The Byzantine Coronation Ceremony, according to Emperor Constantine VII, Porphyrogennetos
[It is apparent from the acclamations that the ceremony included the coronation of a Senior Emperor and his junior Emperor, according to the ancient system which had been in place since the time of Diocletian. This system specified that a junior emperor was to be named as a successor, and crowned along with the senior emperor. Sometimes this was a mere formality, sometimes it was politically significant, depending on the people and circumstances. Existing wives and children of the emperors were certainly part of the ceremony, for the purposes of legitimization of the children as heirs].
The Roles:
a. The more extensive roles (2 persons needed(:
Chanters (two Persons)
The People (the entire class)
b. The smaller roles (11 persons needed)
Master of the Ceremonies (one person)
Patricians (two persons)
Senators (two persons)
Silentarios (one person)
Praipositos (one person)
Dignitaries (two persons)
The two demes (two persons)
The parts are mostly chanted, and they are highly repetitive and ritualistic in nature.
CONSTANTINE VII PORPHYROGENITUS, DE CERIMONIIS AULAE BYZANTINAE, I, 38 (ed. Reiske, I, pp. 191-6; ed. Vogt, II, pp. 1-5, cc. 47-8)
All arrive with robes, and the whole senate and the officers of the Schools and the other regiments change and assume in advance the insignia for escorting the sovereigns (despotas ), and when all is ready, the emperor ( basileus ) departs the Augusteion, wearing his skaramangion and purple sagion , escorted by [his personal staff] of the bedchamber, and proceeds as far as the Onopodion, and the first reception of the patricians occurs at the Onopodion, where the [Master] of Ceremonies ( o epi tês katastaseôs ) says:
[Master] of Ceremonies:
- “May you reign”
The patricians:
-“For many and good years.”
Then they process down as far as the great Konsistorion, and within the Konsistorion are standing the consuls (hypatoi ) and the rest of the senators, and the sovereigns stand in the kiborion , and all the senators together with the patricians prostrate themselves. As they rise, the sovereigns give a sign to the praipositos , and the silentarios intones:
Silentarios:
-“At your command,”
Senators and patricians:
- “For many and good years.”
And they move off into the church [of Holy Wisdom, Hagia Sophia] through the Schools, and the demes ( ta merê ) properly attired are standing in their [assigned] places, making only the sign of the cross.
And when the emperor ( basileus ) has entered the Horologion, the entrance [curtain] is raised, and he goes into the mêtatorion and changes into the divêtêsion and the tzitzakion and throws over them the sagion , and enters with the patriarch and lights candles on the silver doors, and entering the nave and he proceeds to the solaia and prays before the holy gates, with lighted candles, and returns into the ambo together with the patriarch. Then the patriarch says a prayer over the chlamys , and when the prayer is complete the [servants] of the bedchamber take it and attire the master ( despotês ).
And again [the patriarch] says a prayer, over the crown (stemma ) itself, and when that is complete, the patriarch himself takes the crown and places it on the head of the master, and immediately the people cry out
People (Thrice.):
-“Holy, Holy, Holy. Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth.”
Then
People (Twice)
-“O such a great emperor (basileus ) and autocrat (autoktaror ), many years,”.
And wearing the crown he goes down and enters the mêtatorion and sits on the sellion, and the dignitaries enter, prostrating themselves and kissing both his knees.
[This part of the ceremony can be represented with two different people representing the dignitaries, entering from two different entrances]
Entrance one: the magisters;
entrance two: the patricians and generals;
third entrance: the first swordbearers (protospatharioi ); fourth entrance: [the commanders] of the army, of the exkubitores , of the hikanatoi and of the noumeroi ; the senatorial swordbearers ( spatharioi ) and consuls ( hypatoi);
fifth: the swordbearers ( spatharioi );
sixth: stratores ;
seventh: counts of the Schools;
eight: candidates ( kandidatoi ) of the cavalry;
nine: skribônoi and domestikoi ;
ten: asêkretai, bestêtores and silentarioi ;
eleven: imperial mandatores and candidates ( kandidatoi ) of the infantry;
twelve: counts of the arithmos , of the hikanatoi , tribunes ( tribounoi ), and counts of the fleet.
Praipositos:
- “At your command,”
Dignitaries:
- “Many and good years,”
Then the officers depart. The kiss of peace and communion are after the custom of feast days, and all the remaining matters are fulfilled even as is the custom.
