Linked, as to its origin, to the quaestor Augusti of the Principate or to the vicarius a consiliis sacris, it bore the title of illustris and was the emperor’s counsellor and minister insofar as the emperor was the source of law; the Notitia Dignitatum states that the leges dictandae and the preces, that is, the manifestations of the imperial will, which took shape in laws, ordinances and responses to private petitions, were dependent on the quaestor sacri palatii.
The quaestor sacri palatii therefore had to be expert in law and possessed of literary culture, so that the documents issuing from his office might be worthy even in their style. He did not have his own chancery, but drew his collaborators from the scrinia dependent on the magister officiorum (q.v.), with whom he alternated, in different periods, in the first place in the order of court precedence. Under him was a laterculensis charged with keeping the register of imperial officials of lower rank. At times, jurisdiction in certain cases was delegated to him.