De cerimoniis aulae Byzantinae (lib. 1.842.-56)

 until he reaches the grade. But it is necessary to know that for the empress’s portion, four silentiarii of good repute and of attested respectable li

 and to send [someone] also to meet them, and to lead each one into his own lodging, and bedding and expenses are prepared beforehand for them. And the

 They are adored by the domestics and protectors, and the Persikē meets them, and all things are done according to custom. When he wishes to dismiss th

 to Nicomedia, if he wishes, he should cross over by dromons, and if he is vexed, it is in any case necessary to prepare both horses and animals, so th

 armed *candidati* and comely *pueri* following them. And the emperor comes out of the *cubiculum*, escorted by the *patricius*, and sits in the great

 of a silentiary to him, so that he may come forth, and a silence is made, and the chariot is held, and the labarum-bearers stand, and when he comes fo

 fellow-soldier, from whom, while still campaigning with you, I learned to endure. It was shouted by all: Good fortune! The army hails you as emperor

 pounds of silver, and when he receives it, he presents them with the document in return, and thus he enters, escorted by all, and the prefects 416 and

 a Roman and full of every imperial virtue, so as not to be subject to the love of money, nor to any other human passion, at least as far as is possibl

 where it is the custom in the Hippodrome for the senators to do obeisance, he put on a tunic of purple silk with gold stripes, a belt, leggings, and i

 palace. So Celer the magister arrived, and Justin of the divine inheritance, being at that time count of the excubitors. And immediately the magister

 The Emperor Caesar Augustus: that through our own philanthropy he might strengthen us to accomplish all things beneficial to you and to the state. F

 When Romanos the younger emperor died, son of Constantine the great and porphyrogennetos emperor of the Romans, the Macedonian, on the 15th of the mon

 they killed. They destroyed the houses of those who were arrayed against the ruler down to the foundations, having plundered all their possessions and

 *** CH. 97. On the promotion of a president of the whole senate.

 444 Plan of the imperial campaigns and a memorandum on the military camps. These are the military camps: the first camp at Malagina, the second at Dor

 for a set time to count the baggage animals, how many pack-animals there are, and to report this number. And having received the number of the pack-an

 the armies in one straight line. And in the middle were the tagmata, and of these the most honored in the central position, and on either side of the

 of these things a written account will be made, revealing Roman majesty. Wherefore, after investigating much concerning these things and finding no me

 Thus: the Strategos of the Anatolikon, 3 mules the Strategos of the Armeniakon, 3 mules the Strategos of the Thrakesion, 3 mules the Strategos of t

 curacies. And while the imperial service is being supplied, wherever he finds good wine and oil and legumes, so that he may put it in his vessels, and

 of noble refugees. Thick and winged felted double-thick cloths for the emperor's use for the low couches two saddles for the procession, saddles for

 two all-gold items, two all-gold standing-cups. It is to be known, that these must be used when foreigners are dining with the emperor. For this reaso

 the count and the chartoularios. And the count of the stable also provides for the transportations, for every ten pack-horses, a syntrophos of the Mal

 it is an imperial [regulation], that no one should receive as a gift, neither a mule, nor a pack-horse, bearing the imperial brand, so that the imperi

 Caesarea, or in another theme towards the place, in which he is about to encamp, it being suitable and when he comes nearest to the camp at a distanc

 has been said before, and the imperial table becomes a low stool. The imperial cooks prepare the appetizers in the evening. The eighty optimates lead

 It is to be known that, when the emperor is in Syria, the *magistroi* and the *patrikioi* and the official *protospatharioi* receive a *maioumas* the

 for one ox-skin, and two Apisian waterskins each, in order to cross easily the deep and difficult rivers and they are to have their tools without fai

 magistrianoi, fabricenses, the bureau of the prefects and of the prefect, silversmiths and all merchants, and every corporation, and simply from the C

 at the Philadelphion and the Taurus, at the Artopoulion and at the Forum. And upon arriving at the Forum they dismounted from their horses, and entere

 of their golden ones, placing on his head both a helmet with a golden crest, girding on also a short sword, and he himself mounted a likewise white ho

 to be observed on the second day of the first week, when the emperor delivers a speech at the silentium of the Magnaura. 11. What must be observed whe

