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54-541: The origin and date of establishment of the Noumeroi is unknown. They are first securely attested during the reign of Michael III (r. 842–867): the unit is mentioned in the Taktikon Uspensky of 842/843, and the name of one of its commanders, Leo Lalakon, also survives from the same period. J.B. Bury considered a seal of the 7th–8th centuries mentioning a " droungarios tou nou[merou?] " as an indication of

108-504: A cavalry unit which accompanied the emperor on campaign, and another infantry unit under the Count or Domestic of the Walls ( komēs/domestikos ton teichōn ). The latter had close ties with the Noumeroi : they shared a common function and had the same internal structure, and until the reign of Michael III at least, the two commands seem to have been combined under a single officer, as attested in

162-613: A commander, a centurion had to be able to maintain his troops’ morale in peace and inspire his men in battle. Matthew's Gospel and Luke's Gospel relate an incident in which a servant of a centurion based in Capernaum was ill. In the Gospel of Luke, the centurion concerned had a good relationship with the elders of the local Jewish population and had funded the development of the synagogue in Capernaum, and when he heard that Jesus

216-466: A first cohort. Yet for centurions who showed, say, particularly conspicuous bravery during battle, there was the opportunity to be promoted several grades at once. For example, Julius Caesar's reward for a centurion who had greatly pleased him was to advance him eight grades. The precedence during the times of the Republican manipular legion had each centurio command a centuria of sixty men within

270-457: A manipulus (maniple) of two centuriae which was commanded by the senior centurio. Their order in decreasing seniority but opposite battle order; Of the centuriae of a manipulus of Triarii; Of the centuriae of a manipulus of Principes; Of the centuriae of a manipulus of Hastati; For the Imperial and late Republican legion (post 107 BC) the first centuria of every cohors was its senior, with

324-476: A number of primary sources about Michael III and his times. Centurion In the Roman army during classical antiquity , a centurion ( / s ɛ n ˈ tj ʊər i ə n / ; Latin : centurio [kɛn̪ˈt̪ʊrioː] , pl . centuriones ; ‹See Tfd› Greek : κεντυρίων , translit.   kentyríōn , or ‹See Tfd› Greek: ἑκατόνταρχος , translit.   hekatóntarkhos ),

378-484: A predecessor of the 9th-century unit, and based on the nomenclature of its subaltern officers hypothesized an origin in the East Roman army of the 6th century, while John Haldon traces its hypothetical lineage to the late 7th century. The unit survived until the 11th century, when it ceases to be mentioned, indicating that it was dissolved. The precise title of this unit remains uncertain. In Byzantine literature it

432-434: A religious and cultural satellite of Byzantium. Much of the credit for these achievements, however, must go to Theodora and Theoktistos up to 855, and Bardas and Petronas thereafter. Michael III had no children by his wife Eudokia Dekapolitissa but was conjectured to have fathered one or two sons by his mistress Eudokia Ingerina , who was married to Basil I : Recent years have seen the first translations into English of

486-514: A successful general named Petronas , Michael III overthrew the regency on 15 March 856 and relegated his mother and sisters to a monastery in 857. The internal stabilization of the state was not entirely matched along the frontiers. Byzantine forces were defeated by the Abbasids in Pamphylia , Crete , and on the border with Syria , but a Byzantine fleet of 85 ships did score a victory over

540-554: Is considered by many to be the first Christian. In Luke's Gospel, the centurion at the cross said that Jesus was "innocent". The Book of Acts tells of a centurion named Cornelius whose righteous and generous acts find favor with God. The apostle Simon Peter is told in a vision to visit Cornelius, a Gentile , with whom association was not permitted under Jewish law. The encounter leads Simon Peter to understand that God accepts non-Jews who believe in God and repent. After this revelation,

594-547: Is documented only in the genitive plural (τῶν Νουμέρων), which leaves unclear whether the unit title was Noumeroi (Νούμεροι) or Noumera (Νούμερα). Modern scholars over the past century have variously favoured both forms. The term noumeros (transliterated from Latin : numerus , in Greek also translated as arithmos ) was itself a common term for a regular military unit of indeterminate size used in Late Antiquity . It

