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Magister militum (Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
 for "Master of the Soldiers") was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire
Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer (equivalent to a war theatre commander, the emperor remaining the supreme commander) of the Empire.

title of magister militum was created in the 4th century, when Emperor Constantine the Great deprived the praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect

Praetorian prefect was the constant title of a high office in the Roman Empire state that changed fundamentally in nature.The praetorian prefect was commander of the Praetorian Guard until Constantine I abolished the guard in 314....
s of their military functions.






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Magister militum (Latin
Latin

Latin is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Through the Military history of the Roman Empire, Latin spread throughout the Mediterranean and a large part of Europe....
 for "Master of the Soldiers") was a top-level military command used in the later Roman Empire
Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was the Roman Republic phase of the Ancient Rome, characterised by an autocracy form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, dating from the reign of Constantine. Used alone, the term referred to the senior military officer (equivalent to a war theatre commander, the emperor remaining the supreme commander) of the Empire.

Establishment and development of the office

The title of magister militum was created in the 4th century, when Emperor Constantine the Great deprived the praetorian prefect
Praetorian prefect

Praetorian prefect was the constant title of a high office in the Roman Empire state that changed fundamentally in nature.The praetorian prefect was commander of the Praetorian Guard until Constantine I abolished the guard in 314....
s of their military functions. Initially two posts were created, one as head of the foot troops, as the magister peditum ("Master of the Foot"), and one for the more prestigious horse troops, the magister equitum ("Master of the Horse"). The latter title had existed since Republican times, as the second-in-command to a Roman dictator
Roman dictator

Dictator was a political office of the Roman Republic. The dictator was above the three branches of government in the constitution of the Roman Republic as no other body or officer could check his power....
. Under Constantine's successors, the title was also established at a territorial level: magistri peditum and magistri equitum were appointed for every praetorian prefecture
Praetorian prefecture

The praetorian prefectures were the largest administrative divisions of the late Roman Empire, above the mid-level Roman diocese and the low-level provinces....
 (per Gallias
Praetorian prefecture of Gaul

The praetorian prefecture of the Gauls was one of four large praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided....
, per Italiam
Praetorian prefecture of Italy

The praetorian prefecture of Italy was one of four large Praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided. It comprised the Italian peninsula, the Western Balkans, the Danubian provinces and parts of North Africa....
, per Illyricum
Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum

The praetorian prefecture of Illyricum was one of four large praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided. The administrative centre of the prefecture was initially Sirmium, and after 379 Thessalonica....
, per Orientem
Praetorian prefecture of the East

The praetorian prefecture of the East or of Oriens was one of four large praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided....
), and, in addition, for Thrace
Diocese of Thrace

The Diocese of Thrace was a Roman diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of the eastern Balkans . The diocese was established after the reforms of Diocletian, and was subordinate to the Praetorian prefecture of the East....
 and, sometimes, Africa
Diocese of Africa

The Diocese of Africa was a Roman diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of North Africa, except Mauretania Tingitana. Its seat was at Carthage, and it was subordinate to the Praetorian prefecture of Italy....
. On occasion, the offices would be combined under a single person, them styled magister equitum et peditum or magister utriusquae militiae ("master of both forces (foot and horse)"). As such they were directly in command of the local mobile field army of the comitatenses
Comitatenses

Comitatenses is the Latin plural of comitatensis, originally the adjective derived from comitatus , itself rooting in Comes .However, historically it became the accepted name for those Roman Army which were not merely garrisoned at a limes ? the limitanei or ripenses, i.e....
, composed mostly of cavalry, which acted as a rapid reaction force
Rapid reaction force

A rapid reaction force is a military or police unit designed to respond in very short time frames to emergencies. When used in reference to police forces such as SWAT, the time frame is minutes, while in military applications, such as with the use of paratroops or other commandos, the time frame is hours to days....
. Other magistri remained in the immediate disposal of the Emperors, and were termed in praesenti ("in the presence" of the Emperor). By the late 4th century, the regional commanders were termed simply magister militum.

In the Western Empire, a "commander-in-chief" was sometimes appointed in the form of the magister utriusquae militiae. This powerful office was often the power behind the throne
Power behind the throne

The phrase power behind the throne refers to a person or cabal that informally exercises the real power of an office. In politics, it most commonly refers to a spouse, aide, or advisor of a political leader who serves as de facto leader, setting policy through influence or manipulation....
 and was held by commanders like Stilicho
Stilicho

Flavius Stilicho was a high-ranking general , Patrician and Consul of the Western Roman Empire, notably of barbarian birth....
, Ricimer
Ricimer

Ricimer was a Germanic general who was master of the Western Roman Empire during part of the fifth century.Ricimer was an Arianism Christian, the son of a prince of the Suebi....
 and others. In the East, there were two senior generals, who were appointed to the office of magister militum praesentalis. During the reign of Emperor Justinian I
Justinian I

Flavius Petrus Sabbatius Iustinianus , AD 482 or 483 ? 13 or 14 November 565, was the second member of the Justinian Dynasty and List of Roman Emperors from 527 until his death....
, with the increasing military threats and the expansion of the Eastern Empire, three new posts were created: the magister militum per Armeniam in the Armenian provinces, formerly part of the jurisdiction of the magister militum per Orientem, the magister militum per Africam in the reconquered African provinces
Praetorian prefecture of Africa

The Praetorian prefecture of Africa was a major administrative division of the Eastern Roman Empire, established after the reconquest of northwestern Africa from the Vandals in 533-534 by emperor Justinian I....
 (534), with a subordinate magister peditum , and the magister militum Spania
Spania

Spania was a Roman province of the Byzantine Empire from 552 until 624 in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. It was a part of the conquests of Justinian I in an effort to restore the Western Roman Empire....
e (ca. 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
Exarchate of Ravenna

The Exarchate of Ravenna or of Italy was a centre of Byzantine Empire power in Italy, from the end of the 6th century to 751, when the last Exarch was put to death by the Lombards....
 and Carthage
Exarchate of Africa

The Exarchate of Africa or of Carthage, after its capital, was the name of an administrative division of the Eastern Roman Empire encompassing its possessions on the Western Mediterranean, ruled by an exarch, or viceroy....
 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.

The place of the magister militum in the command structure of the army of the later Roman Empire. The title was sometimes also used in early medieval Italy for supreme military commanders, such as the Papal States
Papal States

The Papal States, State of the Church or Pontifical States were one of the major historical states of Italy from roughly the 6th century until the Italian peninsula was unified in 1861 by the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia ....
 and Venice
Republic of Venice

The Most Serene Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice . It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century AD until the year 1797....
, whose Doge
Doge

Doge is a dialectal Italian language word that descends from the Latin dux , meaning "leader", especially in a military context.The title of Doge was used for the elected chief of state in a number of Italy "crowned republics"....
 claimed to be the successor to the Exarch of Ravenna
Exarchate of Ravenna

The Exarchate of Ravenna or of Italy was a centre of Byzantine Empire power in Italy, from the end of the 6th century to 751, when the last Exarch was put to death by the Lombards....
.

List of magistri militum


Unspecified commands

  • 383-385/8: Flavius Bauto
    Flavius Bauto

    Flavius Bauto was a Roman culture Franks who served as a magister militum of the Western Roman Empire.When the usurper Magnus Maximus invaded Italy in an attempt to replace Valentinian II, Bauto led the forces of the Eastern Emperor Theodosius I and defeated the rebel....
    , magister militum under Valentinian II
    Valentinian II

    Flavius Valentinianus Iunior , known usually by his anglicised name, Valentinian II, was a Roman Emperor from 375 to 392....
  • 385/8-394: Arbogast
    Arbogast (general)

    Flavius Arbogastes , or Arbogast was a Franks general in the Roman Empire. It has been stated by some ancient historians that he was the son of Flavius Bauto, Valentinian II's former magister militum and protector before Arbogast, but modern scholars largely discount this claim ....
    , magister militum under Valentinian II
    Valentinian II

    Flavius Valentinianus Iunior , known usually by his anglicised name, Valentinian II, was a Roman Emperor from 375 to 392....
     and Eugenius
    Eugenius

    Flavius Eugenius was a Roman usurper against Roman Emperor Theodosius I. Though himself a Christian, he was the last Emperor to support Roman polytheism....
  • 421-432: Flavius Gaudentius
    Flavius Gaudentius

    Flavius Gaudentius or simply Gaudentius was the father of the Roman Empire magister militum Flavius Aetius. It is said that he was of Scythian birth, but more probably of Daco-Roman or other barbarian descent; Jordanes' Getica claims that Gaudentius was of Goths background although it must be noted that Jordanes also assumes t...
  • 383-388: Andragathius
  • 433-454: Flavius Aetius
    Flavius Aėtius

    Flavius A?tius or simply A?tius, , dux et patricius, was a Roman Empire general of the closing period of the Western Roman Empire. He was an able military commander and the most influential man of the Western Roman Empire for two decades ....
  • 455: Avitus
    Avitus

    Eparchius Avitus was Western Roman Emperor with the designation and name Dominus Noster Eparchius Avitus Augustus .Made magister militum by Emperor Petronius Maximus, Avitus was sent on a diplomatic mission to his old student, Theodoric II King of the Visigoths, and was at Theodoric's court in Toulouse when Gaiseric invaded Rom...
  • 455-472: Ricimer
    Ricimer

    Ricimer was a Germanic general who was master of the Western Roman Empire during part of the fifth century.Ricimer was an Arianism Christian, the son of a prince of the Suebi....
  • 472-473: Gundobad
    Gundobad

    Gundobad, Patrician of the Western Roman Empire also became King of Burgundy , after his father Gundioc of Burgundy, though he had to fight off three brothers to seize his title....
  • 475-476: Flavius Orestes
  • ? - 480: Ovida
    Ovida

    Ovida was a general during the late Western Roman Empire and the last Roman ruler of Dalmatia.Following Flavius Orestes's coup against Western Roman Emperor Julius Nepos on August 28, 475, Ovida remained loyal to the Emperor and accompanied him on his escape to Dalmatia....


per Gallias
Roman Gaul

Roman Gaul consisted of an area of provincial rule in the Roman Empire, in modern day France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and western Germany. Roman control of the area lasted for 600 years....
 

  • 362-364: Flavius Iovinus, magister equitum under Julian
    Julian

    Julian, also spelt Julien, is a common given name in United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, France and elsewhere in Europe, mostly to males but also to females....
     and Jovian
    Jovian

    Flavius Iovianus, anglicized to Jovian, was a soldier elected Roman Emperor by the army on 27 June 363 upon the death of Emperor Julian the Apostate during his Sassanid Empire campaign....
  • 410s-421: Flavius Constantius
    Constantius III

    Flavius Constantius , whose name is traditionally anglicised as Constantius III, was a late Roman general, politician, and Roman Emperor. He was the power behind the throne for much of the 410s, and in 421 briefly became co-emperor of the Western Roman Empire with Honorius ....
  • 352-355: Claudius Silvanus
    Claudius Silvanus

    Claudius Silvanus was a Ancient Rome general of Franks descent, Roman usurper in Gaul against Emperor Constantius II for 28 days in 355....
  • 425-433: Flavius Aetius
    Flavius Aėtius

    Flavius A?tius or simply A?tius, , dux et patricius, was a Roman Empire general of the closing period of the Western Roman Empire. He was an able military commander and the most influential man of the Western Roman Empire for two decades ....
  • 450s-464: Aegidius
    Aegidius

    Aegidius was a Gallo-Roman promoted as magister militum in Gaul under Flavius A?tius around 450. He was an ardent supporter of Majorian, whom he helped to gain power....
  • 464-486: Syagrius
    Syagrius

    Syagrius was the son of Aegidius, the last Roman magister militum per Gaul. Syagrius preserved his father's rump state between the Somme and the Loire around Domain of Soissons after the collapse of central rule in the Western Empire, the so-called "Kingdom" of Syagrius, as Gregory of Tours understood it, applying the Frankish term for...


per Illyricum
Illyricum

Illyricum can refer to:* Illyricum * Diocese of Illyricum* Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum...
 