 Greetings of ambassadors of various nations coming to the emperor. 48. The acts of the inscriptions made for the nations. 49. These are the things set

 They open the gate leading out from the Horologion into the Lausiakos. Then, with the maglabites and the weekly officials of the Hetaireia, they open

 for some pagans to see the emperor, if he does not wish to be crowned, he puts on his head the crown called the kaisarikion and the sagion woven entir

 to summon to the hall, and immediately the drungarius draws his sword, and the papias also comes out, shaking the keys in his hand, and immediately th

 receiving it, he prostrates himself on the ground, and kisses the feet of the emperor and his knees, likewise also of the junior emperor and after th

 The annual commemoration of Constantine the Great and the dedication of the erected precious crosses in the new palace of Bonus.

 the patriarch, arriving with the procession, stands inside the church of the Holy Apostles outside the railings of the sanctuary, and when the time co

 of the imperial clergy and of the protopapas of the Daphne [church] of Saint Stephen and of the diaetarii of Saint Stephen and of the palace, all carr

 of him, and having stood there, the officers of the kouboukleion stand on this side and that. And the spatharokoubikoularioi stand behind them. And th

 at a nod from the praepositus, all the people say, Many years! And after all have fallen silent, the emperor begins to deliver his speech. It is to

 being escorted by the aforementioned, and it is deposited in the palace of Daphne in the church of the holy protomartyr Stephen. And on the Monday of

 of the kouboukleion, and they themselves praying toward the single door leading further in, and outside the single door stand the praepositi, they als

 riding on horseback, go before the masters. The *maglabitai* and all the imperial men with *skaramangia* and swords, each goes before in his own rank.

 the lords into the narthex, and putting on the gold-bordered cloaks, they light candles at the royal gates. And immediately they enter and pass throug

 all the rulers of the church and presbyters and other priests. And the emperor comes out from the scaramangion, wearing also the gold-bordered sagion,

 holding a staff, and brings in the foreigner, who is clearly held by the katepano of the imperial men, or by the count of the stable, or by the protos

 from large purple skaramangia and from various imperial silver works, and there were hung in it 5 small chains and 5 silver polycandela from the New C

 specia and golden torques but those who did not have specia wore skaramangia and rose-colored sagia. The chartoularioi and notarioi of the sekreta wo

 and from there the sons of archons and the saponistai of the vestiarion and those of the trapeza, the sons of archons wearing their own skaramangia an

 of the Great Martyr Demetrios and from those stored in the treasury. And on the wooden racks from the Pentapyrgion bound to the walls were fastened to

 before the friends went out, through the [official] of the table they were given, in golden, jeweled bowls, to the two friends five hundred miliaresia

 a faction of three men each. And in the White faction and in the Red faction were hung the pointed veils of the Golden Triclinium, the gryponagroi an

 That on the 30th of the month of August, on a Sunday, upon the arrival of Delemikes the Emir of Edessa and apokrisiarios of Abochabdas, a reception wa

 of maidservants, she entered through the Justinianos and the Lausiakos and the Tripeton into the Kainourgion, and rested then, the emperor having sat

 of a peeping-curtain hanging in the middle of the canopy, in which place it is customary for the emperors to be seated on a throne, a reception being

 and they perform the *saximon*, as the regulation provides. But if any of them are seated in the reception hall, rising up they complete the *saximon*

 and to the patricians 144 miliaresia each, and one Saracen loros inner-garment each, or one of pure silk to the protospatharioi 120 miliaresia each a

 these things are arranged. And immediately the psalmist comes forth and says a prokeimenon: What god is great as our God? You are the God who does wo

 the taxeotai place the arms upon leather skins and goat-hair cloths so that they are not soiled, either by dust, or by mud. The demesmen of the two fa

 the small cradle, and both the Augusta and the child are covered with gold-embroidered coverlets. Then, through the trapeza of the Augusta, the praepo

 being seized by the sponsors are distributed. 622 But in the time of Basil, the emperor of blessed memory, the tonsuring of Leo, the Christ-loving mas

 a *paragaudion* to the gates of the bema, that is, to the holy doors, and then the *praepositus* comes out, and leads in from the Pantheon, or from th

