Drungarios
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Drungarios is a Military rank of the Byzantine Army.
The word is related to the Latin word Drugus translated as a horde of soldiers; a large number of soldiers.
Drungarios (Greek: Δρουγγάριος) meaning the Commander of the Drugus, thus of a large number of soldiers (later also ships).
According to the Byzantine administrative division of the Empire (7th century) every major division called a Thema(Θέμα) (mainly a military division of the imperial army according to its geographical deployment within the Empire) was further divided into Turmae/s while each Turmae was divided into three Moirae(Μοίραι) or Druguses.
Each Moirae or Drugus was divided into ten Tagmata (Τάγμα/Τάγματα) or Battalions. Thus the Drungarios may be considered as the modern analogue of a Commander of ten Battalions; most probably the Commander of a Division. Later the rank of Drungarios started to be used as a navy rank as well, with Megas Drungarios being 2nd to the Admiral (=Megas Doux, Μέγας Δουξ) of the Imperial Fleet.
See also
- Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy Main article on Byzantine military ranks
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