Must-Read Person: Greg Ip
Now that James Pethokoukis has decided to all Greg Ip “great”, I think I have to escalate by calling him a vir spectabilis…
- : Greg Ip Returns to Wall Street Journal as Chief Economics Commentator http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2014/12/10/greg-ip-returns-to-wall-street-journal-as-chief-economics-commentator
And:
- : Benefit of ECB’s Bond Buying: Fiscal Breathing Room http://www.wsj.com/articles/benefit-of-ecbs-bond-buying-fiscal-breathing-room-1423700220
- : When Is It Time for Mindful Austerity? http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2015/02/09/when-is-it-time-for-mindful-austerity
Context:
: Vir illustris – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: “The title vir illustris (‘illustrious man’) is used…
…as a formal indication of standing in late antiquity to describe the highest ranks within the senates of Rome and Constantinople. All senators had the title vir clarissimus (‘very famous man’); but from the mid fourth century onwards, vir illustris and vir spectabilis (‘admirable man’, a lower rank than illustris) were used to distinguish holders of high office…. The first instance is in 354, used of the praetorian prefect. For some decades it occurs inconsistently, then its appearances become more regular,[4] perhaps in connection with a formal codification of honours under Valentinian I in 372….
The Notitia Dignitatum in the early fifth century attaches [the title] to the following offices:
- praefectus praetorio (‘praetorian prefect’);
- praefectus urbi (‘urban prefect’);
- magister militum (‘master of the soldiers’);
- praepositus sacri cubiculi (‘officer of the sacred chamber’);
- magister officiorum (‘master of offices’);
- quaestor;
- comes sacrarum largitionum (‘count of the sacred expenditure’);
- comes rerum privatarum (‘count of the emperor’s private property’);
- comes domesticorum equitum sive peditum (‘count of the household cavalry or infantry’).
Beyond these, the title is also frequently given to consuls, occasionally to lower offices…