 And the patrician Niketas and the patrician John and the patrician who was over Jesdes and the patrician Dometios and the magister Eustathios wore tog

 When the emperor had ordered the fulfillment of the four petitions to take place, he entered into the triconch, and changed as was customary, and bein

 being. And it is clear from the assurance of the emperor Heraclius, which he made to Sergius the patriarch, containing in these very words: The praep

 15 silver-embroidered short-sleeved tunics of true purple. 29 colored short-sleeved tunics with points. 18 colored short-sleeved tunics of true purple

 are of his sarcophagus. Another sarcophagus of Proconnesian stone, in which lies Irene, the wife of Constantine Caballinus. Another green Thessalian s

 on the east, in the left part of the same oratory stands a sarcophagus in relief, in which lies Anastasia the daughter of Basil the Christ-loving mast

 Total in all: 23 thousands and two. Through the theme of the Cibyrrhaeots. 15 dromons, having, each, 230 rowers and 70 warriors total 4 thousands and

 he should accept. It should be known that the archon Chrepou in the theme of Hellas undertook to make 2,000 arrows and 3,000 javelins. Likewise also t

 Atenulf, his brother, and Goimar and Goifer, his brother, and all the apostate Lombards from the theme of Lombardy, and that he hand over the forts to

 each with 150 men and 6 ousiaka chelandia each with 108 men. And there were sent with the protospatharios John and asekretis to Africa 3 chelandia and

 of Thrace, for both salaries and bonuses of the army, in place of the garments, 171 pounds and 29 of gold, 9 scaramangia. for the 4 tagmata of Macedon

 and for the great crossbows, iron parts according to type. pitch, 10,000 litrai. liquid pitch, 3 round Magarika. cedar oil, 50 Magarika. flax, 8,000 l

 muscles of bow-strings, 4,000. The things given from the sekreton of the vestiarium to the droungarios of the fleet in surplus for the expedition to C

 of Rome? The greeting to the emperor of the ambassadors coming from Bulgaria. How is the God-crowned emperor, the spiritual grandfather of the ruler f

 Mercy, gladness and glory from God to the high and great emperor of the Romans, a good life and health to you and a long life from the Lord, O peace-m

 in God himself, emperors of the Romans, to so-and-so the most holy pope of Rome and our spiritual father. to the king of Saxony to the king of Bavar

 offices, or not. But if from these one also wishes to be set up among the salaried imperials, he provides 4 pounds in addition to the price of the dig

 are made destitute and given over to the *apelatai*, from whom also *Tzekones* are assigned to the forts. But the properties of such soldiers remain i

 the hippodrome, and there he is venerated by the domestics and protectors as soon as he enters the gate, and being escorted in procession he comes out

 being made known and at the same time being done, we shall set them down line by line in the order of a list. And we do this, not as overturning the w

 These into six parts, namely, into generals, into domestics, into judges, into secretaries, into democrats, into private offices. 708 Volume I. Concer

 to the chamberlains, 3 pounds, to the cubiculum with the praepositi alone, 3 pounds of gold, and her sticharion to the praepositus. To the one in char

 of the Opsikion the strategos of the Boukellarioi the strategos of Cappadocia the strategos of Charsianon the strategos of Koloneia the strategos

 centarchs, bandon-bearers, laburisioi, standard-bearers, duciniatores, mandators. And under the Drungarius of the Fleet are subordinated 7 kinds of of

