The title vir illustris ("illustrious man") is used as a formal indication of standing 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...

 to describe the highest ranks within the senates of Rome

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....

 and Constantinople

Constantinople

Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...

. All senators had the title vir clarissimus ("very famous man"); but from the mid fourth century onwards, vir illustris and vir spectabilis ("admirable man", a lower rank than illustris) were used to distinguish holders of high office.

Origins

Roman senators in late antiquity had the title vir clarissimus appended to their names, a custom that had developed gradually over the first two centuries. During the fourth century, the senatorial order expanded hugely, so that the title became more commonplace and new titles, vir spectabilis and vir illustris were needed to give distinction to high ranking senators. The first instance is in 354, used 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...

. For some decades it occurs inconsistently, then its appearances become more regular, perhaps in connection with a formal codification of honours under Valentinian I

Valentinian I

Valentinian I , also known as Valentinian the Great, was Roman emperor from 364 to 375. Upon becoming emperor he made his brother Valens his co-emperor, giving him rule of the eastern provinces while Valentinian retained the west....

 in 372.

Offices

The offices which had a right to the title changed with time. 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...

in the early fifth century attaches it to the following offices: i) praefectus praetorio ("praetorian prefect"); ii) praefectus urbi

Praefectus urbi

The praefectus urbanus or praefectus urbi, in English the urban prefect, was prefect of the city of Rome, and later also of Constantinople. The office originated under the Roman kings, continued during the Republic and Empire, and held high importance in late Antiquity...

("urban prefect"); iii) magister militum

Magister militum

Magister militum was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer of the Empire...

("master of the soldiers"); iv) praepositus sacri cubiculi

Praepositus sacri cubiculi

The praepositus sacri cubiculi was one of the senior palace offices in the late Roman Empire. Its holder was usually a eunuch, and acted as the grand chamberlain of the palace, wielding considerable authority and influence. In the 7th or 8th century, the title was also given to an order of rank...

("officer of the sacred chamber"); v) magister officiorum

Magister officiorum

The magister officiorum was one of the most senior administrative officials in the late Roman Empire and the early centuries of the Byzantine Empire...

("master of offices"); vi) quaestor

Quaestor

A Quaestor was a type of public official in the "Cursus honorum" system who supervised financial affairs. In the Roman Republic a quaestor was an elected official whereas, with the autocratic government of the Roman Empire, quaestors were simply appointed....

; vii) comes sacrarum largitionum ("count of the sacred expenditure"); viii) comes rerum privatarum ("count of the emperor's private property"); ix) comes domesticorum equitum sive peditum ("count of the household cavalry or infantry"). Beyond these, the title is also frequently given to consuls

Consul

Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...

, occasionally to lower offices. In these cases the title may show a broadening of the criteria or may be simply an honorary grant to an individual.

Later developments

The illustres soon came to be regarded as the active part of the senate; and by the mid fifth century, spectabiles and clarissimi were no longer expected to take part in the senate. By the time of Justinian

Justinian I

Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...

, senators are defined as illustres. At the same time the title illustris had undergone a similar devaluation to that of clarissimus in the fourth century; and high office holders were now indicated with the titles vir gloriosus

Vir gloriosus

Vir gloriosus or gloriosissimus was the highest rank available to the senatorial aristocracy of the East Roman or Byzantine Empire in the 6th century...

or gloriosissimus and vir magnificus.

Language

In inscriptions and ancient manuscripts, the spelling inlustris is more common. Since the illustres were a subset of the clarissimi, the title is often given as vir clarissimus et illustris, particularly in official documents. The shorter form is commonly abbreviated v. i. (plural vv. ii.), v. inl. or vir inl., the longer form as v. c. et inl.