Helion (magister officiorum)
Helion was a high-ranking official of the Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) during the reign of Emperor Anastasius I (491-518). He held the important office of magister officiorum, a position that controlled a vast bureaucratic apparatus and wielded significant power.
As magister officiorum, Helion was responsible for the following:
- Imperial Secretariat: Overseeing the imperial correspondence, records, and archives.
- Imperial Guard: Controlling the scholae palatinae, elite guard units stationed in the palace.
- Public Post (Cursus Publicus): Managing the state-run postal system, crucial for communication and administration throughout the empire.
- Imperial Audiences: Organizing audiences with the emperor and acting as a liaison between the emperor and petitioners.
- Foreign Affairs: Supervising the reception of foreign embassies and negotiations with other powers.
- Secret Service: Leading the agentes in rebus, a body of imperial messengers and inspectors who also functioned as a secret service.
- State Factories (Fabricae): Managing the production of weapons, armor, and other goods for the state.
Helion's tenure as magister officiorum coincided with a period of relative stability and prosperity under Anastasius I. His influence within the imperial court was considerable, and he played a key role in the administration of the empire. However, specific details about his personal life and individual policy decisions are limited in available historical sources. He is primarily known through references in contemporary chronicles and legal texts relating to his official functions.