Logothetes tou stratiotikou


The logothetēs toū stratiōtikou, rendered in English as the Logothete of the Military or Military Logothete, was a Byzantine imperial official in charge of the pay and provisioning of the Byzantine army. The office appears in the late 7th century and is mentioned until the 14th century.

History and functions

This duty was originally exercised by the praetorian prefecture, but the military chest was eventually detached and formed as a separate logothesion. The first attested logothetēs toū stratiōtikou was Julian, the "most glorious apo hypatōn and patrikios" in 680.
The exact sphere of duties of the logothete is somewhat obscure. The only direct evidence as to his functions comes from the 10th-century De Ceremoniis of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, according to which he oversaw the imposition and exemption from taxes on the households of soldiers. It is also known that by the 11th century, he exercised some juridical functions. Several scholars have argued that the Military Logothete supervised military affairs in general, such as the levying of troops, the construction of fortifications and the overall military expenditure. This hypothesis, however, cannot be proved.

Subordinate officials

The subordinates of the logothetēs tou stratiōtikou were:
Rodolphe Guilland also lists some 6th-century officials, who served under Justinian I and were in charge of the army pay chest, as predecessors of the later office of logothetēs toū stratiōtikou: Alexander "Scissors", active in Greece and Italy in ; the patrikios and former praetorian prefect Archelaus, who accompanied Belisarius as his quartermaster in the Vandalic War; and the senator Symmachus, who was sent to Africa as praetorian prefect and quartermaster for Germanus in 536–539.