Domesticus (Roman Empire)

A domesticus (or protector ) was a member of the protectores domestici, an elite unit of the late Roman army, which served as a bodyguard to the emperor and put his staff officers. Your name shows that this unit was considered as belonging to the imperial household. After a few years of service, a domesticus was rewarded by the Emperor and placed at the head of a Roman Regiment. The title domesticus was the Eastern Roman Empire, hellenized to domestikos maintained for a long time; this was also true for protector or protector. He was employed in various capacities.

The commander of the domestici which comes domesticorum, had the high rank of vir illustris. There were initially two of these commanders, one for the cavalry ( comes domesticorum equitum ) and one for the infantry ( comes domesticorum peditum ).

While the protectores domestici seem to have remained an actual fighting force in West Rome until recently, they were in the east during the 5th century into a militarily worthless parade unit which, because of the good pay and unwarlike men entered ( such as Menander Protector ); the real bodyguard of the emperor were in Ostrom for about 460 excubitores.

• Roman rank
• Byzantine title