 2, to the primicerius 4. The fourth dignity is that of the ostiarii, whose insignia, a golden rod having a headpiece of precious stones, is bestowed b

 them from the bearded maioumas for the games. The papias is also to receive wood weekly, one pitch, and the secundus one pitch. And all these things a

 patrician and logothete of the herds the proconsul patrician and domestic of the Hikanatoi the proconsul patrician and domestic of the Noumeroi the

 protospatharios and over the petitions the protospatharios and orphanotrophos the protospatharioi and kleisourarchs the protospatharios and demarch

 chartoularios of the theme of the Anatolics the spatharios and chartoularios of the tagma of the Scholae the spatharios and actuarius the spathario

 should some of the aforesaid hold ranks granted by award, let each of them be preferred in grade according to the rank of one of equal status. 739 But

 as he goes up with them to the three-couched imperial banquet, and stations them around the venerable table so that those friends whom the emperor dee

 of the Excubitors, and to lead them in at the summons according to the previously shown manner. And in the couches 746 of each of the parts, one must

 the polytrikhon, and to prepare for a feast for friends, at the imperial table eight magistroi, anthypatoi, patrikioi, and strategoi, and two Bulgaria

 a pre-feast illumination and the presentation of the mangers, to lead them all out according to the rule prescribed for all. On the tenth day, for the

 of all the orphans, and to arrange him on the left, facing the position of the akoubita and to bring them both in on either side with the blessing of

 and to lead them out with their own vestments, except for their cloaks, according to the dignity of rank belonging to each. On the Sunday of Meatfare.

 the four domestics of the tagmata are brought in with the two demarchs and the chartoularios of the imperial sakelle, and with them also all the gerok

 they hold, and offering the divine liturgy to God after the partaking of the holy mysteries, they openly receive the chief men of the senate for a sol

 of ceremonial garments inside the palace, and a banquet is held in the Gold Triclinium according to the form of the first day. And we must prepare for

 chartoularioi of the sacristy of Hagia Sophia, 773 receiving the same blessing. And on New Sunday, the after-feast of Pascha, a procession in bright r

 according to the capacity of the table. On the 20th of the month of July, the commemoration of the prophet Elijah is celebrated by a processional lita

 of a banquet in the lower triclinium which is at the sea palaces, and the emperor presides with the patriarch with his own divetesion. And it is neces

 as we said, the order of the summoners. Therefore, having clearly set these forth for a reminder of the things accomplished among us, we bring a reque

 From this same amount, to the *protovestiarios*... according to the quantity of pounds, 1 pound, to the one of the *katastasis* κʹ and to the *ostiar

 of this tactical ordinance as from a canon, or, to be more truthful, as from the imperial decree, to act without dispute. We ought to have attached th

 of Helenopontus, the one of Euchaïta 29, of the province of the Cyclades Islands, the one of Carpathus 30, of the province of Rhodope, the one of Ae

 metropolis of Marcian, has under it cities, that is, 5 bishops, the one of Rhodostolos, the one of Tramariscae, the one of Novae, the one of Zekedespa

 of Saint Mokios αʹ, the church of Saint Pancharios αʹ. And in total through gold κθʹ, and through miliaresia εʹ, mil. βʹ. And in total the sum

 of Pharos εʹ, the subdeacons of Hagia Sophia 6 miliaresia, the deans of the patriarch 4 miliaresia, the dipotatai 3 miliaresia, those of the spoude 8

