Imperial Secretariat

Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE) used the existing structure of the Roman Senate to administer the Roman Empire. But wealthy Roman Patricians had always managed their own affairs by employing Secretaries, Freedmen and Slaves.
The use of private freedmen and slaves to run the administration under Augustus, was gradually evolved into a large centralised Department that became an Office of State under Claudius and Hadrian.

Under Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE)
- Caesar employed his own Freedmen to run the State whilst he was Dictator.
- His Secretary of Correspondence was: Pompeius Trogus (The Roman Historian)

Under Augustus (27 BCE-14 CE)
- Augustus continued in this tradition.
- Secretary of Correspondence: ab Epistulis: This Office was run by a Slave, Januarius, and a Freedman, Ti. Julius Agathopus.
- Augustus also employed the Freedmen Polybius and Hilarion in similar posts.
- Augustus also established the Consilium – an advisory council made up of Senators and Family members.

Under Tiberius (14-37 CE)
- A Libellis: The Office of Petitions, was a second Secretarial Office created by Tiberius run by a Freedman.
- However, Sejanus and the Praetorian Guard were given many of the Duties of administering the Empire.

Claudius created four separate Departments within the Imperial Secretariat with a Freedman in charge of each one, but their staff were slaves (scriniarii and custodes). The power of the Freedmen led to hostility towards them from the Roman Senate. The Freedmen became very wealthy men.

Secretary of Correspondence (Praepositus ab Epistulis): Narcissus
- Probably the most important Department.
- Divided into two sections: The Greek Section and the Latin Section:
- It dealt with all correspondence coming from the Provinces of the Empire, including Foreign Kings.
- It dealt with Commissions appointing Officers within the Ranks of the Legions.
- Narcissus was sent to resolve a Mutiny of the Legions prior to the Invasion of Britannia where he succeeded in restoring order by personally addressing the Legions. These Freedmen became the wealthiest men in Rome.
Secretary of the Treasury: (A Rationibus) Pallas
- He was the Chief Financial Advisor in charge of the Fiscus, the Emperor’s personal Treasury.
- Pallas’ brother Felix , who was also a Freedman, became the Governor of Judaea.
Secretary of Justice and Law: (A Cognitionibus – ‘The Enquiry Office)): Callistus
- - In charge of drawing up Lawsuits brought before the Emperor.
Secretary of Documentation: (A Studiis – The Documentalist: Office of Preliminary Examinations) – Polybius
- - This Office researched the Archives to present the facts needed to respond to requests in official letters, based on previous replies.
  - Polybius was executed for Treason by Messalina, possibly after they ceased to be lovers.

Other Offices:
- A Libellis – The Petition Office, which prepared replies to all the requests sent to the Emperor.
- A Bybliothecis – (Pay: Ducinarius) in charge of the seven libraries of Rome. Suetonius later held this Office.
- A Patrimonio – The Office of Imperial Properties.

A Fifth Office was added: The Memoria
- This department collected all the necessary data needed to run the Empire. They were assisted by a staff of Freedmen and Slaves called proximi and adlecti.
The Imperial Secretariat was changed from an internal Household Office into an official State Office.
The Four Freedmen were replaced by Equestrian men, and the Imperial Secretariat became a State Department.
Hadrian made the Consilium Principis, the advisory council, into a permanent appointment with the staff paid a salary for life.

Previous Emperors had already promoted the Heads of Department to become ‘Procurator’.
Septimius Severus awarded the five Heads of Office the Title of ‘Perfectissimus’.

Eventually, the Roman Senate lost more and more power to the Imperial Secretariat. When Diocletian moved the Capital away from Rome, the Roman Senate became more like a town council running the city of Rome and its surroundings.