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648-772: The Arabs in 853. There were also many operations around the Aegean and off the Syrian coast by at least three more fleets, numbering 300 ships total. Following an expedition led by Michael's uncle and general, Petronas, against the Paulicians from the eastern frontier and the Arab borderlands in 856, the imperial government resettled them in Thrace , thus cutting them off from their coreligionists and populating another border region. Michael

702-529: The Excubitors . Like the other tagmata , the Domestic was assisted by a topotērētēs (τοποτηρητής, lit. "placeholder, lieutenant"), a secretary called chartoularios (χαρτουλάριος), and a chief messenger called prōtomandatōr (πρωτομανδάτωρ). The subaltern officers were titled, in late antique fashion, tribounoi ( τριβοῦνοι , " tribunes ") and vikarioi (βικάριοι, " vicarii "), corresponding to

756-575: The Photian schism . Michael presided over a synod in 867 in which Photios and the three other eastern patriarchs excommunicated Pope Nicholas and condemned the Latin filioque clause concerning the procession of the Holy Spirit. The conflict over the patriarchal throne and supreme authority within the church was exacerbated by the success of the active missionary efforts launched by Photios. Under

810-635: The Porcian laws . Centurions also served in the Roman navy . They were professional officers, analogous to modern non-commissioned officers in terms of pay-grade, prestige, and responsibilities. In late antiquity and the Middle Ages , the Byzantine army 's centurions were known by the name kentarch (Kentarches). In the Roman infantry , the centurions commanded a centuria or "century". During

864-518: The Senate , or promoted from the ranks for a variety of reasons. Julius Caesar is said to have promoted his centurions for displays of valour. Historians cite examples of them being the first over the enemy's wall or through the breach. The various centurion grades may be loosely compared to modern junior and middle officer grades. Below the centurions were the optiones , seconds-in-command of centuries. Centurions were held personally responsible for

918-434: The komētēs ("counts") and kentarchoi (" centurions ") of the other tagmata . There were also a number of messengers (μανδάτορες, mandatores ) and door-keepers (πορτάριοι, portarioi ), the latter evidently related to the regiment's prison guard duties. Michael III Michael III ( ‹See Tfd› Greek : Μιχαήλ , translit.   Michaḗl ; 9/10 January 840 – 24 September 867), also known as Michael

972-503: The primus pilus : the legate ( legatus legionis ), commanding the legion; the senior tribune ( tribunus laticlavius ), second-in-command of the legion; the camp prefect ( praefectus castrorum ); and the five other tribunes ( tribuni angusticlavii ) who served as senior staff officers to the legate. Centurions received a much higher rate of pay than the average legionary . Veteran legionaries often worked as tenants of their former centurions. Centurions could be elected, appointed by

1026-414: The pugio (dagger) on the right, as the sidearm. Centurions wore transverse crests on their helmets that would distinguish them from other legionaries. Centurions often had important social status and held powerful positions in society. They seem to have received their status according to their rank. On retirement, they could be eligible for employment as lictors . Each century had a precedence within

1080-557: The 9th century he usually bore the ranks of spatharios or prōtospatharios . As with the other commanders of the tagmata , the Domestic of the Noumeroi played an important role in court ceremonies, and was associated with the racing faction of the Blues, and the senior tagma of the Scholai , while the Walls were associated with the Green faction and the second-most senior tagma ,

1134-733: The Bosphoros. When Leo VI became ruling emperor in 886, one of his first acts was to have Michael's body exhumed and reburied, with great ceremony, in the imperial mausoleum in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople. This contributed to the suspicion held by the Byzantine public that Leo was (or at least believed himself to be) Michael's son. The reign and personality of Michael III are difficult to evaluate because of

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1188-637: The Bulgarians to reclaim the contested border region of Zagora. The conversion of the Bulgarians has been evaluated as one of the greatest cultural and political achievements of the Byzantine Empire. Michael III's marriage with Eudokia Dekapolitissa was childless, but the emperor did not want to risk a scandal by attempting to marry his mistress Eudokia Ingerina , daughter of the Varangian (Norse) imperial guard Inger. The solution he chose

