Theagentes in rebus (Ancient Greek:ἀγγελιαφόροι,romanized: angeliaphóroi,lit. 'messengers', orμαγιστριανοί,magistrianoí, 'magister's men'[1]) were the lateRoman imperial andByzantinecourier service and general agents of the central government from the 4th to the 7th centuries.
The exact date of their institution is unknown. They are first mentioned in 319, but may date toDiocletian's reforms in the late 3rd century, when they replaced the earlier and much-detestedfrumentarii. The central imperial administration still needed couriers, and theagentes in rebus filled this role. Originally they acted as dispatch carriers, but eventually assumed a variety of duties—the title itself translates as "Those Active in Matters". They fell under the jurisdiction of themagister officiorum (Master of the Offices), hence their alternate Greek name ofmagistrianoi.[1] They were eventually abolished sometime in the early 8th century, as most of themagister's functions were taken over by thelogothetēs tou dromou.[1] The last reference to anagens comes in the chronicle ofTheophanes the Confessor, where themagistrianos Paul is recorded as having been sent on an embassy in 678.[2]
The schola of theagentes in rebus of theWestern Empire did not cease to exist when the West fell, but the office underwent a transformation over the following decades. By the time of theOstrogothic Kingdom, the function of theagentes was now inherited by two new types of officials,comitiaci, who were Romans andsaiones, who were Goths. These agents answered directly to the King and existed outside of the traditional power structure within the realm. Evidence suggests responsibilities differed between the two types of agents, though they likely frequently collaborated with one another due to overlapping interests of the two groups of citizens.[3]Comitiaci are known to have been responsible for affairs concerning Romans, such as hauling people to court who did not appear and dealing with corrupt Roman officials, thoughcomitiaci do not appear to have had any military authority nor were they armed like their Gothic counterparts.Saiones, who were a part of the Gothic court, were responsible for affairs concerning the king's own people, the Goths, such as serving as protectors for officials, arresting criminals, recruitment for the army and navy, and overseeing the construction of forts. Civilians could also petitionsaiones to intervene on their behalf in unspecified situations, for which asaio would charge a fee.Saiones had an array of responsibilities and were incredibly versatile due to their relationship with the king and royal court.[4]
Theagentes in rebus were formed into aschola of the palace, and in common with other public services of theDominate, their service was militarized, and considered amilitia. Indeed, theagentes were divided into five ranks, taken from thejunior cavalry officers:equites,circitores,biarchi,centenarii andducenarii.[5] Two were appointed to each province in 357, one in 395 and more again after 412. Each member of theagentes in rebus was normally promoted into other branches of the government. TheCode of Justinian notes furthermore that theagentes enjoyed immunity from prosecution both civil and criminal, unless otherwise sanctioned by the Master of Offices.[6] Senioragentes were regularly appointed to the post ofprinceps officii of thepraetorian prefectures, theurban prefectures and thedioeceses, thus exercising control over these departments' bureaucracy and reducing its independence.[7]
As for their function, the 6th-century historianProcopius notes in hisSecret History:
The earlier Emperors, in order to gain the most speedy information concerning the movements of the enemy in each territory, seditions or unforeseen accidents in individual towns, and the actions of the governors and other officials in all parts of the Empire, and also in order that those who conveyed the yearly tribute might do so without danger or delay, had established a rapid service of public couriers."[8]
As the service handling communications and communications systems within the Empire, their duties included the supervision of the roads and inns of thecursus publicus (public postal system), the carrying of letters, or verifying that a traveller was carrying the correct warrant (evectio) while using thecursus. Further duties assigned to theagentes included the role of customs officers, the supervision of public works and the billeting of soldiers.[1] They were also used to supervise the arrest of senior officials as required, to escort senior Romans into exile (such asJohn Chrysostom in 404), and even to assist in the enforcement of government regulation of the church.[9]Ammianus Marcellinus and Procopius also noted their use as ambassadors on several occasions.[10]
Other tasks included supervising the provincial bureaucracy and delivering Imperial commands, often staying in the area to ensure their implementation. Being outside the control of the provincial governors, someagentes, thecuriosi (Greek:διατρέχοντες,diatrechontes) were appointed as inspectors and acted as a sort of secret agents,[1] for which they gained a reputation as asecret police force.[11] As their routine assignments brought them into contact with matters of great concern to the court, and as they reported back to the court on everything they saw or heard on their varied missions, theagentes can be seen to have had anintelligence function, in the broadest modern sense of the term.[1] This role, as well as their extraordinary power, made them feared: the 4th-century philosopherLibanius accused them of gross misconduct, terrorizing and extorting the provincials, "sheep-dogs who had joined the wolf pack". Nevertheless, the vast majority operated quite openly, and the claims of theagentes operating as a modern-day secret police are certainly exaggerated.[12]
The numbers of theagentes tended towards inflation,[1] and the corps was viewed with a measure of mistrust by the emperors, who repeatedly tried to regulate its size:[12] 1,174 in the year 430 according to a law ofTheodosius II, and 1,248 underLeo I (457–474).[13] Imperial edicts also regulated their promotion, which was to be strictly on seniority, with the annual exception of two officers, whom the emperor could advance at his pleasure.[14]