The chain of command

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This chain of command included a group of officers who constituted the "spinal cord" of each and every naval unit, but in certain instances the du-ties of these officers varied.

The Byzantine army embarks

They included :

• Topoteretai (vice-admirals): they stood in for the droungarios touploimou.
• Droungarioi: these officers performed specific duties, such as the droun-garios of the gulf.
• Tourmarchs of the fleet: these officers administered the tourmai, subdi-visions of the thematic fleet. Counts: the captains of detachments (one detachment equalled 3 or 5 ships). In the imperial fleet, these officers held the title protospatharios or, spatharokandidatos.
• Counts of the Hetaireia: commanders of the foreign mercenaries.
• Sakellarios: the director of the fleet's financial resources.
• Chartoularios: the caretaker of the fleet and head of the secretariat.
• Protomandator: the head of the corps of messengers.
• Mandatores: officers entrusted with the delivery of orders and information.
• Protokaravos: the leader of the oar-bearers.
• Kentarchos: the captain of a ship, who directed it from the prow, where his quarters (the krabbatos) were located.

It should be noted that men from these two lower positions could reach the imperial throne, as in the case of Romanes I Lekapenos who became co-emperor.

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