1242-523: The Drunkard , was Byzantine emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian (or Phrygian) dynasty . He was given the disparaging epithet the Drunkard ( ὁ Μέθυσος ) by the hostile historians of the succeeding Macedonian dynasty , but modern historical research has rehabilitated his reputation to some extent, demonstrating the vital role his reign played in

1296-525: The Franks; following this, the Moravians changed sides and the Bulgarians then faced threats from Moravia. Michael III took an active part in the wars against the Abbasids and their vassals on the eastern frontier from 856 to 863, and particularly in 857 when he sent an army of 50,000 men against Emir Umar al-Aqta of Melitene . In 859, he personally led a siege on Samosata , but in 860 had to abandon

1350-430: The Imperial era, centurions gradually rose in seniority in their cohort, commanding centuries with higher precedence, until commanding the senior century and therefore the whole cohort. The best centurions were then promoted to the first cohort and known as the primi ordines , commanding one of the cohort's five centuries and taking on a staff role. The most senior centurion of the legion was the primus pilus who commanded

1404-511: The Mid-Republic these centuries were grouped in pairs to make up a maniple , each century consisting of 30–60 men. After the so-called " Marian reforms ", a century was typically composed of around 80 men, with six such centuries forming a cohort . Later, generals and emperors further manipulated these numbers with double and half-strength units. Julius Caesar , for instance, made the first cohort of five double strength centuries. During

1458-597: The Republic. In order of decreasing seniority; 1st Cohors, Centuriones known as the Primi Ordines 2nd Cohors and so on. Note that the Primi Ordines of the first cohors were senior to every centurio except for their Primus Pilus and the Pili Priori of the other first centuries. According to a 5th century text on the Roman military, a centurion was required to have numerous elite traits: The centurion in

1512-409: The cohort. Centurions' seniority within the cohort and legion depended on the position within the legion of the century they were in charge of, which often took their name from their centurion. Centurions began by leading junior centuries before being promoted to leading a more senior one. Promotion usually came with experience, or at least length of service, but many still never made it as far as leading

1566-598: The emperor and the caesar Bardas, were successful in reconquering a number of cities – Philippopolis, Develtus , Anchialus and Mesembria among them – as well as the region of Zagora . At the time of this campaign the Bulgarians were distracted by a war with the Franks under Louis the German and the Croatians . In 853 Boris had allied himself to Rastislav of Moravia against the Franks. The Bulgarians were heavily defeated by

1620-513: The expedition to repel an attack by the Rus' on Constantinople . In 863, Petronas defeated and killed the emir of Melitene at the Battle of Lalakaon , and celebrated a triumph in the capital. Bardas justified his usurpation of the regency by introducing various internal reforms. Under the influence of both Bardas and Photios , Michael presided over the reconstruction of ruined cities and structures,

1674-428: The favour Michael was beginning to show to another courtier, named Basiliskianos , whom he threatened to raise as another co-emperor, Basil had Michael assassinated as he lay insensible in his bedchamber following a drinking bout on 24 September 867. Basil with a number of his male relatives, plus other accomplices, entered Michael's apartment; the locks had been tampered with and no guard had been placed. Michael's end

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1728-403: The first century of the first cohort. All centurions, however senior, had their own allocated century. There was little difference between the ranks of centurions except for the primus pilus , who also participated in war councils. The primus pilus was so called because his own century was the first file of the first (rightmost) cohort. Only eight officers in a fully officered legion outranked

1782-410: The first cohors following suit for the entire legion. There were five centuriae in the first cohors as opposed to the normal number of six, with each centuria having twice the number of legionaries of a normal centuria. The six centuriae of a normal cohors, were, in order of decreasing seniority; The titles of the centuriae and thus their respective centuriones are remnants from the manipular system of

