Dominus noster
The term dominus noster represents an imperial style used in the Roman Empire during late antiquity. It became formalized under Diocletian and the Dominate, appearing on coinage, inscriptions, and in imperial law.
Dominus noster, often abbreviated as DN, continued to appear on coins issued by Eastern Roman emperors until the eighth century, ceasing to be used systematically after 717 and disappearing by the end of that century. After the fall of the Western Empire, rulers of the barbarian kingdoms in the West also adopted the title to associate themselves with Roman authority, while acknowledging the continued supremacy of the Eastern emperors.
History in the Roman Empire
Although forms of dominus were used informally earlier, the phrase dominus noster came into regular use during the Crisis of the Third Century as emperors sought to emphasize their authority amid civil wars and external pressures. It was formalized under Diocletian, whose reforms marked the transition from the Principate to the Dominate.The style appeared widely in official contexts. On coinage, emperors were often identified as DN, a convention that continued into the fifth and sixth centuries. Inscriptions, papyri, and legal documents such as the Codex Theodosianus and the Codex Justinianus frequently employed dominus noster to designate the reigning emperor, underscoring his supreme legal and overarching sacral status.
Use in the barbarian kingdoms
After the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, kings of the Ostrogoths, Visigoths, and Vandals adopted dominus noster in charters, laws, and diplomatic correspondence. The title functioned as a means of connecting their rule to Roman imperial tradition while distinguishing themselves from local aristocracies.Barbarian kings often paired dominus noster with the praenomen Flavius, a name borne by most late Roman emperors. This titulature simultaneously asserted sovereignty and acknowledged subordination to the Eastern Roman Empire, who alone retained the title of imperator augustus.
Examples include the Ostrogothic king Theodoric the Great, whose chancery documents used dominus noster in parallel with imperial formulas, and Visigothic kings of the sixth and seventh centuries, who employed the style in legislative and diplomatic contexts.
In the Lombard kingdom of Italy, dominus noster continued to be used to the reign of the last Lombard king, Desiderius. The style was also adopted by Charlemagne, Desiderius's successor as ruler of Italy, though it was largely restricted to coins and private charters in northern Italy and viewed as a continuation of local Lombard tradition. Dominus noster continued to see limited use by Charlemagne's successors, Louis the Pious and Lothair I, though other titles and styles were more common.