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Within the administrative structure of theRoman Empire, an imperialvicar (fromLatin:vicarius, meaningdeputy) orexarch (fromAncient Greek: ἔξαρχος /exarchos) was a high ranking state official who served as a regional governor, and the office also continued to exist in the earlyByzantine Empire. Since the time of emperorDiocletian (284-305), imperialvicars were appointed as civilian governors of newly established imperialdioceses, each of them encompassing severalprovinces. In the eastern parts of Roman Empire, dominated by theGreek language and common use of Greek terminology, imperialvicars were calledexarchs.[1][2]
InEnglish terminology, formsvicarius orvicar are used for these officials.
Originally, inancient Rome, this office was equivalent to the later English "vice-" (as in "deputy"), used as part of the title of various officials. Eachvicarius was assigned to a specific superior official, after whom his full title was generally completed by agenitive (e.g.vicarius praetoris). At a low level of society, theslave of a slave, possibly hired out to raise money to buymanumission, was aservus vicarius.[3]
Later, in the 290s, EmperorDiocletian carried out a series of administrative reforms, ushering in the period of theDominate. These reforms also saw the number ofRoman provinces increased, and the creation of a new administrative level, thediocese. The dioceses, initially twelve, grouped several provinces, each with its owngovernor. The dioceses were headed by avicarius, or, more properly, by avices agens praefecti praetorio ("deputy of thepraetorian prefect"). An exception was theDiocese of the East, which was headed by acomes ("count"). In 370 or 381, Egypt and Cyrenaica were detached from the Diocese of the East and made a diocese under an official called the Augustal Prefect.
According to theNotitia dignitatum (an early 5th century imperialchancery document), thevicarius had the rank ofvir spectabilis; the staff of avicarius, hisofficium, was rather similar to a gubernatorialofficium. For example, in the diocese ofHispania, the staff of thevicarius included:
