Comes
1721514
190410472
2008-02-10T16:53:05Z
77.212.61.197
/* Other use */
'''Comes''' ([[Genitive case|genitive]]: ''comitis'') is the Latin word for ''companion'', either individually or as a member of a collective known as ''comitatus'' (compare [[comitatenses]]), 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" + ''ire'' "go."
==In the Roman pagan religion==
[[Image:Follis-Constantine-lyons RIC VI 309.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantine I]] ''SOLI INVICTO COMITI'', ''Comes'' to the [[Sol Invictus]] god.]]
''Comes'' was a common [[epitheton]] (title, added to the name, as Catholicism still does with Jesus and much-venerated saints, such as in Our Lady of Lourdes) for a [[hero]] or a (usually minor) divinity, marking it out as linked to a (usually major or equal) divinity, or several celestials to each other, e.g. as a nuclear family.
On [[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantine I]]'s coinage, the emperor is declared ''comes'' to the [[Sol Invictus|Sun god]].
==Imperially bestowed court titles and various offices of ''Comites''==
Historically more significant, ''Comes'' became a profane title given to trusted (ex-)courtiers and others, as a mark of imperial confidence, developing into a formal rank, rather equivalent to the Hellenistic ''[[Philos]] (Basilikos)'' or the [[paladin]] title of a [[Holy Roman Empire]] knight and a papal [[Palatinus (Roman Catholic Church)|official]], and therefore the title was retained when one was appointed—often promoted—to a post away from court, often in the field or provincial administration; next, it seemed logical to link it to specific charges calling for an incumbent of high rank, and even to make it part of the official title.
As the court grew in size and gained political influence, the emperors established a casual practice of appointing loyal servants to various posts. This process had already been utilized elsewhere, as with the Prefect of the [[Praetorian Guard]] and the [[Amici Principis]]. As the imperial system expanded, however, new offices were needed and decentralization demanded change. The result was the creation of the rank of "comes".
The ''comites'' (often translated as counts, though neither feudal nor hereditary) became leading officials of the Roman Empire. They wielded posts of every description, from the army to the civil service, while never surrendering their direct links and access to the emperors. [[Constantine I (emperor)|Constantine]] took the final step of certifying the posts so that they were permanent fixtures of imperial government.
They are listed in full for the beginning of the fifth century in the [[Notitia dignitatum]], and a schematic map of comital military posts in English translation is available at [http://www.friesian.com/images/maps/romaniaa.gif The Friesian project].
At later dates, additional posts have been created.
The following are examples of the various types of ''comites''
===At court or in the imperial domains===
Several of the major departments of an imperial court and household had a chief styled Comes, with an [[officium]] (staff) quite similar to that of a governor
In the western empire these included:
*''[[Comes dispositonum]]'' -- A deputy to the very powerful ''[[Magister officiorum]]'' ("master of offices"); responsible for organizing the imperial calendar and preparing the correspondence for distribution to the proper offices for transcription.
*''[[Comes domesticorum]]'' -a Vir illustris- Head of the [[Domestici]], a corps of bodyguards of the emperor who were stationed in the imperial palace. There were two of these comital commanders, for the horse - viz. foot units.
*''[[Comes privatae largitionis]]'' -- Keeper of the privy purse, answerable and subordinate to the ''comes rerum privatarum''.
*''[[Comes rerum privatarum]]'' -- Powerful imperial officer responsible for the private estates or holdings of the emperor and his family (''[[res privata]]''). He maintained the properties and collected all monies from rent, of which most went to the public funds and some to the privy purse administered by the ''comes privatae largitionis''.
*''[[Comes sacrarum largitionum]]'' -a [[Vir illustris]]- Master of the 'Sacred Largess', who operated the imperial finances. He controlled all of the mints (each lead by a Procurator), was in chief of a long list of officials (more Procurators, rationales, Praepositi) who collected senatorial taxes, custom duties and some land taxes, was also responsible for the yields of the mines, provided budgets for the civil service and armies and supplied all uniforms. His comptence also included several minor Comites:
**[[Comes Auri]] 'gold count'
**''[[Comes sacrae vestis]]'' -- Master of the wardrobe of the emperor. See also ''[[praepositus sacri cubiculi]]''
**three regional Comites largitionum: for Italy, Africa, Illyricum
**a [[comes commerciorum]] for Illyricum.
In the western empire these department heads included :
*Comes sacrarum largitionum. as above
*Comes rerum privatarum.
*Comes domesticorum Equitum.
*Comes domesticorum Peditum.
Exceptionally, a gubernatorial position was styled Comes:
*''Comes Orientis'' -- Actually one of the [[Vicarii]], this count had control over the large imperial [[diocese of the East]], supervising the governors of this major group of provinces, but was himself under supervision of the [[Praetorian prefecture of the East|Praefectus Praetorio Orientis]].
Furthermore, some less important section chiefs under the authority of otherwise styled, high-ranking territorial officials could be styled Comes, e.g. under the Praefectus Urbis of Rome (a vir illustris) were a Comes formarum, a Comes riparum et alvei Tiberis et cloacarum and a Comes portus.
The title '''''comes consistorianus''''' indicated Comites who advised the Emperor in his council for official (mainly legal) matters, called [[consistorium]], whether on an occasional basis, ''ex officio'' (as main court department heads) or in the case of his adsessor ('chief counsel') as a distinct job.