for a set time to count the baggage animals, how many pack-animals there are, and to report this number. And having received the number of the pack-animals and having added another addition for both those of them that were lame and those that were stumbling, he would order both the count of the stable and the logothete of the herds to establish the number of the pack-animals, and also of the imperial colts and of certain other horses, as many as he wished to give for the expedition to whom he himself ordered, likewise also along the road, for example to soldiers, refugees, archons and the like. And having arranged all these things, he would appoint his 449 representative in the city, and gave him these orders: to count the people, both those who are under the tagmata of the city and those who are under the eparch, and to pre-assign them himself, in what part each of these corps will guard the city in time of an enemy invasion; and to repair the breaches of the walls and to report the messages coming from the west, until the emperor himself should pass through the inhabited lands; and after this, for him to manage the urgent matters that threaten imminent danger, as he should think it to be expedient, consulting with the most useful men of the city; but to manage those matters having no urgency, but being trivial and obvious, but to hold back those requiring great care until the return of the emperor; and especially to pay attention to a sudden invasion of enemies, and for this reason especially both to write continually and to receive messages from the frontier themes, and to spy on the neighboring enemies, and to learn and to report; and furthermore to take thought for himself concerning weapons, whence he will have them in time of need; and to consider these things by himself and to prepare without disturbance, so that he does not cast fear into the city, and make 450 the grain and the other commodities more expensive; and to silence the irrational rumors and the disturbances, at one time chastising those who generate the rumors, and at another to speak to the citizens about the safety of the emperor and of the people; and at times also to fabricate good rumors, as if an order had come, but indefinitely, or also otherwise, from some of the people who had come, putting a stop to the indolence of some, and the disturbances of others. And so, having given these orders concerning these things to his representative, Julius Caesar, holding back a few of the tagma on account of his own departure, sent the rest to where the tagmata were awaiting the emperor, and in addition to these, also most of the imperial animals and baggage animals and the largest tents. But he himself, having gathered together the well-known of the saints, asked concerning purification of the soul, then he gave alms both throughout the city and the places near it. And finally, going to the churches for the sake of prayer, in which he most often made his processions, and returning to the palace, from there he departed the city, and with much of the people, both those under the eparch and the army of the city, present there and praying for the 451 emperor. And finally after he had entered the ship all those present fell down, but he, having made the sign of the cross over the city three times, set out. And he had luncheon with three, until the army was assembled, and he had dinner with two, except on the Lord's day. And he remained stationary on that day. And when he reached the army, those of the tagma who had gone ahead and the tagmata met him at the edge of the camp, and thus they followed with the emperor as far as the tent. And on that same day he would summon the archons, and give them an apokombion, and a maioumas to the soldiers. And from there, as the emperor was moving with the army along the route of the campaign, each theme would meet him at the nearest part of the road, so that the army would not be fatigued; and on the same day, on which the theme received him, he would summon the archons of that same theme. And the need of the imperial service, that is, slaughtered animals and lambs and such things, and the bread of the largesse and the rest of the maioumas, each protonotarios would supply in his own theme for the emperor passing through, from the account of the aerikon and from the co-emptions; or even not having, taking from the eidikon, he himself would administer these things, and especially 452 he gave the maioumades to the themes coming from more distant places. And the procession of the emperor and the order of the tagmata and the themata was thus. Horses with real brocades would walk before the emperor at about a mile's distance, in two files, right and left; and after them the imperial archons; then the stratores with saddles and the rest of the more secretarial order; then the emperor; and behind him at about three bowshots as it were

