A Byzantine administrative term with two basic meanings: 1. The imperial treasury. A significant institution for administrative work and disbursement of funds. Connected with this are the offices of sakellarios (originally), chartulary of the sakelle (from the 9th c.), the sekreton of the sakellion, o epi sakelliou (the dignitary in charge since the 11th-12th c.). The "sakellarios" was, in all probability, the medieval name of the "tamias ton vasilikon chrematon" (royal treasurer).
2. The treasury of the Great Church of Constantinople, i.e. Hagia Sophia. In the patriarchal sakelle were kept documents attesting to the property rights of the Patriarchate. In monasteries and lesser churches the corresponding title was megas sakellarios or "ho sakelliou".