- Magister Militum, meaning the ‘Master of the Soldiers’, was a term used from 324 CE onwards in the Late Roman Empire to describe the regional Military Commander of a Praetorian Prefecture.
- The Title was later applied to the Supreme Military Commander of the Western Empire and his equivalent in the Eastern Empire. He was a powerful individual, subordinate only to the Emperor, making him the de facto Ruler if the Emperor was too young to rule himself.
History
- The Office was created by Constantine I (324-337 CE), when he re-organised the Praetorian Prefectures.
- He took away the military function from the Praetorian Prefect and divided it initially between the Magister Equitum (Master of the Horse) and the Magister Peditum (Master of the Soldiers).
- Each of the Four Praetorian Prefectures held these two officials.
- Later Emperors in the Western Roman Empire then consolidated these two positions into the office of Magister Militum.
Magister Utriusque Militiae (MVM)
- This Title was later applied to the Supreme Military Commander of the Western Empire and his two equivalents in the Eastern Empire.
- He was a powerful individual, subordinate only to the Emperor, making him the de facto Ruler if the Emperor was too young to rule himself.
- Examples are:
- Stilicho (395-408 CE)
- Flavius Aetius (425-454 CE)
- Ricimer (457-472 CE).