ὁρισθέντα χρόνον ἀπαριθμῆσαι τὰ φορτώματα, πόσων σαγμαρίων εἰσὶ, καὶ τούτων τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀναδιδάξαι. λαβὼν δὲ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν σαγμαρίων καὶ προσλαβὼν καὶ ἄλλην προσθήκην διά τε τὰ χωλευόμενα καὶ τὰ κονδριζόμενα αὐτῶν, ἐπέτρεπε τῷ τε κόμητι τοῦ στάβλου καὶ τῷ λογοθέτῃ τῶν ἀγελῶν συστῆσαι τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν σαγμαρίων, ἔτι δὲ καὶ τῶν βασιλικῶν ἱππαρίων καὶ ἄλλων τινῶν ἵππων, ὅσα ἂν ἐβουλήθη εἰς τὸ κίνημα δοῦναι οἷς αὐτὸς ἐκέλευεν, ὁμοίως καὶ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν, οἷον στρατιώταις, πρόσφυξιν, ἄρχουσι καὶ τοῖς ὁμοίοις. καὶ ταῦτα δὲ πάντα διοικήσας, ὥριζε τὸν ἐκ προσώπου 449 αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ πόλει, καὶ ἐδίδου αὐτῷ διατάξεις ταύτας· ἀπαριθμῆσαι τὸν λαὸν, ὅσοι τε ὑπὸ τὰ τάγματά εἰσι τῆς πόλεως καὶ ὅσοι ὑπὸ τὸν ὕπαρχον, καὶ τούτους προορίζειν καθ' ἑαυτὸν, ἐν ποίῳ μέρει ἕκαστον τούτων τῶν συστημάτων φυλάξει τὴν πόλιν ἐν καιρῷ ἐπιδημίας ἐχθρῶν· ἀνορθοῦν δὲ καὶ τὰ τῶν τειχῶν κλάσματα καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐκ δύσεως ἐρχόμενα μανδάτα καταμηνύειν, ἕως ἂν αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς τὰ οἰκούμενα παρέλθῃ· μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὰ μὲν σπουδαῖα καὶ κίνδυνον σύντομον ἀπειλοῦντα διοικεῖν αὐτὸν, καθὼς ἂν νομίσῃ συμφέρον εἶναι, βουλευόμενον μετὰ τῶν χρησιμωτέρων τῆς πόλεως· τὰ δὲ μηδεμίαν σπουδὴν ἔχοντα, ἀλλ' εὐτελῆ ὄντα καὶ φανερὰ, διοικεῖν, τὰ δὲ μεγάλης φροντίδος δεόμενα ὑποκρατεῖν μέχρι τῆς ὑποστροφῆς τοῦ βασιλέως· προσέχειν δὲ μάλιστα περὶ αἰφνιδίου ἐπιδημίας ἐχθρῶν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα γράφειν τε συνεχῶς καὶ δέχεσθαι ἐκ τῶν ἄκρων θεμάτων, καὶ κατασκοπεῖν τὰ τῶν γειτόνων ἐχθρῶν, καὶ μανθάνειν καὶ ἀναδιδάσκειν· ἔτι γε μὴν καθ' ἑαυτὸν φροντίζειν περὶ ὅπλων, ὅθεν ἕξει αὐτὰ ἐν καιρῷ χρείας· ταῦτα δὲ λογίζεσθαι καθ' ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἑτοιμάζεσθαι χωρὶς ταραχῆς, ἵνα μὴ φόβον ἐμβάλλῃ τῇ πόλει, καὶ πολυτιμότερον κατα 450 στήσῃ τὸν σῖτον καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν εἰδῶν· κατασιγᾷν δὲ τὰς ἀλόγους φήμας καὶ τὰς ταραχὰς, ποτὲ μὲν σωφρονίζοντα τοὺς τὰς φήμας γεννῶντας, ποτὲ δὲ ἐπιλαλεῖν τοῖς πολίταις τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ σωτηρίαν· ἐστὶν ὅτε καὶ πλάττειν ἀγαθὰς φήμας, ὡς κελεύσεως ἐλθούσης πλὴν ἀορίστως, ἢ καὶ ἄλλως ἀπό τινος τοῦ λαοῦ ἐλθόντων, τῶν μὲν τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν, τῶν δὲ τὰς ταραχὰς παύοντα. οὕτω δὲ καὶ περὶ τούτων τῷ ἐκ προσώπου διαταξάμενος ὁ Ἰούλιος