Prytănis
(
πρύτανις, “a president”). The name in
various Greek free States for the highest officials. In many States, especially in early
times, one, two, or five
prytancis ruled with almost kingly power. At
Athens
prytanis was the name for the member of a body of officials who
presided over that body when it had any public business to transact. This title was also given
to the presidents of the
naucrariae and Senate (who, with their
epistates at their head, presided over the Senate and Assembly during the
fifth century B.C.). In the fourth century the presidential duties were
transferred to the
proedri and their
epistates.
See Aristot.
Athen. Polit. 44, ed. Kenyon; and the articles
Boulé;
Ecclesia;
Naucraria.