1836-732: The guidance of Patriarch Photios, Michael sponsored the mission of Saints Cyril and Methodios to the Khazar Khagan in an effort to stop the expansion of Judaism among the Khazars. Although this mission was a failure, their next mission in 863 secured the conversion of Great Moravia and devised the Glagolitic alphabet for writing in Slavonic , thus allowing Slavic-speaking peoples to approach conversion to Orthodox Christianity through their own rather than an alien tongue. Fearing

1890-421: The hostile accounts written by Byzantine authors operating under Basil I and his successors. Byzantine accounts describe Michael's habitual drunkenness, his obsession with chariot racing and his orchestration of public displays mocking the processions and rituals of the church. The impression gained from Arab sources, however, is one of Michael as an active and often successful military commander. Though Michael III

1944-470: The iconodule Methodius I in 843. This put an end to the second spell of iconoclasm . As the emperor was growing up, the courtiers around him fought for influence. Increasingly fond of his uncle Bardas , Michael invested him with the title kaisar ( caesar – at the time a title second only to emperor) and allowed him to murder Theoktistos in November 855. With the support of Bardas and another uncle,

1998-572: The imperial tagmata , professional regiments stationed in and around Constantinople . Unlike most of the tagmata , the Noumeroi were composed of infantry and never left Constantinople, being entrusted with guard duties in the city, specifically watching over the Noumera prison and sharing the protection of the Great Palace of Constantinople with two other tagmata , the Vigla or Arithmos ,

2052-647: The infantry is chosen for his size, strength and dexterity in throwing his missile weapons and for his skill in the use of his sword and shield; in short for his expertness in all the exercises. He is to be vigilant, temperate, active and readier to execute the orders he receives than to talk; Strict in exercising and keeping up proper discipline among his soldiers, in obliging them to appear clean and well-dressed and to have their weapons constantly rubbed and bright. Centurions had to be at least 30 years of age, literate (to read written orders), have letters of recommendation, and have at least several years of military service. As

2106-400: The nickname 'Cedo Alteram', because when he had broken one vine-stick across a soldier's back, he would call in a loud voice for another… and another...and another!" The vine-stick ( vitis ) was a symbol of the centurion's authority and the implement with which he meted out punishment. Unlike legionaries, centurions carried their swords on their left side as a sign of distinction and carried

2160-738: The person of a certain Nikephoritzes during this time. The Count and his men were originally responsible for the defence of the Anastasian Wall , and later, like the Noumeroi , charged with the supervision of the Chalke prison and guard duties in the Great Palace. Like most of the tagmata , the commander of the Noumeroi bore the title of Domestic ( domestikos tōn Noumerōn , δομέστικος τῶν Νουμέρων ), usually named simply ho noumeros ( ὁ νούμερος ). Based on surviving seals, in

2214-472: The potential conversion of Boris I of Bulgaria to Christianity under Frankish influence, Michael III and the Caesar Bardas invaded Bulgaria , imposing the conversion of Boris according to the Byzantine rite as part of the peace settlement in 864. Michael III stood as sponsor, by proxy, for Boris at his baptism. Boris took the additional name of Michael at the ceremony. The Byzantines also allowed

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2268-592: The reopening of closed monasteries, and the reorganization of the imperial university at the Maganaura palace under Leo the Mathematician . Photios, originally a layman, had entered holy orders and was promoted to the position of patriarch on the dismissal of the troublesome Ignatios in 858. Although a Council of Constantinople in 861 confirmed Photios as patriarch, Ignatios appealed to Pope Nicholas I , who declared Photios illegitimate in 863, leading to

2322-404: The resurgence of Byzantine power in the 9th century. He was also the youngest person to bear the imperial title, as well as the youngest to succeed as senior emperor. Michael was the youngest child of the emperor Theophilos and his empress Theodora . His precise date of birth is uncertain, but the balance of available evidence supports a birthdate in early 840, probably on 9 or 10 January. He

2376-514: The training and discipline of the legionaries under their command, and they had a reputation for dealing out harsh punishment. Tacitus tells a story in The Annals of a centurion known as "Cedo Alteram", which roughly translates to "Fetch Me Another". "The mutinous soldiers thrust out the tribunes and the camp-prefect; they plundered the baggage of the fugitives, and then killed a centurion, Lucilius, to whom, with soldier's humour, they had given

