aplêkton, fossaton
Since late Antiquity the terms aplêkton (< applicitum) and fossaton (< fossa: ditch) meant the military camp. During the middle Byzantine period aplêkton took a more specific meaning defining the place where the imperial troops were raised before a campaign. The imperial aplêkta in Asia Minor were six: Malagina, Dorylaion, Lopadion, Καβόρκιν, η Δαζυμών, ο Βαθύς Ρύαξ. The list of the aplêkta of the empire is preserved under the title «Ὑπόθεσις τῶν βασιλικῶν ταξειδίων καὶ ὑπόμνησις τῶν ἀπλήκτων», which is incorporated in the most complete manuscript of the work of Constantine Porphyrogenetus (944-959) De ceremoniis aulae byzantinae (Περί βασιλείου τάξεως), in the codex of Lipsia of 12th century.
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cursus publicus
Byzantine empire: the service of the public post (office), "δρόμος", dispached into carrying the official correspondence as well as articles concerning the administering of the empire, but also applied to the military and the provincial administration. Two departments, manned with slaves, performed the duty: the cursus velox, that used horses, and the cursus clabularis, that used ox carts. Ocasionaly the cooperation of individual entrepreneur was in effect. Under Justinian I (527-565) the department of the cursus clabularis was abolished. The department of the cursus velox was abolished in the 12th c. in Asia Minor and soon after in the Balcans as well. The office was administered by the Curiosus Cursus Publici Praesentalis under the Magister Officiorum, the logothetes tou dromou (λογοθέτης του δρόμου) and in the end by an interpeteur (ερμηνευτής).
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emporion, the
Places where trade was conducted, usually small settlements of urban character on the borders or along the coasts and the commercial routes. With the same term are characterized the trade districts, the markets outside the walls of a city and/or settlements being themselves trade centers.
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kommerkiarios (commerciarius)
An official of the fiscal service in charge of the levying of the tax called commercion (δεκάτη<, 10%), that was imposed over the portage and the selling of articles. The jurisdinction of each commerciarius was exersised either over specific urban centers with vivid commercial activity or over particular widespread territories of the empire. Since the official had been appointed by the emperor himself he used to be called "royal commerciarius". In the Late Byzantine era the commerciarius acted also as an individual entrepreneur who used to merchandise silk for his own interest.
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patrikios
(from lat. patricius) Higher title of honour, placed, according to the "Tactika" of the 9th and the 10th centuries, between anthypatos and protospatharios. It was given to the most important governors and generals. Gradually, however, it fell into disuse and from the 12th century did not exist any more.
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