The (ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης||the one in charge of the table) was a Byzantine court post, responsible for the imperial banquets.
The office, more fully known as the (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: δομέστικος τῆς βασιλικῆς τραπέζης, 'Domestic of the imperial table'), (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς τραπέζης) or (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης τοῦ δεσπότου, 'the one in charge of the lord's table'), is first mentioned as extant in the mid-7th century, but the source, a hagiography of Maximus the Confessor, is of much later date. It is, however, amply attested in seals from the 8th century on, often holding the offices of or as well.[1] The was responsible for introducing guests to the imperial banquets, waiting to the Byzantine emperor along with the, and carrying dishes from the imperial table to the guests. Historical sources, however, show that some holders of the post were entrusted with leading troops or various other special assignments. Like many palace posts involving close access to the Byzantine emperor, it was restricted to eunuchs.[1] There was also the (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ὁ ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης τῆς Αὐγούστης, 'in charge of the table of the Latin: [[Augusta (honorific)|Augusta]]'), who filled the same duties for the Byzantine empress, and in addition supervised her private barques.[1]
The was assisted by a staff, the so-called (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: ὐπουργία), headed by the (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: δομέστικος τῆς ὐπουργίας) and including also secretaries styled (Greek, Ancient (to 1453);: νοτάριος τῆς ὐπουργίας).[1] The German scholar Werner Seibt proposed that the epi tes trapezes absorbed the main functions of the, an earlier official with an apparently similar role.[2] Another official with similar duties, the, is attested only a couple of times during the first decades of the 9th century. Seibt considers him either a subaltern official to the or an intermediate stage between the and the final absorption of his duties into the .[3]
From the 13th century on, the and the variant became purely honorary court titles, bereft of any specific duties. In this vein, Nikephoros Gregoras reports that this dignity was allegedly conferred and made hereditary to the princes of Russia from the time of Emperor Constantine the Great on.[1]