire. Originating as the commander of the Praetorian Guard, the office gradually acquired extensive legal and administrative functions, with its holders becoming the Emperor's chief aides...
"). An exception was the Diocese of Oriens, which was headed by a comes
Comes
Comes , plural comites , is the Latin word for companion, either individually or as a member of a collective known as comitatus, especially the suite of a magnate, in some cases large and/or formal enough to have a specific name, such as a cohors amicorum. The word comes derives from com- "with" +...
("count").
According to the Notitia dignitatum
Notitia Dignitatum
The Notitia Dignitatum is a unique document of the Roman imperial chanceries. One of the very few surviving documents of Roman government, it details the administrative organisation of the eastern and western empires, listing several thousand offices from the imperial court down to the provincial...
(an early fifth century imperial chancery
Chancery (medieval office)
Chancery is a general term for a medieval writing office, responsible for the production of official documents. The title of chancellor, for the head of the office, came to be held by important ministers in a number of states, and remains the title of the heads of government in modern Germany,...
document), the vicarius had the rank of vir spectabilis; the staff of a vicarius, his officium
Officium
Officium is a Latin word with various meanings in Ancient Rome, including "service", " duty", "courtesy", "ceremony" and the like...
, was rather similar to a gubernatorial officium. For example, in the diocese of Hispaniae, the his staff included:
- The princeps (i.e. chief) of the schola (imperial guard unit) of the agentes in rebusAgentes in rebusThe agentes in rebus , were the late Roman imperial courier service and general agents of the central government from the 4th to the 7th centuries.- History :...
(couriers), from the salary class of the ducenarii(those earning 200,000 sesterces a year - the highest regular pay grade in the Roman civil service). - A cornicularius ("chief of staff").
- Two numerarii (chief accountants).
- A commentariensis(keeper of the commentary," the official diary).
- An adiutor (adjutant; literally "helper," an assistant).
- An ab actis ("acts-keeper," archivistArchivistAn archivist is a professional who assesses, collects, organizes, preserves, maintains control over, and provides access to information determined to have long-term value. The information maintained by an archivist can be any form of media...
). - A cura epistolarum ("curator of correspondence").
- An unnamed number of subadiuvae ("deputy assistants").
- Various exceptores (lower clerks).
- Singulares et reliquum officium (various menial staff).