Dominate

The Dominate is a historical term for the late Roman imperial system, whose monarchical and courtly forms were more explicit than those of the Principate. Its beginning is usually associated with Diocletian’s reign in 284–305, although changes had earlier roots and continued under his successors.

In 293 the Tetrarchy took shape: two senior emperors, Augusti, and two junior emperors, Caesars. It sought to improve administration and succession after the third-century crisis. Tetrarchy and Dominate are not synonyms: the four-ruler system broke down while late Roman institutions continued to develop.

The name derives from dominus, “lord”. This form of address was not suddenly invented by Diocletian: Suetonius associates the expression “our lord and god” with Domitian.

Imperial authority acquired more elaborate ceremonial and sacred justification. Claims that it was wholly unlimited nevertheless require qualification: rulers depended on armies, court support, finances and the ability to enforce decisions.

The Senate lost its former role in governing the entire empire, but senators retained wealth, prestige and important offices. Augustus and imperator remained in the titulature; dominus did not replace every imperial title. Subjects did not all acquire the same legal status as children or slaves.

The founder of the dominant system is usually considered to be the Emperor Diocletian. Diocletian established in his retinue customs borrowed from the East. The main center of power was the emperor’s bureaucracy. The comes sacrarum largitionum, or count of the sacred largesses, headed an important imperial financial department. The emperor made laws, appointed officials at all levels and many army officers, and, until the end of the 4th century, held the title of head of the College of pontiffs. Despite the growing power of the emperor and the even greater sacralization of his power, some Republican traditions continued to exist. Thus, there were still such old republican magistracies as consuls and praetors, whose ceremonial and administrative roles changed in late antiquity. The traditions of Roman popular assemblies continued to exist in the army (military contiones), with which the emperors were forced to reckon. An important detail that does not allow us to call the dominant regime a classical monarchy was the fact that the principle of hereditary power was not fully established in Rome. Belonging to a ruling dynasty was quite an important argument in the struggle for power, but it was not a mandatory characteristic of the applicant, and the emperors, in order to ensure the legal transfer of power to their descendants, appointed them as their formal co-rulers in childhood.

• Diocletian: reign of 284–305.
• Constantine I: 306–337, sole emperor from 324.
• Late Roman Empire.
• Paganism and Christianity.
• Invasions and migrations.
• The end of western imperial rule.

Related topics

• Roman Empire

Literature and sources

Gaius Suetonius Tranquillus. Domitian,13 / / Life of the Twelve Caesars, Moscow: Nauka Publ.,1964, p. 217,376 p. (Literary monuments). — 50,000 copies.