  • ?-350: Vetranio, magister peditum under Constans
    Constans

    Flavius Julius Constans , was a Roman Emperor who ruled from 337 to 350. Constans was the third and youngest son of Constantine the Great and Fausta, Constantine's second wife....
  • 361: Flavius Iovinus, magister equitum under Julian
    Julian

    Julian, also spelt Julien, is a common given name in United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, France and elsewhere in Europe, mostly to males but also to females....
  • 365-375: Equitius, magister utriusquae militiae under Valentinian I
    Valentinian I

    Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, was Roman Emperor from 364 until his death. Valentinian is often referred to as the "last great western emperor"....
  • 457?-468: Marcellinus
  • 468-474: Julius Nepos
    Julius Nepos

    Flavius Julius Nepos was a Roman Emperor of the West during the Roman Emperor of the Western Roman Empire. Some historians consider him to be the last De jure Western Emperor, others consider the western line to have ended with Romulus Augustus in 476....
  • 530-536: Mundus


per Orientem
Praetorian prefecture of the East

The praetorian prefecture of the East or of Oriens was one of four large praetorian prefectures into which the Late Roman Empire was divided....

  • ca. 347: Flavius Eusebius, magister utriusquae militiae
  • 349-359: Ursicinus, magister equitum under Constantius
    Constantius II

    Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II was a Roman Emperor of the Constantinian dynasty....
  • 359-360: Sabinianus, magister equitum under Constantius
    Constantius II

    Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II was a Roman Emperor of the Constantinian dynasty....
  • 363-367: Lupicinus, magister equitum under Jovian
    Jovian

    Flavius Iovianus, anglicized to Jovian, was a soldier elected Roman Emperor by the army on 27 June 363 upon the death of Emperor Julian the Apostate during his Sassanid Empire campaign....
     and Valens
    Valens

    Flamin Julius Valens was Roman Emperor , after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. Valens, sometimes known as the Last of the Romans, was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople, which marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire....
  • 371-378: Iulius, magister equitum et Peditum under Valens
    Valens

    Flamin Julius Valens was Roman Emperor , after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. Valens, sometimes known as the Last of the Romans, was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople, which marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire....
  • 383: Flavius Richomeres
    Richomeres

    Flavius Richomeres was a Franks who lived in the late 4th century. He took service in the Roman army and made a career as comes, magister militum, and consul....
    , magister equitum et peditum
  • 383-388: Ellebichus, magister equitum et peditum
  • 392: Eutherius, magister equitum et peditum
  • 393-396: Addaeus, magister equitum et peditum
  • 460s-471: Flavius Ardabur Aspar
    Aspar

    Flavius Ardabur Aspar , an Alans, was patrician and magister militum of the Eastern Roman Empire.Son of the magister Ardaburius, Aspar played a crucial role in his father's expedition in 424 to defeat the western roman usurper, Joannes of Ravenna, and to install Galla Placidia and her son, Valentinian III, in his place....
  • 483-488: Flavius Theodoricus
    Theodoric the Great

    File:Theodoric bronze weight inlaid with silver issued by prefect Catulinus Rome 493 526.jpg'Theodoric the Great' , known in Latin as 'Flavius Theodericus' and in Greek sources, was king of the Ostrogoths , ruler of Italy , and regent of the Visigoths ....
  • c.503-505: Areobindus Dagalaiphus Areobindus


per Thracias

  • 377-378: Flavius Saturninus, magister equitum under Valens
    Valens

    Flamin Julius Valens was Roman Emperor , after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. Valens, sometimes known as the Last of the Romans, was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople, which marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire....
  • 377-378: Traianus, magister peditum under Valens
    Valens

    Flamin Julius Valens was Roman Emperor , after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. Valens, sometimes known as the Last of the Romans, was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople, which marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire....
  • 378: Sebastianus, magister peditum under Valens
    Valens

    Flamin Julius Valens was Roman Emperor , after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. Valens, sometimes known as the Last of the Romans, was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople, which marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire....
  • 382-383: Flavius Saturninus, magister peditum under Valens
    Valens

    Flamin Julius Valens was Roman Emperor , after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. Valens, sometimes known as the Last of the Romans, was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople, which marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire....
  • 380-382: Flavius Saturninus, magister equitum under Theodosius I
    Theodosius I

