The Bureau of Barbarians (Latin: scrinium barbarorum, Greek: σκρίνιον τῶν βαρβάρων, skrinion tōn barbarōn), was a department of government in the Eastern Roman Empire. It is first recorded in the Notitia Dignitatum of the fifth century, where it came under the control of the magister officiorum ("Master of Offices"). The Notitia records that four secretaries (subadiuvae), either from the existing corps of the agentes in rebus or seconded from other bureaux, were appointed for each of the four major administrative divisions of the Eastern Empire: Asiana, Pontica, Oriens, and Thrace and Illyricum jointly. These handled matters of protocol and record keeping for any matters dealing with "Barbarians".[1] They may also have played a role in translation services for visiting missions from Barbarian states. J.B. Bury believed that the office exercised supervision over all foreigners visiting Constantinople, and that they were under the supervision of the Logothete of the Course.[2]
It has been asserted by some, such as author Michael Antonucci, that the Bureau of Barbarians acted as a sort of espionage office for the Empire. There is however no evidence that it was an espionage office, or even that it survived the reform of the "master of offices" position under Leo III, 717–741—though there is a lead seal bearing the name of a man, Peter, who was α'σπαθάριος καὶ ἐπί τῶν βαρβάρων ("protospatharios and in charge of the barbarians"), which is dated to the 9th century.[3] The agentes in rebus within the postal system are noted elsewhere for maintaining a domestic intelligence gathering function in the Roman Empire into the 8th century, and hold a stronger claim to having been an imperial intelligence service than the Bureau of Barbarians. As its function seems to have dealt with the various barbarian nations with which the Empire had dealings, including translation, communication and correspondence, the Bureau of Barbarians would have had an intelligence function in the broadest modern sense, as distinct from espionage.
The Greek term barbarian, ancient in its origin, came to be used as a pejorative to refer to non-Greek-speaking peoples, i.e. foreigners. Its official use during the Roman era reflected the viewpoint that Roman civilization was the most advanced in mankind.
References
Antonucci, Michael (February 1993). "War by Other Means: The Legacy of Byzantium". History Today. 43 (2): 11–13. ISSN 0018-2753. Archived from the original on 2007-12-25. Retrieved 2007-05-21.
Seeck, Otto (1876). Notitia Dignitatus, Accedunt Notitia Urbis Constantinopolitanae, Laterculi Provinciarum.
Hague Academy of International Law (1939). Recueil Des Cours. Vol. 69. p. 160. ISBN0-7923-2782-9.
Citations
^Otto Seeck, 'Notitia Dignitatum accedunt Notitia Urbis Constantinopolitanae Laterculi Prouinciarum' (Berlin, Apud Weidmannos 1876) pp 31–33.
^J.B. Bury, The Imperial Administrative System in the Ninth Century (London, 1911), p. 93.
bureau, barbarians, latin, scrinium, barbarorum, greek, σκρίνιον, τῶν, βαρβάρων, skrinion, tōn, barbarōn, department, government, eastern, roman, empire, first, recorded, notitia, dignitatum, fifth, century, where, came, under, control, magister, officiorum, m. The Bureau of Barbarians Latin scrinium barbarorum Greek skrinion tῶn barbarwn skrinion tōn barbarōn was a department of government in the Eastern Roman Empire It is first recorded in the Notitia Dignitatum of the fifth century where it came under the control of the magister officiorum Master of Offices The Notitia records that four secretaries subadiuvae either from the existing corps of the agentes in rebus or seconded from other bureaux were appointed for each of the four major administrative divisions of the Eastern Empire Asiana Pontica Oriens and Thrace and Illyricum jointly These handled matters of protocol and record keeping for any matters dealing with Barbarians 1 They may also have played a role in translation services for visiting missions from Barbarian states J B Bury believed that the office exercised supervision over all foreigners visiting Constantinople and that they were under the supervision of the Logothete of the Course 2 It has been asserted by some such as author Michael Antonucci that the Bureau of Barbarians acted as a sort of espionage office for the Empire There is however no evidence that it was an espionage office or even that it survived the reform of the master of offices position under Leo III 717 741 though there is a lead seal bearing the name of a man Peter who was a spa8arios kaὶ ἐpi tῶn barbarwn protospatharios and in charge of the barbarians which is dated to the 9th century 3 The agentes in rebus within the postal system are noted elsewhere for maintaining a domestic intelligence gathering function in the Roman Empire into the 8th century and hold a stronger claim to having been an imperial intelligence service than the Bureau of Barbarians As its function seems to have dealt with the various barbarian nations with which the Empire had dealings including translation communication and correspondence the Bureau of Barbarians would have had an intelligence function in the broadest modern sense as distinct from espionage The Greek term barbarian ancient in its origin came to be used as a pejorative to refer to non Greek speaking peoples i e foreigners Its official use during the Roman era reflected the viewpoint that Roman civilization was the most advanced in mankind References EditAntonucci Michael February 1993 War by Other Means The Legacy of Byzantium History Today 43 2 11 13 ISSN 0018 2753 Archived from the original on 2007 12 25 Retrieved 2007 05 21 Seeck Otto 1876 Notitia Dignitatus Accedunt Notitia Urbis Constantinopolitanae Laterculi Provinciarum Hague Academy of International Law 1939 Recueil Des Cours Vol 69 p 160 ISBN 0 7923 2782 9 Citations Edit Otto Seeck Notitia Dignitatum accedunt Notitia Urbis Constantinopolitanae Laterculi Prouinciarum Berlin Apud Weidmannos 1876 pp 31 33 J B Bury The Imperial Administrative System in the Ninth Century London 1911 p 93 Bury p 93 This Byzantine Empire related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Bureau of Barbarians amp oldid 1090913918, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
