Mesogeian Bureaucracy and aristocracy

This article refers to the Mesogeian bureaucracy and aristocracy an incredibly complex and intricate system that has existed for thousands of years.

Imperial titles

These are the most prestigious titles, used exclusively by the Emperor, Empress, and members of the Imperial Family.

Titles used by the emperor

• Augustus (Αύγουστος):
• Basileus (βασιλεύς):
• Caesar (Καίσαρας):
• Padishah (μεγάλος βασιλιάς):
• Shahanshah (βασιλεὺς τῶν βασιλέων):

Titles used by the empress

• Padishah Begum: Title reserved for the senior female member of the imperial court, denoting the First lady of the Empire. Often the wife, sister, aunt, but usually the mother of a reigning monarch
• Basilometor (Βασιλόμετρο): Title often used interchangebaly by a dowager Empress or the mother of the reigning sovereign.
• Basilissa (Βασιλίσσα): Title reserved for the Empress consort
• Augusta (αὐγούστα): Title used, by the Empress consort, but often granted to high ranking female members of the Imperial family.
• Begum Sahiba: Title meaning Great lady, denoting the senior most wife or consort of the monarch, second to the Empress consort.
• Shahbanu: Title held by all secondary consorts of a reigning Emperor.
• Banu/Begum: Title held by all imperial concubines

Titles used by the imperial family

• Despot (δεσπότης): the title born by the heir-apparent
• Despotissa (δεσπότισσα): title born by the wife of the heir
• Shahbanu: Title awarded to secondary wives of the Emperor
• Banu/Begum: title awarded to Imperial concubines
• Megas Basilopoulos/Megas Basilopoula : literally Grand Prince/Princess, born by male-line descendants of a sovereign
• Basilopoula Porphyrogenita : awarded to the eldest daughter of the sovereign
• Porphyrogennetos/Porphyrogenitus/Porphyrogenita  : honorific born by all legitimate children of the emperor
• Panhypersebastos: Awarded to the First Grandson/Son of the Despot
• Protosebastohypertatos : title awarded to second born sons of the emperor
• Sebastohypertatos: title awarded to third born sons of the emperor
• Pansebastos: title awarded to fourth born sons of the emperor
• Protosebastos: title awarded to fifth born sons of the emperor
• Sebastokrator : title awarded to the Emperor's brother
• Sebastos/Sebaste : honorific born by the grandchildren of the Emperor
• 'Protonobelissimos/Protonobelissimus': First Prince of the Blood
• Nobilissimus/Nobelissima : a rank born by all members of the extended imperial family that can trace their line back to a reigning sovereign. The Grand Princess Penelope, Duchess of Chalcedon is heiress to the Opsikion dynasty (the most senior prince of the blood) as Princess of Opsikion in her own right.
• Basilopais/Basilopoula : the rank of prince, traditionally assumed by female-line descendants
• Igemon/Igemonis : rank granted to the illegitimate children of sovereign, placing them somewhere between legitimate dynasts and the members of the nobility

Court titles

Titles for the "Bearded Ones"

• Syntrophos/Syntrophoi: foster Brother
• Somatophylakes: (seven closest companions of the Emperor
• Protoi Philoi: First Companion/Friend of the first rank
• Protoi kai Protimomenoi: First and Most Honoured Men
• Timomenoi Philoi: Honoured Friends/Honourable Men
• Philoi: Companion
• Patrikios: Patrician (Grandee of the empire)
• Proedros President
• Magistros: Master
• Vestarches: Senior official of the Wardrobe
• Vestes: High official of the wardrobe
• Anthypatos: Proconsul
• Prokathemenos of the koiton: Attending lords of the bedchamber
• Prokathemenos of the vestiarion: Attending lords of the wardrobe
• Prokathemenos of the Great Palace: attending lords of the Imperial Palace
• Prokathemenos of the Blachernai': attending lords of the Blachernai palace
• Koitōnitai: Bearded Chamberlain
• Protospatharios: First Sword-beaers
• Dishypatos: twice Consul
• Spatharokandidatos: High ranking palace Guard
• Spartharios: Spartha-bearer
• Hypatos: Consul
• Strator: groom
• Kandidatos: guards
• Mandator: messengers/Courier
• Vestetor: Attendants of the Imperial wardrobe
• Silentiarios: Keepers of Order
• Archontopoula: Noble Pages
• Paidopoula: Pages

Titles for the eunuchs

• Protoi Philoi: First Companion/Friend of the first rank
• Protoi kai Protimomenoi: First and Most Honoured Companion
• Timomenoi Philoi: Honoured Friends/Honourable Companion
• Philoi: Eunuch Companion in close attendance to the emperor
• Patrikios: Eunuch Patrician (Grandee of the empire)
• Proedros: Eunuch President, usually presiding over a corps of eunuchs, with varying functions
• Sebastophoros: High rank held by a eunuch responsible for the Emperor's banners, of which there are twelve.
• Magistros: Eunuch Magister
• Vestarches: Lord Eunuchs of the wardrobe
• Vestes: Senior eunuch official of Wardrobe
• Praipositos: Chief eunuchs of the Bedchamber
• Protospatharios: First Eunuch sword-bearer
• Primikerios eunuch seneschal
• Ostiarios: eunuch usher
• Spartharokoubikoularios: Sword Chamberlain
• Koubikoularios: Eunuch Chamberlain
• Nipsistiarios: Eunuch hand washers

Titles for women

• Zoste Patricia: Grand Mistress of the Imperial Court, responsible for all female courtiers, the empress' daily routine, the financial accounts, all necessary purchases, and the organization of the staff list.
• Grand Baïoulos: Governess of the Imperial Children
• Kouropalatissa: First Lady of Honour, responsible for the Empress' travels, the furniture furnishing her apartments, and the Empress' private apartments. Having possession of the keys to Empress' personal chambers she granted access, and audiences to the empress.
• Protovestiaria: Mistress of the Empress' wardrobe, having responsibility over the Empress' clothing and jewelry, and the supervision of her dressing and the female staff. She was responsible for the chemises, napkins, and lace belonging to the empress.
• Koubikoularia: Ladies in waiting, divided into two groups
  • Koubikoularia tōn Gynaikōn: Ladies of the Chamber; married ladies-in-waiting, there are a total of twelve.
  • Koubikoularia tōn Sekretōn: Women of the Court, unmarried ladies-in-waiting; typically sixteen.
• Vestiaria: Maid of Honour, responsible for preparing the clothes, cosmetics, and wardrobe for the dressing and undressing of the empress, a ceremony supervised by the Protovestiaria.

Offices of the Imperial Court

• Megas Kouropalates: Lord Steward of the Palace, charged with the day to day running of the court
• Parakoimomenos tes sphendones: Lord Chamberlain of the seal
• Parakoimomenos tou koitonos: Lord Chamberlain of the Bedchamber
• Count of the Stable: Master of the Horse, deputy to the Grand Master of the stables
• Protostrator: Imperial Squire, subordinate to the Count of the stable
• Protokynegos: Grand Huntsman, master of the hunt
• Grand Papias: Grand Concierge of the palace
• Epi tes katastaseos: Master of ceremonies in the palace, charged with overseeing the palace eunuchs
• Kastresios: responsible for the provisioning of the palace and the imperial table
• Protovestiarios: Lord keeper of the Imperial wardrobe
• Epi tes trepezes: Chief butler, master of the Imperial table
• Pinkernes: Chief cupbearer
• Atriklines: Lord Master of the Triklinion
• Kanikleios: Lord Keeper of the Imperial Inkstand
• Skouterios: Imperial Standard Bearer
• Protoierakarios: The Chief Falconer A direct subordinate of the Master of the Hunt
• Megas Archon Highest officer of the Emperor's rutine
• Tatas tes aules Keepers of the court/ Responsible for the Households of various Imperials
• Logariastes tes aules Accountant of the court,
• Mystikos: Private secretary to the Emperor

