Deesis ("entreaty") iconographic theme representing Christ framed by Virgin Mary and John the Baptist. The picture depicts the prayer of the two Holy figures invoking Christ to bring about the salvation of the human race. dekate ("tithe"): indirect tax on the circulation of goods (as kommerkion) with its level set at the 10% of the value of the merchandise. Often it was paid in kind. A special type of dekate was the dekateia oinaron, namely the dekate, imposed on the wine transported by sea to Constantinople. demosiakoi paroikoi: cultivators of the imperial lands, named thus since the Middle Byzantine age to be differentiated from the simple paroikoi of the large-scale landowners. denarion: denomination of an ancient Roman coin, preserved in coins of several countries and ages. One of these coins was the Arabian golden denarion minted circa 860. The outside of this Arabic coin without doubt determined the aspect of the silver Byzantine miliaresion. The two coins were so much alike, that during the 8th century, the parts of the metal used for the minting of some miliaresia were old denaria (in the Byzantium there was the practice of minting new coins over old ones: in these cases today we can discern on the coin the characteristic letters and designs of both coins, the one over the other). dentil course pattern of bricks placed in such a way so as usually to form a course surrounding the openings of the churches, the windows or the upper sections of the walls. dependent cultivators-peasants: in the Protobyzantine Era the people belonging to this category were divided in two groups: the coloni, who were landless laborers-peasants, namely paid workers belonging to the estate where they worked, and the enapographoi peasants belonging to the large landowner and being virtually slaves. diabatika: the diapylia (something like today΄s toll), namely indirect taxation imposed on persons and merchandise circulating inside the Byzantine state when passing through "gates" (pylai, narrow passes). diakonikon: the room at the south of the sanctuary΄s apse used as a sacristy. disepsilon zones: ornament of bricks in the double shape of the Greek letter epsilon, placed in vertical or horizontal rows. distyle: type of cross-in-square church, where the dome at the west is based on two pillars, while at the east lies on the piers of the sanctuary. This type was usual in the Greek territory. Dodecaorton ("twelve feasts"): the twelve important feasts of the liturgical year including Annunciation, Nativity, Hypapante, Epiphany, Transfiguration, Palm Sunday, Raising of Lazarus, Crucifixion, Resurrection, Ascension, Dormition of the Virgin and Pentecost. domains (kteseis): scattered dwellings outside villages. domed octagon: architectural type of church, where the dome is based on eight supports forming in the ground plan an octagon inscribed in the central quadrangle of the naos. These churches are of great dimensions and the dome is dominant as covers almost the whole edifice. domestikos ton scholon of the East: head of the eastern provinces΄ army. Regarding his position in the hierarchy, the Taktika, namely the military handbooks, mention him after the general of the Anatolikon (East) theme and before the strategoi (generals) of the other themes. doukas ("duke"): title of the Byzantine state provincial administration. In the days of Alexios I Komnenos, doukai were in charge of big cities and administrative regions. Doxopatres: Byzantine family whose members make their appearance in Constantinople since the 11th century. Doxopatres Neilos: theologian that lived in the first half of the 12th century. His christian name was Nicholas. He assumed several secular and ecclesiastical offices in Constantinople: he was a deacon in St Sophia, notarios of the patriarchate and imperial nomophylax, while his title was protoproedros of the protosynkelloi. Before 1143, he became a monk and went to work in the court of Roger II in Sicily. droungarios tou stolou ("of the fleet"): the head of the part of the fleet anchored in Constantinople which was called basilikon ploimon. This title is witnessed since the 11th century while in the past there was called droungarios tou ploimou. drum of dome: part of the roof of a church, circular or polygonal, on which rises the hemispheric dome. dynasty of Amorion or Phrygian: Byzantine dynasty named after the city of Amorion in Asia Minor. Three emperors of the Byzantium came from there (Michael II, Theophilos, Michael III) and ruled from 820 to 867. In their days the iconoclastic dispute came to an end, and, besides, the secular education was revived. dynatoi ("powerful"): term characterizing the economically powerful, namely large-scale landowners and officials.
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