===Comes rei militaris===
These comites held military appointments, higher than [[dux]], but under [[Magister peditum]]/ [[Magister equitum]]; they were the superiors of a series of military posts, each commanded by a praepositus limitis (border commander), and/or unit commanders, such as tribunes of cohorts, ''alae'' (auxiliary equivalent), ''numeri'', in the eastern empire even legions :
The [[Notitia Dignitatum]] (early fifth century) mentions six such positions, of the rank [[vir spectabilis]], in the western empire (Comes Italiae, Comes Africae, Comes Tingitaniae, Comes Tractus Argentoratensis, Comes Britanniarum and Litoris Saxonici per Britannias) and two in the eastern empire: Comes (limitis) Aegypti, Comes Isauriae = - per Isauria).
*''[[Comes Africae]]'' -- Count in charge of the defense of Roman Africa.
*''[[Comes Argentoratensis]]'' -- Count in charge of the defense of part of Gaul ([[Gallia]]).
*''[[Comes Avernorum]]'' -- Count in charge of the defense of part of Gaul ([[Gallia]]).
*''[[Comes Britanniarum]]'' -- Count in charge of defense of Roman Britain ([[Britannia]]). This post presumably expired circa AD 410, when the last Roman troops left the isles forever.
*''[[Comes Hispaniarum]]'' -- Count in charge of the defense of Roman Spain ([[Hispania]]).
As the number of comites grew, the rank was devalued, which led to he introduction of the notion of classes of comites; first, second and third ''ordines''
===Horse guards corps of Comites===
The ''Comites dominorom nostrorum'' (plural of ''Comes D.N.;'' literally "Companions of our Lords [Emperors]') were a mounted imperial body guard during Diocletian's [[tetrarchy]] (c. 300).
==Medieval usages==
===Frankish Gaugraf===
The Frankish kings of the Merovingian dynasty retained a good deal of the Roman system of administration, including the title ''comes'' preserved its original meaning: a companion of the king, a royal servant of high rank. Under the early Frankish kings some comites did not exercise any definite functions; they were merely attached to the kings person and executed his orders. Others filled the highest offices, e.g. the ''comes palatii'' and ''comes stabuli'' (survives in the title [[Constable]]). The kingdom was divided for administrative purposes into small areas called ''[[pagus]]'' (hence French pays; German Gau), corresponding generally to the Roman [[civitas]]. At the head of the pagus was the ''comes'', corresponding to the German [[Graf]] (in full ''Gaugraf''. The Comes was appointed by the king and removable at his pleasure, and was chosen originally from all classes, sometimes from enfranchised serfs. His essential functions were judicial and executive, and in documents he is often described as the kings agent (''agens publicus'') or royal judge (''judex publicus/fiscalis''). As the delegate of the executive power he had the right to military command in the king's name, and to take all the measures necessary for the preservation of the peace, i.e. to exercise the royal ban (''bannus regis''). He was at once public prosecutor and judge, was responsible for the execution of the sentences of the courts, and as the king's representative exercised the royal right of protection (''mundium regis'') over churches, widows, orphans and the like. He enjoyed a triple wergeld, but had no definite salary, being remunerated by the receipt of certain revenues, a system which contained the germs of discord, on account of the confusion of his public and private duties. The AS. gerefa, however, meaning ''illustrious, chief'', has apparently, according to philologists, no connection with the German Graf, which originally meant servant (cf. knight, valet, &c). It is the more curious that the gerefa should end as a subservient reeve, the Graf as a noble count.
===Feudalism===
In the feudal tradition, Latin was often used, especially in legal documents, as (sometimes sole) official language, so the rendering in Latin was no less important than the original in the spoken vernacular.
Thus, ''comes'' has been used as the Latin equivalent (or part of it) of all titles of comital rank, whether containing [[Count]] (or some other word etymologically derived from Comes, or in many other languages from [[Graf]]).
*Similarly it is part of the rendering (not always exclusive) of derived lower titles containing such term, notably ''[[Vicecomes]]'' for Viscount and ''[[Burgicomes]]'' (alongside ''burgravio'') for Burgrave.
==Other use==
*Astronomical:
** The fainter star in a binary (double) star system.
*Ecclesiastical:
** an [[acolyth]]
** For special feasts and on special occasions suitable lessons were chosen, thus breaking the continuous readings; in the Middle Ages it was believed that [[St. Jerome]] (died 420), in obedience to an order of [[Pope Damasus]], had arranged the lessons of the Roman Liturgy; a spurious letter of his to the Emperor Constantius was quoted as the first ''comes'', or list of lessons, for each day; Victor, Bishop of Capua (541-554), may actually be the author
*name of the Latin chronicler [[Marcellinus Comes]]
*Musical
**An appearance of a [[fugue]] subject, the first appearance being ''dux'', the second ''comes''
==See also==
*[[Abbacomes]]
*[[agentes in rebus]]
*[[Aerarium]]
*[[comitatenses]]
*[[congiarium]]
*[[donativum]]
*[[fiscus]]
*[[Notitia Dignitatum]]
*[[rationalis]]
*[[rationibus]]
*[[Roman Finance]].
==Sources and references==
{{1911}}
*[[Pauly-Wissowa]]
[[Category:Ancient Roman titles]]
[[Category:Court titles]]
[[Category:Military ranks of ancient Rome]]
[[Category:Roman Empire]]
[[Category:Economy of ancient Rome]]
[[de:Comes]]
[[la:Comes]]
[[nl:Comes]]
[[pl:Komes]]