DO´MINUS
DO´MINUS means master, owner [
DOMINIUM]. The word was applied
as a title of respect to a superior in rank or station. Thus the head of a
family was sometimes called
dominus by the free
members of his family as well as by his slaves (
Suet. Aug. 53;
Dig. 24,
1,
57). The title of
dominus came to be ascribed to the emperor. The
history of this use of the word, which corresponds with changes in the
character of the emperor, is briefly as follows:--Augustus refused to be
called
dominus (domini appellationem ut maledictum et
opprobrium semper exhorruit,
Suet. Aug. 53;
Ov.
Fast. 2.142), as did also Tiberius (
Tac.
Ann. 2.87;
Suet. Tib. 27).
Caligula was the first emperor who allowed himself to be called by the title
(Victor.
Caes. 3). Domitian claimed the titles of
Deus et Dominus (
D. C.
62.13; Martial,
5.8). Trajan only wished
to be called
princeps (Plin.
Paneg. § § 2, 63, 88). Pliny in his letters
always addresses Trajan as
dominus, but in
doing so he does not intend to make use of an official title.
Dominus first appears on imperial monuments in the
reign of Severus. Aurelian first adopted the title
Deus
et Dominus on his coins. Diocletian allowed himself to be
publicly addressed as
dominus (Vict.
Caes. 39). From the fourth century the emperors freely
ascribe the title to themselves. (Mommsen,
Staatsrecht,
2.737, &c.)
[
E.A.W]