    Flavius Theodosius , also called Theodosius I and Theodosius the Great , was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Reuniting the eastern and western portions of the empire, Theodosius was the last emperor of both the Eastern Roman Empire and Western Roman Empire....
  • 382-383: Flavius Saturninus, magister equitum under Theodosius I
    Theodosius I

    Flavius Theodosius , also called Theodosius I and Theodosius the Great , was Roman Emperor from 379 to 395. Reuniting the eastern and western portions of the empire, Theodosius was the last emperor of both the Eastern Roman Empire and Western Roman Empire....
  • 392-393: Flavius Stilicho, magister equitum et peditum
  • 441: Ioannes the Vandal, magister utriusque militiae
  • 468-474: Armatus
    Armatus

    Flavius Armatus was a Byzantine Empire military commander, magister militum under Emperors Leo I , Basiliscus and Zeno , and consul. He was instrumental in the rebellion of Basiliscus against Zeno, and in his subsequent fall....


in praesenti

  • 351-361: Flavius Arbitio, magister equitum under Constantius
    Constantius II

    Flavius Iulius Constantius, known in English as Constantius II was a Roman Emperor of the Constantinian dynasty....
  • 361-363: Flavius Nevitta, magister equitum under Julian
    Julian

    Julian, also spelt Julien, is a common given name in United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Poland, France and elsewhere in Europe, mostly to males but also to females....
  • 363-379: Victor, magister equitum under Valens
    Valens

    Flamin Julius Valens was Roman Emperor , after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. Valens, sometimes known as the Last of the Romans, was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople, which marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire....
  • 366-378: Flavius Arinthaeus, magister peditum under Valens
    Valens

    Flamin Julius Valens was Roman Emperor , after he was given the Eastern part of the empire by his brother Valentinian I. Valens, sometimes known as the Last of the Romans, was defeated and killed in the Battle of Adrianople, which marked the beginning of the fall of the Western Roman Empire....
  • 364-369: Flavius Iovinus, magister equitum under Valentinian I
    Valentinian I

    Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, was Roman Emperor from 364 until his death. Valentinian is often referred to as the "last great western emperor"....
  • 364-366: Dagalaifus, magister peditum under Valentinian I
    Valentinian I

    Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, was Roman Emperor from 364 until his death. Valentinian is often referred to as the "last great western emperor"....
  • 367-372: Severus, magister peditum under Valentinian I
    Valentinian I

    Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, was Roman Emperor from 364 until his death. Valentinian is often referred to as the "last great western emperor"....
  • 369-373: Flavius Theodosius, magister equitum under Valentinian I
    Valentinian I

    Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, was Roman Emperor from 364 until his death. Valentinian is often referred to as the "last great western emperor"....
  • 375-388: Flavius Merobaudes
    Flavius Merobaudes

    Flavius Merobaudes , Latin language rhetorician and poet, probably a native of Baetica in Spain.He was the official laureate of Valentinian III and Aetius....
    , magister peditum under Valentinian I
    Valentinian I

    Flavius Valentinianus, known in English as Valentinian I, was Roman Emperor from 364 until his death. Valentinian is often referred to as the "last great western emperor"....
    , Gratian
    Gratian

    Flavius Gratianus , known usually by the anglicised name Gratian, was a Western Roman Emperor from 375 to 383.He favoured the Christian religion against Roman polytheism, refusing the traditional polytheistic attributes of the emperors and removing the Altar of Victory from the Roman Senate....
     and Magnus Maximus
    Magnus Maximus

    Magnus Clemens Maximus , also known as Maximianus, was a Hispanic Roman usurper of the Western Roman Empire from 383 until his death, in 388, by order of Emperor Theodosius I....
  • 394-408: Flavius Stilicho, magister equitum et peditum
  • 475-477/478: Armatus
    Armatus

    Flavius Armatus was a Byzantine Empire military commander, magister militum under Emperors Leo I , Basiliscus and Zeno , and consul. He was instrumental in the rebellion of Basiliscus against Zeno, and in his subsequent fall....
  • 546-548: Artabanes
    Artabanes (general)

    Artabanes was a Byzantine Empire general of Armenian origin....
  • 585-?: Comentiolus
    Comentiolus

    Comentiolus was a prominent Byzantine Empire general at the close of the 6th century, during the reign of emperor Maurice . He played a major role in Maurice?s Balkan campaigns, and fought also in the East against the Persians....


per Africam


Western Empire
Diocese of Africa

The Diocese of Africa was a Roman diocese of the later Roman Empire, incorporating the provinces of North Africa, except Mauretania Tingitana. Its seat was at Carthage, and it was subordinate to the Praetorian prefecture of Italy....
 
