Consistory

Consistory or imperial council ( lat. Consistorium ) - in ancient Rome and the Byzantine Empire - administrative and advisory body under the emperor.

The Council arose under Emperor Hadrian as an advisory body for the discussion of laws. Under Diocletian and Constantine I, the functions of the consistory were significantly expanded. The consistory was chaired by the quaestor sacri palatii, the chief lawyer of the empire, and the members ( comites consistoriales ) were the master of office , the prefect of the capital and the army master ( magister militum ), two finance officials ( comes rerum privatarum - private committee affairs and comes sacrarum largitionum - a committee of sacred bounties), preposites the sacred bedchamber ( praepositus sacri cubiculi ). In addition, part of the senators was a member of the consistory. The Consistory discussed issues related to the law, received representatives of the provinces and could act as a court on charges of treason. There was a large secretariat in the consistory, consisting of tribunes and notaries , which together were often referred to as referendarii. Often senators who were not members of the consistory were involved in the work.

The Senate of Constantinople initially had two meeting buildings: on the east side of the Augustus forum, not far from the imperial palace and on the north side of the Constantine forum, but over time, senate meetings began to be held in the imperial palace, in the large congress hall. Since many senators were members of the consistory, the senate has become an "expanded consistory." The meetings of the consistory were both “small”, that is, meetings of the imperial council itself, and “large”, together with the Senate.