Pinkernes (Ancient Greek: πιγκέρνης, romanized: pinkernēs), sometimes also epinkernes (ἐπιγκέρνης, epinkernēs), was a high Byzantine court position.
[1] In addition, descriptive terms such as ὁ τοῡ βασιλέως οἰνοχόος (ho tou basileōs oinochoos, "the emperor's wine-pourer"), ἀρχιοινοχόος (archioinochoos, "chief wine-pourer"), κυλικιφόρος (kylikiphoros, "bearer of the kylix"), and, particularly at the court of the Empire of Nicaea, ὁ ἐπὶ τοῡ κεράσματος (ho epi tou kerasmatos, "the one in charge of the drink") were often used instead.
[4] During the early Komnenian period, the post ceased to be restricted to eunuchs, and gradually became a title of distinction, even awarded to the Byzantine emperor's relatives.
Several senior generals of the Palaiologan period, such as Michael Tarchaneiotes Glabas, Alexios Philanthropenos and Syrgiannes Palaiologos, were awarded the title.
[2] At the same time, the pinkernēs also had assumed some of the responsibilities of the defunct position of the domestikos epi tēs trapezēs, having under his command some of the domestikoi of the domestikion, the household service.