Imperial Guards offices

• Domestic of the Schools: Commander of the Scholai Palatinae
• Domestic of the Excubitors: Commander of the Excubitores
• Droungarios of the watch: Commander of the Vigla (Arithmos) Guard units
• Domestic of the Hikanatoi: Commander of the Hikanatoi Guards
• Prōtovestiaritēs: Commander of the Vestiaritai Guard
• Grand Hetaeriarch: Commander of the Hetaireiarches Guards
• Akolouthos: Commander of the Varangian Guard.
• Domestic of the Noumeroi: Commander of the Noumeroi Guard, known as the Domestikos ton teichon.
• Domestic of the Athanatoi: Commander of the Athanatoi Guards.

Political offices

Great Officers of the Empire

• Grand Magister: Magister Officiorum, administrative head of the Imperial Court
• Grand Domestic: Magister Militum, Senior officer of the army, chief of staff
• Grand Quaestor: Quaestor sacri palatii
• Grand Praepositus: Praepositus sacri cubiculi, provost of the imperial chamber, Deputy-head of the Imperial Court
• Count of the Treasury: Comes sacrarum largitionum, Count of the Sacred Largesses, President of the Treasury board
• Count of the Imperial Estates: Comes rerum privatarum, Keeper of the Privy purse, the private assets of the Emperor
• Grand Logothete: Grand Logothete of the Empire
• Megas Doux: Grand Admiral of the navy, president of the navy board
• Grand Master of the Camp: Megas Stratopedarches,
• Grand Primicerius: Grand Master of Ceremonies
• Magister Equitum: Grand Master of the Stables
• Grand Constable: Head of the Imperial Guards

Administrative offices

• Praetorian Prefect:
• Eparch of Alexandropolis: Urban prefect of the capital
• Exarch:
• Legatus Augusti:
• Praeses:
• Praetor:
• Kephale:
• Mystikos:
• Symponos:
• Kommerkiarios:
• Orphanotrophos:
• Megas adnoumiastes:

Cabinet Offices

• Logothetes tou Barbarorum: Foreign minister
• Logothetes ton Oikeiakon: Home affairs
• Logothetes tou genikou: financial minister
• Logothetes tou stratiotikou: military minister
• Logothetes ton agelon: agriculture minister
• Logothetes ton dromou: public works minister
• Logothetes tou praitoriou: Justice Minister
• Logothetes tou eidikou/Epi tou eidikou: economy minister
• Logothetes ton Sekreton: Imperial court minister responsible for cultural affairs
• Logothetes ton philosophon : education minister
• Logothetes ton Hydaton: healthcare minister
• Logothetes ton Plebeii: labour minister
• Logothetes ton Parathalassites: Trade minister

Civil Service offices

• Chartoularios: subaltern official responsible for day to day handling of the cabinet ministries
• Protasekretis: First Secretary, senior most official subordinate to the Chartoularios in their respective ministries
• Asekretis: Highest ranked secretaries
• Referendarii: mid level secretaries
• Notarii: lowest ranking secretary in the civil service

Judicial offices

• Grand Quaestor: ceremonial head of the Kritai Katholikoi (Supreme Court)
• Epi ton deeseon: head of the primary court of appeal
• Epi ton kriseon: responsible for the provincial courts
• Nomophylax: Deputy of the Epi ton kriseon, guardian of the laws
• Dikaiodotes Responsible for the local courts, dispenser of laws.

Military offices

Army ranks

• Stratarches: Field Marshal
• Merarches: General
• Stratelates: Lieutenant General
• Strategos: Major General
• Taxiarch: Brigadier General
• Tourmarches: Colonel
• Chiliarch: Lieutenant Colonel
• Droungarios: Major
• Katepano: Captain
• Kentarch/Centurion: First Lieutenant
• Pentekontarches: Second Lieutenant
• Dekarchos: Warrant Officer
• Pentarches: Sergeant
• Tetrarches: Corporal
• Tzaousios: Private