  • 373-375: Flavius Theodosius, magister equitum
  • 386-398: Gildo
    Gildo

    Gildo was a Roman general in the province of Mauretania. He revolted against Honorius and the western empire but was defeated and committed suicide....
    , magister equitum et peditum


Eastern Empire
Praetorian prefecture of Africa

The Praetorian prefecture of Africa was a major administrative division of the Eastern Roman Empire, established after the reconquest of northwestern Africa from the Vandals in 533-534 by emperor Justinian I....
 
  • 534-536: Solomon
  • 536-539: Germanus Justinus
    Germanus Justinus

    Germanus Iustinus was a General of the Byzantine Empire and member of the Justinian Dynasty.The paternal nephew of Justinian I, and whose father was born ca 485, he became Magister Militum for Thracia ca 525, a Roman Patricius in 536 and a Diplomat, and was placed in charge of Imperial forces in the Gothic War in 550....
  • 539-544: Solomon
  • 544-546: Sergius
  • 545-546: Areobindus
  • 546: Artabanes
    Artabanes (general)

    Artabanes was a Byzantine Empire general of Armenian origin....
  • 546-552: John Troglita
    John Troglita

    John Troglita was a 6th century Roman general. His exploits against the Sassanid Empire in the East and especially against the Moors rebels in North Africa are the subject of the last Latin language epic poem of classical antiquity, the Iohannis or de Bellis Libycis of Flavius Cresconius Corippus....


Magistri militum in Byzantine and medieval Italy


Venice
  • 700s: Marcellus
  • 737: Domenico Leoni
    Domenico Leoni

    Domenico Leoni was a ruler of Venice, magister militum and Hypatus in 737....
     under Leo III the Isaurian
    Leo III the Isaurian

    Leo III the Isaurian or the Syrian , was List of Byzantine Emperors from 717 until his death in 741. He put an end to a period of instability, successfully defended the empire against the invading Umayyads, and forbade the veneration of icons ....
  • 738: Felice Cornicola
    Felice Cornicola

    Felice Cornicola was the ruler of Venice, Hypatus of 738 and magister militum....
     under Leo III the Isaurian
    Leo III the Isaurian

    Leo III the Isaurian or the Syrian , was List of Byzantine Emperors from 717 until his death in 741. He put an end to a period of instability, successfully defended the empire against the invading Umayyads, and forbade the veneration of icons ....
  • 739: Theodatus Ursus under Leo III the Isaurian
    Leo III the Isaurian

    Leo III the Isaurian or the Syrian , was List of Byzantine Emperors from 717 until his death in 741. He put an end to a period of instability, successfully defended the empire against the invading Umayyads, and forbade the veneration of icons ....
  • 741: Ioannes Fabriacius under Leo III the Isaurian
    Leo III the Isaurian

    Leo III the Isaurian or the Syrian , was List of Byzantine Emperors from 717 until his death in 741. He put an end to a period of instability, successfully defended the empire against the invading Umayyads, and forbade the veneration of icons ....
  • 764-787: Mauricius Galba


Later, less formal use of the term

By the twelfth 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
Gesta Herwardi

The Gesta Herwardi is a manuscript written in about 1260 as a copy of a Latin edition of about 1160-70 by Hugh Candidus. The latter was a translation of an earlier work in English from about 1110, with gaps in the damaged original filled out from oral history....
, the hero is several times described as magister militum by the man who translated the original Early English account into Latin. It seems possible that the writer of the original version, now lost, thought of him as the 'hereward' - the supervisor of the military force. That this later use of these terms was based on the classical concept seems clear.

Sources

  • Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire
    Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire

    Prosopography of the Later Roman Empire is a set of three volumes collectively describing every person attested or claimed to have lived in the Roman Empire from AD 260 to 641....
     (PLRE), Vols. I-III