Politarch
Encyclopedia
Politarch was a Hellenistic and Roman-era Macedon
ian title for an elected governor (archon
) of a city (polis
). The term had been already attested in the (Acts of the Apostles
17:6,8) concerning Thessalonica, as well in modern archaeology. The institution is called Politarchate and Ptoliarchos appears in a poetic epigram. The first evidence of the title is dated to the reign of Perseus
in Amphipolis, where the king with two politarchs honoured Artemis Tauropolos
after a Thracian campaign.
The title was also used for the local commissioners of the Greek provisional government during the Greek War of Independence
.
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
ian title for an elected governor (archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
) of a city (polis
Polis
Polis , plural poleis , literally means city in Greek. It could also mean citizenship and body of citizens. In modern historiography "polis" is normally used to indicate the ancient Greek city-states, like Classical Athens and its contemporaries, so polis is often translated as "city-state."The...
). The term had been already attested in the (Acts of the Apostles
Acts of the Apostles
The Acts of the Apostles , usually referred to simply as Acts, is the fifth book of the New Testament; Acts outlines the history of the Apostolic Age...
17:6,8) concerning Thessalonica, as well in modern archaeology. The institution is called Politarchate and Ptoliarchos appears in a poetic epigram. The first evidence of the title is dated to the reign of Perseus
Perseus of Macedon
Perseus was the last king of the Antigonid dynasty, who ruled the successor state in Macedon created upon the death of Alexander the Great...
in Amphipolis, where the king with two politarchs honoured Artemis Tauropolos
Artemis Tauropolos
Artemis Tauropolos in ancient Greece, was an epithet for the goddess Artemis, variously interpreted as worshipped at Tauris, or pulled by a yoke of bulls, or hunting bull goddess. A statue of Artemis "Tauropolos" in her temple at Brauron in Attica was supposed to have been brought from the Taurians...
after a Thracian campaign.
The title was also used for the local commissioners of the Greek provisional government during the Greek War of Independence
Greek War of Independence
The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between...
.