Καῖσαρ, ὀλίγους τῆς τάξεως ὑποκρατήσας λόγῳ τῆς ἰδίας ἐξόδου, τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀπέστελλεν ἔνθα τὰ τάγματα τὸν βασιλέα ἐξεδέχοντο, ἔτι δὲ πρὸς τούτοις καὶ τὰ πλεῖστα τῶν βασιλικῶν ἀλόγων καὶ φορτωμάτων καὶ τὰς μεγίστας σκηνάς. αὐτὸς δὲ τοὺς γνωστοὺς τῶν ἁγίων συναγαγὼν περὶ καθάρσεως ᾐτεῖτο ψυχικῆς, εἶτα ἐλεημοσύνας ἐποίει κατά τε τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὰ πλησιάζοντα αὐτῇ. καὶ τελευταῖον ἀπερχόμενος πρὸς τοὺς ναοὺς χάριν εὐχῆς, ἐν οἷς ἐποιεῖτο μάλιστα τὰς προελεύσεις, καὶ ὑποστρέφων ἐπὶ τὸ παλάτιον, ἐκεῖθεν τῆς πόλεως ἐξήρχετο, καὶ πολλοῦ λαοῦ, τῶν τε ὑπὸ τὸν ὕπαρχον καὶ τοῦ τῆς πόλεως στρατοῦ παρόντων ἐκεῖ καὶ εὐχομένων τὸν 451 βασιλέα. τελευταῖον δὲ μετὰ τὸ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πλοῖον οἱ μὲν παριστάμενοι πάντες ἔπιπτον, αὐτὸς δὲ, τρίτον σφραγίσας τὴν πόλιν, ἐκίνει. ἠρίστα δὲ, ἄχρι τοῦ συνοψισθῆναι τὸν λαὸν, διὰ τριῶν, ἐδείπνει δὲ διὰ δύο πλὴν τῆς κυριακῆς. ἀκίνητος δὲ ἔμενεν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ. φθάνοντα δὲ αὐτὸν πρὸς τὸν λαὸν, ὑπήντων αὐτῷ οἱ προλαβόντες τῆς τάξεως καὶ τὰ τάγματα ἐπὶ τῷ ἄκρῳ τοῦ ἀπλήκτου, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ βασιλέως οὕτω συνείποντο ἄχρι τῆς κορτῖνος. ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκάλει τοὺς ἄρχοντας, καὶ ἐδίδου αὐτοῖς ἀποκόμβιον, καὶ μαϊουμᾶν τοῖς στρατιώταις. ἐκεῖθεν δὲ μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ κινοῦντα τὸν βασιλέα κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ταξειδίου, ἕκαστον θέμα ὑπήντα αὐτῷ κατὰ τὸ πλησιάζον μέρος τῆς ὁδοῦ, ἵνα μὴ κοπιᾷ ὁ λαός· ἐν δὲ τῇ αὐτῇ ἡμέρᾳ, καθ' ἣν ἐδέχετο αὐτὸν τὸ θέμα, ἐκάλει τοὺς ἄρχοντας τοῦ αὐτοῦ θέματος. τὴν δὲ χρείαν τῆς βασιλικῆς ὑπηρεσίας, τουτέστι σφακτά τε καὶ ἀρνία καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ τὸ ψωμίον τῆς φιλοτιμίας καὶ τὸν λοιπὸν μαϊουμᾶν ἐχορήγει ἕκαστος πρωτονοτάριος ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ θέματι διερχόμενον τὸν βασιλέα ἐκ τοῦ ἀερίου λόγου καὶ τῶν συνονῶν· ἢ καὶ μὴ ἔχων, λαμβάνων ἐκ τοῦ εἰδικοῦ, αὐτὸς διῴκει ταῦτα, μάλιστα δὲ 452 τοὺς μαϊουμάδας ἐδίδου τοῖς ἐκ μακροτέρων τόπων ἐρχομένοις θέμασιν. ἡ δὲ προέλευσις τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ ἡ τάξις τῶν ταγμάτων καὶ τῶν θεμάτων ἦν οὕτως. περιεπάτουν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βασιλέως ὡς ἀπὸ μιλίου ἵπποι μετὰ ἀληθινῶν βορκαδίων διὰ στίχων δύο, δεξιὰ καὶ ἀριστερά· μετ' ἐκείνους δὲ οἱ βασιλικοὶ ἄρχοντες· εἶτα οἱ στράτωρες μετὰ σελλαρίων καὶ ἡ λοιπὴ μυστικωτέρα τάξις· ἔπειτα ὁ βασιλεύς· ὄπισθεν δὲ τούτου ὡς ἀπὸ σαγιττοβόλων τριῶν ὥσπερ