Thelogothetes tou genikou (Greek:λογοθέτης τοῦ γενικοῦ, often calledgenikos logothetes or simplyho genikos (ὁ γενικός [λογοθέτης], 'the general [logothete]'), and usually rendered inEnglish as theGeneralLogothete, was in charge of the 'general financial ministry', thegenikon logothesion of the middleByzantine Empire.^[1]

Thegenikon was responsible for generaltaxation andrevenue, and also served as a court for financial cases.^[1] As such, it broadly fulfilled the tasks of the earliersacrae largitiones, although it was mostly derived from the "general department" of thepraetorian prefecture.^[2] The first attestedlogothetes tou genikou, the monk Theodotos, is mentioned in 692, but the post may have been instituted as early as 626.^[3][1] The bureau of thegenikon and its logothete remained one of the chief ministries for the entire middle Byzantine period (7th–12th centuries), with the 899Klētorologion of Philotheos recording the position as ranking 33rd in the imperial hierarchy.^[4] During theKomnenian period, its importance declined, but recovered under theAngeloi. Following thesack of Constantinople in 1204 and the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire, the office of thelogothetes tou genikou was retained as a purely honorary title by the successor state ofNicaea and the restoredPalaiologan Empire after 1261.^[1]

The mid-14th century writerPseudo-Kodinos records him in the 20th place in the imperial hierarchy, between theparakoimomenos of the imperial bedchamber and theprotovestiarites.^[5] His distinctive court dress and insignia during this time were a brimmed hat calledskiadion of whitesilk, a silk longkaftan-likekabbadion, and for ceremonies and festivities, a domedskaranikon hat of white and gold silk, with gold-wire embroidery and decorated with images of the emperor in the front and back. Unlike other officials, he bore no staff of office (dikanikion).^[6] Amongst the Palaiologan-era holders were significant intellectuals and statesmen, such asGeorge Akropolites andTheodore Metochites. The last recordedlogothetes tou genikou was a certain John Androuses in 1380.^[1] By that time, however, its original functions had long been forgotten; as the Pseudo-Kodinos records, "the function of the General Logothete is unknown".^[7]

The subordinates of thelogothetēs tou genikou were:

• Thechartoularioi megaloi tou sekreto (χαρτουλάριοι μεγάλοι τοῦ σεκρέτου, 'great chartularies of the department'), the heads of the various departments.^[8]
• Thechartoularioi ton arklon (χαρτουλάριοι τῶν ἀρκλῶν, whereἀρκλα means '[money] box"' i.e. 'treasury') orexo chartoularioi (ἔξω χαρτουλάριοι, 'outer chartularies'). As their name signifies, they were the senior treasury officials posted in the provinces ('outer', i.e. outside Constantinople).^[8][9]
• Theepoptai of thethemata (ἐπόπται τῶν θεμάτων), who were the officials charged with control of taxation in the provinces.^[8]
• Thekometes hydaton (κόμητες ὑδάτων, 'counts of the waters'), officials probably in charge ofaqueducts and water supply in the provinces.^[8][10]
• Thechartoularios tou oikistikou (χαρτουλάριος τοῦ οἰκιστικοῦ) or simplyho oikistikos, whose precise functions are unknown. It is attested that he was in charge of tax exemptions, and had various juridical duties in somethemata in the 11th century; the office may have been associated with the imperial domains (oikoi). By the 11th century, the office had become an independent bureau, but vanishes after that.^[11][12]
• Thekommerkiarioi (κομμερκιάριοι), who were customs officials. Attested since the early 6th century, they are likely the successors of thecomes commerciorum mentioned in theNotitia Dignitatum. Initially stationed at the frontier, after the 7th century they were placed at ports or in charge over entirethemata or individual islands.^[11][13]
• Theepi tes kouratorias [of thebasilikoi oikoi] (ἐπί τῆς κουρατωρίας [τῶν βασιλικῶν οἴκων], 'in charge of thecuratorship [of the imperial domains]'), who supervised the imperial estates.^[14]
• Thekomes tes lamias (κόμης τῆς λαμίας), an official probably in charge of themines andgoldbullion (cf.Latin:lamina/lamna, 'gold, precious metals'). It is therefore usually assumed that he is the successor of the oldcomes metallorum perIllyricum. Fromsigillographic evidence through the 11th century, this office was sometimes combined with the positions ofepi ton oikeiakon ('in charge of theoikeiakoi", a class of senior courtiers) and of one of thechartoularioi megaloi of thegenikon.^[15][16]
• Thedioiketai (διοικηταὶ), officials who supervised the collection of taxes, assisted by a number ofpraktores ('agents').^[15]
• Thekom[v]entianos (κομ[β]εντιανός), an official of unknown function.^[17]
• A number ofkankellarioi (καγκελλάριοι, fromLatin:cancellarius) under aprotokankellarios. Originally senior officials in the praetorian prefecture, in the middle Byzantine period they were mid-level secretaries in the various ministries.^[18][19]

• Bury, J. B. (1911).The Imperial Administrative System of the Ninth Century – With a Revised Text of the Kletorologion of Philotheos. London: Oxford University Press.OCLC 1046639111.
• Guilland, Rodolphe (1971)."Les Logothètes: Etudes sur l'histoire administrative de l'Empire byzantin" [The Logothetes: Studies on the Administrative History of the Byzantine Empire].Revue des études byzantines (in French).29:5–115.doi:10.3406/rebyz.1971.1441.
• Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991).The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
• Louth, Andrew (2005).Fouracre, Paul (ed.).The New Cambridge Medieval History, Volume 1, c.500–c.700. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN 978-1-13905393-8.
• Verpeaux, Jean, ed. (1966).Pseudo-Kodinos, Traité des Offices. Paris: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique.