Decanus

Decanus

Decanus means "chief of ten" in Late Latin. The term originated in the Roman army and became used thereafter for subaltern officials in the Byzantine Empire, as well as for various positions in the Church, whence derives the English title "dean".

The decanus was originally the leader of a contubernium, the squad of eight (8) legionaries that lived in the same tent.[1] It must not be confused with the decurio, which was a title given to civic officials and to leaders of 30-strong squadrons (turmae) of cavalry. In Greek texts, it is equivalent to the rank of dekarchos ("commander of ten").

From the 4th century, it became used for palace messengers, particularly those in the service of the Roman empress. They also apparently served as guards at gates, and in the 6th century, John Lydus equates them with the ancient lictors.[2] In the 899 Kletorologion of Philotheos, the decanus (transcribed into Greek as δεκανός, dekanos) was a mid-level functionary, serving under the protasekretis. According to the mid-10th century De Ceremoniis of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959), he was "in charge of the imperial papers" when the Byzantine emperor was on campaign.[3] Sigillographic evidence for the Byzantine dekanoi is relatively rare, although some are depicted in illuminated manuscripts, where their appearance varies considerably, in accord with their varying and changing functions.[2]

In the Church, the term was used in monasteries for heads of groups of ten (10) other monks, for low-ranking subaltern officials of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, and for the ecclesiastic fossores ("grave-diggers").[2]

References

  1. ^ Vegetius. De Re Militari 2.8.13.
  2. ^ a b c Kazhdan 1991, p. 601.
  3. ^ Bury 1911, p. 98.

Sources


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  • Decānus — (lat., v. gr.), 1) der Anführer von 10 Soldaten (Decania), od. eines Contuberniums; 2) am römischen Kaiserhofe einer der unteren Diener, zum Verschicken; 3) s. Dekan …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • DECANUS — I. DECANUS Gr. Δέκανος, a δεκὰς, in militia dictus est, qui 10. mulitibus: in Monasteriis qui 10. monachis in Eccl. maiori, 10. praebendis seu Canonicis, plerumque Presbyteris: idoque et ipse Archiepresbyter habetur: in Episcopatus divisione 10.… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • decanus — /dakeynas/ In ecclesiastical and old European law, an officer having supervision over ten; a dean. A term applied not only to ecclesiastical, but to civil and military, officers. @ decanus monasticus a monastic dean, or dean of a monastery; an… …   Black's law dictionary

  • decanus — /dakeynas/ In ecclesiastical and old European law, an officer having supervision over ten; a dean. A term applied not only to ecclesiastical, but to civil and military, officers. @ decanus monasticus a monastic dean, or dean of a monastery; an… …   Black's law dictionary

  • DECANUS Operis — vide infra Operanus …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Decānus, der — Der Decānus, des Decani, plur. die Decani, oder der Decān, des es, plur. die e, aus dem Latein. Decanus, welches eigentlich einen Vorgesetzten über zehen Soldaten bedeutete, ein Vorgesetzter eines Collegii, es mag solches ein geistliches oder ein …   Grammatisch-kritisches Wörterbuch der Hochdeutschen Mundart

  • decanus — A dean, an ecclesiastical officer who originally was probably appointed to superintend ten (decem) canons or prebendaries. See 1 Bl Comm 382 …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • Rainaldus Decanus (13) — 13Rainaldus Decanus (1. Juli), angeblich Martyrer zu Auxerre, ist sehr zweifelhaft. (I. 2.) …   Vollständiges Heiligen-Lexikon

  • ДЕКАН — (лат. decanus, от decem десять). 1) в позднейших римских войсках старший над 10 воинами. 2) в Константинополе член клира древней христианской церкви, занимавшийся бесплатным погребением мертвых и казненных, и вообще наблюдавший за… …   Словарь иностранных слов русского языка

  • Dekan — De|kan 〈m. 1〉 1. Leiter einer Hochschulfakultät 2. 〈evang. Kirche〉 Superintendent 3. 〈kath. Kirche〉 Vorsteher eines geistl. Kollegiums; oV Dechant [<ahd. techan <lat. decanus „Führer von 10 Mann“, „Vorgesetzter von 10 Mönchen“; zu decem… …   Universal-Lexikon

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