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The ''Hetaireia'' or ''Hetaeria'' () was a term for a corps of bodyguards during the Byzantine Empire. It means "the Company", echoing the ancient Macedonian Companions. The most important such corps was the imperial ''Hetaireia'' (βασιλική ἑταιρεία, ''basilikē hetaireia''), composed chiefly of foreigners, which formed part of the Byzantine imperial guard alongside the ''tagmata'' in the 9th–12th centuries.〔 The term ''hetaireia'' was also applied to the smaller bodyguards of thematic military commanders (''stratēgoi''), headed by a count (κόμης τῆς ἑταιρείας, ''komēs tēs hetaireias''),〔.〕 and from the 13th century on, it was employed in a generic sense for the armed retinues of magnates, bound by oath to their master.〔 ==History and role of the imperial ''Hetaireia''== The exact origin, role, and structure of the imperial ''Hetaireia'' are unclear. The term first appears in the early 9th century: narrative sources record its existence in 813 as a bodyguard for the Byzantine emperor on campaign.〔.〕 John B. Bury theorized that it was the evolution of the earlier ''Foederati'',〔.〕 but this supposition was rejected by John Haldon.〔.〕 The ''Hetaireia'' of the middle Byzantine period was divided in several units: three or four according to the sources, distinguished by their epithets and each, at least originally, under is respective Hetaeriarch (, ''hetaireiarchēs'').〔.〕 The senior unit was the "Great ''Hetaireia''" (, ''megalē hetaireia''), under the Great Hetaeriarch (''megas hetaireiarchēs''), who ranked as the senior of the military officials known as ''stratarchai'' and was often referred to simply as "the Hetaeriarch" () ''par excellence''.〔.〕 It was a very important position in the late 9th and first half of the 10th centuries, as he was in charge of the Byzantine emperor's security, and was entrusted with delicate assignments. It is telling that the future emperor Romanos Lekapenos held this post, and was succeeded by his son Christopher Lekapenos.〔 According to the mid-10th century ''De Ceremoniis'', written by Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959), the Great Hetaeriarch and his unit are charged with the protection of the emperor's tent on campaign, and with the security of the imperial palace, in close association with the ''papias'' of the palace.〔.〕 A "Middle ''Hetaireia''" (, ''mesē hetaireia'') is attested in sources, and the possible existence of a "Lesser ''Hetaireia''" (, ''mikra hetaireia'') is implied by the reference to Stylianos Zaoutzes as ''mikros hetaireiarchēs'' under Emperor Michael III (r. 842–867).〔.〕 Alternatively, the unit of the ''mikros hetaireiarchēs'' may be identical to the barbarian regiment composed of the two companies of the ''Chazaroi'' (Χαζάροι, "Khazars") and the ''Pharganoi'' (Φαργάνοι), which is called the "Third ''Hetaireia''" (, ''tritē hetaireia'') in the ''Escorial Taktikon'' of circa 975.〔.〕〔; .〕 The historian Warren Treadgold estimates the total strength of the imperial ''Hetaireia'' in the early 10th century at 1,200 men.〔 The bulk of the ''Hetaireia'' was apparently composed of foreigners (''ethnikoi''), and contemporary accounts list Khazars, ''Pharganoi'', ''Tourkoi'' (i.e. Magyars), Franks and Arabs.〔.〕 The meaning of the term ''Pharganoi'' has been the subject of debate. It could denote their origin from the area of Central Asia around the Fergana Valley, or it could be a misspelling of ''Pharangoi'', i.e. Varangians.〔 Honorary posts in the ''Hetaireia'', however, were prestigious appointments that could be purchased by native Byzantine officials, connected to an annual stipend (''roga'') paid by the imperial treasury to the holder. A post in the "Great ''Hetaireia''" cost a minimum of 16 ''litrai'' of gold, a post in the "Middle ''Hetaireia''" a minimum of ten, and in each of the ''Chazaroi'' or ''Pharganoi'' companies a minimum of seven.〔〔.〕 As the 10th century progressed, a tendency of amalgamation of the various units into a single command becomes evident, as the "Middle ''Hetaireia''" seems to have been placed under the Great Hetaeriarch.〔 The importance of the ''Hetaireia'' as a bodyguard corps declined thereafter, but the unit was one of the few regiments of the middle Byzantine army to survive into the Komnenian-era army, being attested well into the reign of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (r. 1143–1180).〔.〕 By this time, however, its composition had changed: in the late 11th century, Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger reports that the ''Hetaireia'' was "customarily" made up of young Byzantine nobles.〔 The post of ''() hetaireiarchēs'' also survived, and, detached from its military duties, remained an important court position: it was held by several influential palace eunuchs in the 11th century, and by second-rank nobles and junior relatives of the Byzantine imperial family, such as George Palaiologos, in the Komnenian period. In the Palaiologan period, it was held by members of prominent noble families.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hetaireia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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