Dux
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
Look up dux in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
| Ancient Rome | |||
 This article is part of the series: |
|||
|
|
|||
| Periods | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Kingdom 753 BC – 509 BC Roman Republic |
|||
| Roman Constitution | |||
|
Constitution of the Kingdom |
|||
| Ordinary Magistrates | |||
|
|
|||
| Extraordinary Magistrates | |||
|
|
|||
| Titles and Honours | |||
Emperor
|
|||
| Precedent and Law | |||
|
|||
|
Other countries · Atlas Politics portal |
Dux (plural: duces) is Latin for leader (from the verb ducere, 'to lead') and later for Duke. In the era of Republican Rome, dux could refer to anyone who commanded troops, such as tribal leaders.[1]
Contents |
[edit] Roman empire
In the Roman military, a Dux would be a general in charge of two or more legions. While the title of dux could refer to a Consul or Imperator, it usually refers to the Roman Governor of the provinces. As the governor, the dux was both the highest civil official as well as the commander-in-chief of the legions garrisoned within the province.
However, during the time of the Dominate, the powers as a dux were split from the role of the governor and were given to a new office called "Dux". The dux was still the highest military office within the province and commanded the legions, but the governor had to authorize the use of the dux's powers. But once authorized, the dux could act independently from the governor and handled all military matters. An example would be the Dux per Gallia Belgica which was the Dux of the province of Gallia Belgica.
Since Diocletian's Tetrarchy reform, the provinces were organized into dioceses each administered by a Vicarius. As with the Governors, the Vicarius was assisted by a Dux. This Dux was superior to all of other Duces within the dioceses and when the Vicarius called the legions of the dioceses into action, all of the legions were at the Dux's command. An example would be the Dux per Gallia which was the Dux of the Dioceses of Gaul. The office of Dux was, in turn, made subject to the Magister Militum of his respective Praetorian prefecture, and above him to the Emperor.
In the Byzantine Empire, the position of dux survived (δούξ) as rank equivalent to a provincial general (strategos). The office of megas doux ("Grand Duke"), created in the 1090s, was the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy and survived until the final Fall of Constantinople in 1453.
[edit] Post-Roman uses
King Arthur, in one of his earliest literary appearances, is described as dux bellorum ("dux of battles") among the kings of the Romano-Britons in their wars against the Anglo-Saxons.
Dux is also the root of various high feudal noble titles of peerage rank, such as (via the French duc) the English duke, the Spanish and Portuguese duque, the Venetian doge and Italian duca and duce and the modern Greek ducas (δούκας).
In schools in Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Iceland, Dux is a modern title given to the top student in academic and sporting achievement (Dux Litterarum and Dux Ludorum respectively) in each graduating year. In this usage, Dux is similar to the American concept of a valedictorian. The runner up may be given the title Proxime Accessit (meaning "he came next") or Semidux.
In Portuguese universities the dux is the most senior of students, usually in charge of overseeing the Praxe (initiation rituals for the freshmen).
Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini used the title of Dux (and Duce in Italian) to represent his leadership.
In music theory, specifically in counterpoint, the subject of a fugue is sometimes referred to as the dux (and the countersubject by the Latin word for companion, comes).
[edit] Source
 |
This article relies largely or entirely upon a single source. Please help improve this article by introducing appropriate citations of additional sources. (April 2009) |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Thomas Wiedemann, “The Fetiales: A Reconsideration,” Classical Quarterly 36 (1986), p. 483.
