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Appointmenttothepostofprovinceadministratorandformallythe
nominationofanyotherimperialofficialresultedfrompersonaldecisionof
theemperor,whilechangesatthepostofadministratordidoccurvery
often.43Theclericalapparatuswasindispensabletoemperors,ensuring
efficientfunctioningoftheEmpire,andconstancyofstatestructures.44
Therefore,choosingdioceseadministrators,theemperorswouldmostoften
appointpersonswithadequateexperienceinpublicaffairs,whichtheyhad
acquiredwhileholdingotherfunctions(cursushonorum),aswellasthose
whodisplayedtherightcharactertraitsandpersonalskills.45
Thesignificanceofthelatterisindirectlyattestedtobythedesignations
usedintheimperialconstitutions,whichoftenemploytopersonalfeatures
ratherthanstatus-relatedepithetswhichweremostfrequentlyusedwith
regardtohighestrankingimperialofficials.46Duringappointmentcertain
attentionwaspaidtothecandidatescompetences.47Whenrecruitinghigher-
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43OnthepromotionsysteminimperialadministrationseeremarksinrecentMalavéOsu-
na(2005).AsthebriefcarrierofvicarPaeoniusdemonstrates,eveninthedecliningyearsof
RomanmightintheWestimposingone’sopinionontheemperorwasimpossible.In456,
duringtheHinterregnum”followingthedownfallofemperorAvitus(inOctober456),Paeoni-
ustriedtoobtainthedignityofPPOGalliarum(whichhewasgrantedforabriefspell).SeeSid.
Ep.1,1,16.Cf.PLRE1(Paeonius2).Harriesseeshisaction(2000):52asaprobableexpression
oftheaspirationsoflocalelites,whowishedtomaintainRomantraditionsofstateandlaw.
SeealsoMathisen(1993):esp.130etseq.;Harries(1994):esp.93-97;Prostko-Prostyński
(1998b):432;Zołoteńki(2011):esp.81-87,107etseq.,134-138,140-144.
44Whichsimultaneouslymeantpracticallimitationofimperialauthority.Cf.e.g.Wetzler
(1997):esp.154-159;Honoré(2004):111etseq.,124etseq.
45Acareerstypicalofthelateantiquecursushonorumisexemplifiedinthefigureof
M.AureliusConsiusQuartus,governoroftheprovinceFlaminiaeetPiceni,VenetiaeIstriaeand
Belgicaeprimae,vicarofSpainandlateraproconsulinAfrica(between337and355or340-350):
HOmniuminlustri/umgloriarumviro/administrationi/busegreriovirtute/mirificointegri-
tate/pr(a)ecipuo/M.Aurelio/ConsioQuartov(iro)c(larissimo)/correctoriFlaminiae/
PicenicorrectoriVe/netiaeIstriaeconsula/riBelgic(a)eprim(a)evicario/(Hi)spaniarum
proconsule/p(rovinciae)A(fricae)v(ice)s(acra)iudicantiordo”(Hippona).Quotedincluding
correctionsbyChastagnol(1959)withcommentary.Cf.alsoPLRE1(M.AureliusConsius
QuartusIunior2);Kuhoff(1983):esp.304,note5,withfurtherliterature;Feissel(1998):95.
Mostlikely,tosomeextenttheemperorswereguidedbytheantiqueidealofpsychognomy,
accordingtowhichproportionalbodyandharmoniousfacialfeaturesreflectedpositivechar-
actertraits.Onpsychognomycf.Kokoszko(1998):18-52withliteratureofthesubject.
46Justaswithotherofficiallsintherankofspectabilesandclarissimi;epithetswereuseduntil
theendofthesixthcentury.SeeMathisen(2001):esp.203-207.Morebroadlyonhonoraryrankssee
Chapter2.2.1.
47Cf.Löhken(1982):135etseq.TheissueofprofessionalisminLaterRomanadministra-
tionwassyntheticallypresentedinPedersen(1976).MacMullen(1976):48-70wasexcessively
criticalofitslevel.Therulesconcerningpromotionweremoreprecisewithregardtolower-
rankingofficialsofimperialadministration.Seee.g.Kelly(2004):44-51andremarksin
Chapter3.2.
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