The term 'palatini' was used since the 4th cent. AD as a designation for those serving in a military or civil capacity at court (palatium) or in close association with it.
Among the palatini of the militia armata were the soldiers of the scholae palatinae and also those of the elite troops first attested in 365, but probably already separated from the comitatenses around 320. We know from the notitia dignitatum of 157 units of palatini, most of whom came under the jurisdiction of the magistri militum praesentales ( magister militum ); however, in the course of time ind…