Acclamations of the demes at the coronation of the emperor
With the regular solemnity observed, and when the despots have made their procession into the holy church, and all the ritual associated with the processions is completed, and the despots have ascended with the patriarch into the ambo (for there is placed an altar on which are set aside the chlamys and the crowns), then the patriarch says a prayer over the chlamys, and after the prayer the patriarch gives the chlamys to the great [i.e. senior] emperor ( megalos basileus ). Then the emperor and the praipositoi put the chlamys on the newly-created emperor, and again the patriarch says a prayer over the crowns (stemmata ), and first with his own hands crowns the great emperor, then gives the [second] crown to the great emperor, and the [senior] emperor crowns the newly-created emperor, and immediately the two demes ( merê ) cry out:
The Two Demes
“Worthy.”
And they bow low to the ground ( proskynousi ) before the sceptres (skêptra, [alt. halberds]) and other insignia together with the banners (vandôn), placed to the right and left on one side and the other, all of the senate and the demes standing on the right-hand side of the ambo to the east.
And the chanters ( kraktai, [leaders of the demes] ) intone:
Chanters
“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth,”
People (THRICE):
“Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth,”
Chanters:
- “Good will to Christian folk”
People (THRICE):
- “Good will to Christian folk”
Chanters
- “May God have mercy on his people.”
People (THRICE):
- “May God have mercy on his people.”
Chanters
- “Today is the great day of the Lord.”
People (THRICE):
- “Today is the great day of the Lord.”
Chanters
- “This is the day of the life of the Romans.”
People (THRICE):
- “This is the day of the life of the Romans.”
Chanters
- “This [day] is the grace and glory of the world.”
People:
- “This [day] is the grace and glory of the world.”
Chanters
- “On which [day] the crown of the empire.”
People:
- “On which [day] the crown of the empire.”
Chanters:
- “Is placed worthily on your head.”
People (THRICE):
- “Is placed worthily on your head.”
Chanters:
- “Glory to God,the Lord of all.”
People:
- “Glory to God,the Lord of all.”
Chanters:
- “Glory to God for the crowning of your head.”
People:
“Glory to God for the crowning of your head.”
Chanters:
- “Glory to God for appointing you emperor.”
People:
“Glory to God for appointing you emperor.”
Chanters:
- “Glory to God for honouring you thusly.”
People:
- “Glory to God for honouring you thusly.”
Chanters:
- “Glory to God for such benevolence.”
People:
- “Glory to God for such benevolence.”
Chanters:
- “But you have been crowned, [so-an-so: insert name] emperor, by his own hand.”
People:
- “But you have been crowned, [so-an-so: insert name] emperor, by his own hand.”
Chanters:
- “so let him guard you for many years in the purple.”
People:
- “so let him guard you for many years in the purple.”
Chanters:
- “together with the empresses and the purple-born children ( porphyrogennêtoi ).”
People:
- “together with the empresses and the purple-born children ( porphyrogennêtoi ).”
Chanters:
- “for the glory and elevation of the Romans.”
People:
- “for the glory and elevation of the Romans.”
Chanters:
- “Hear, O God, to your people.”
People:
“Hear, O God, to your people.”
Chanters:
- “Many, many, many.”
People:
“Many, years upon many.”
Chanters:
- “Many years for you, [so-and-so] emperor and [so-and-so] emperors of the Romans.”
People:
“Many years to you.”
Chanters:
- “Many years to you, attendants of the Lord.”
People:
“Many years to you.”
Chanters:
- “Many years to [so-an-so] and [so-and-so] empresses of the Romans.”
People:
“Many years to you.”
Chanters:
- “Many years to you, the good fortune of the sceptres..”
People:
“Many years to you.”
Chanters:
- “Many years to you [so-and-so] emperor of the Romans.”
People:
“Many years to you.”
Chanters:
- “Many years to you, God-crowned [so-and-so].”
People:
“Many years to you.”
Chanters:
- “Many years to you, masters, together with the empresses and purple-born children.”
People:
“Many years to you.”
Chanters:
- “May the Creator and Master of all.”
People:
- “May the Creator and Master of all.”
Chanters:
- “who crowned you with his own hand.”
People:
- “who crowned you with his own hand.”
Chanters:
- “make full your years together with the empresses and the purple-born children.”
People:
“make full your years together with the empresses and the purple-born children.”
Chanters:
“for the perfect guardianship of the Roman people.
The two Demes:
- “Many years for the emperors,”
and the rest of the acclamation, and invoke blessings on them, and so go out.