The katepánō (Greek: κατεπάνω, lit. '[the one] placed at the top' or 'the topmost') was a senior Byzantine military rank and office. The word was Latinized as capetanus/catepan, and its meaning seems to have merged with that of the Italian "capitaneus" (which derives from the Latin word "caput", meaning head). This hybridized term gave rise to the English language term captain and its equivalents in other languages (Capitan, Kapitan, Kapitän, Capitán, Capitano, Kapudan Pasha, etc.)
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Katepanikion in the context of Catepanate of Italy
The Catepanate of Italy (Greek: κατεπανίκιον Ἰταλίας, Katepaníkion Italías) was a province (theme) of the Byzantine Empire, that existed from c. 965 until 1071. It was headed by a governor (katepano) with both civil and military powers. At its greatest extent, it comprised mainland Italy south of a line drawn from Monte Gargano to the Gulf of Salerno. North of that line, Amalfi and Naples also maintained allegiance to Byzantine Emperors through the katepano. The Italian region of Capitanata derives its name from the term katepanikion (a province under the jurisdiction of katepano).