2430-452: Was crowned co-emperor soon after, probably on 16 May of the same year. Michael had just turned two years old when his father died, and Michael succeeded him as sole emperor on 20 January 842. During his minority , the empire was governed by a regency headed by his mother Theodora, her uncle Sergios, and the minister Theoktistos . The empress had iconodule sympathies and deposed Patriarch John VII of Constantinople , replacing him with

2484-550: Was a commander, nominally of a century ( Latin : centuria ), a military unit originally consisting of 100 legionaries . The size of the century changed over time; from the 1st century BC through most of the imperial era it was reduced to 80 men. A centurion was promoted for being an exemplary soldier and was then expected to become a strict commander of his subordinates, to lead his troops by example, and coordinate his century's actions. They were also responsible for handling logistics and supplies, as well as any discipline that

2538-542: Was allegedly prone to squander money, his reign stabilized the economy, and by the year 850 the empire's annual revenues had increased to 3,300,000 nomismata . The definitive end to iconoclasm early in his reign led, unsurprisingly, to a renaissance in visual arts. The Empire made considerable advances in internal organisation and religious cohesion, and it had more than held its own against the Abbasid Caliphate . Most importantly Bulgaria had been transformed into

2592-680: Was also responsible, as per the writings of Constantine VII , for the subjugation of the Slavs settled in the Peloponnese . A conflict between the Byzantines and Bulgarian Empire occurred during 855 and 856. The Byzantine Empire wanted to regain its control over some areas of Thrace, including Philippopolis and the ports around the Gulf of Burgas on the Black Sea . Byzantine forces, led by

2646-485: Was crowned co-emperor on 26 May 866 and was adopted by the much younger Michael III. This curious development may have been intended to legitimize the eventual succession to the throne of Eudokia Ingerina's son Leo , who was widely believed to be Michael's son. Michael celebrated the birth of Leo with public chariot races , a sport he enthusiastically patronized and participated in. If ensuring Leo's legitimacy had been Michael's plan, it backfired. Ostensibly troubled by

2700-542: Was grisly; a man named John of Chaldia killed him, cutting off both the emperor's hands with a sword before finishing him off with a thrust to the heart. Basil, as the sole remaining emperor (Basiliskianos had presumably been disposed of at the same time as Michael), automatically succeeded as the ruling basileus . Michael's remains were buried in the Philippikos Monastery at Chrysopolis on the Asian shore of

2754-572: Was in the locality, he asked the Jewish elders to request healing for his servant. In the Gospel of Matthew, the centurion makes direct contact with Jesus. The stories report that Jesus marveled at his faith and restored his servant to health . In both the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, the centurion who is present at the Crucifixion said that Jesus was "God's Son". Accordingly, this centurion

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2808-547: Was only later, in the 8th and possibly even in the 9th century, that the name came to specify this particular unit. The regiment in turn gave its name to the Noumera , a building adjoining the Hippodrome of Constantinople that served as their barracks and as a city prison. The French scholar Rodolphe Guilland identified the 9th-century Noumera with the prison known as Prandiara in earlier times. The Noumeroi ranked among

2862-487: Was required. In a Roman legion , centuries were grouped into cohorts and commanded by a senior centurion. The prestigious first cohort (a formation of five double-strength centuries of 160 men each) was led by the primus pilus , who commanded the primi ordines who were the centurions of the first cohort. A centurion's symbol of office was the vine staff , with which they disciplined even Roman citizens , who were otherwise legally protected from corporal punishment by

2916-628: Was to have Ingerina marry his favorite courtier and chamberlain Basil the Macedonian . While Michael carried on his relationship with Ingerina, Basil was kept satisfied with the emperor's sister Thekla , whom her brother retrieved from a monastery. Basil gained increasing influence over Michael, and in April 866 he convinced the emperor that the Caesar Bardas was conspiring against him and was duly allowed to murder Bardas. Now without serious rivals, Basil

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