added by archaeologs The dependent peasants or tenants of a Byzantine monastic economy. An estate, pronoia, was granted by the emperor and tied to military obligation. The recipient of a pronoia was entitled to all the revenues of his estate and to the taxes payable by his tenants - the paroikoi - on condition of equipping himself as a mounted cavalryman with a varying number of troops. He was in absolute possession of his property until it reverted to the crown upon his death.