the encyclopedia of ancient history || basileus , greece
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Basileus, GreecePETER HAARER
Basileus refers to a position of authority,
commonly that of absolute constitutional and
hereditary monarchy (traditionally opposed to
tyrannos, e.g., Arist. EN 1160b3, though
forced). The term covers a greater variety of
arrangements in different chronological and
cultural contexts than the translation “king”
implies.
In Linear B texts, qa-si-re-u denotes a
middle-ranking official below the wanax
(Ventris and Chadwick 1973: 109 with 409).
In Homer’s epics, basileus denotes leadership
and status of various kinds, but the term is not
reserved exclusively for absolute sovereignty
(Finley 1956: ch. 4). In Hesiod, the “gift-
devouring” basilees ofWD 38–9 have seniority
and authority, but not sole rule (West 1978:
151). The epoch to which the Homeric and
Hesiodic evidence refers is notoriously uncer-
tain, but for the Early Iron Age attempts to
identify basilees among individuals who are
prominent archaeologically (esp., e.g., in the
Toumba Building at Lefkandi) seem unwise;
the constitution of their communities is
unknowable, and preconceptions imported
with notions of “kingship” may limit our
imagination of the prehistoric past. Similarly,
ancient traditions that kingship was the oldest
form of constitution (e.g., Thuc. 1.13.1, Arist.
Pol. 3.14) rely on meager evidence (e.g., on
Athens see Rhodes 1993: 65–79, 98–102) and
deserve skepticism. By the Archaic period
we do find magistrates with the title basileus
(e.g., CHIOS:M&L 8), but these need not reflect
relic monarchies neutered in an inexorable
march toward more democratic institutions
(see Drews 1983).
In the Classical period, basileus is used of
some constitutional hereditary premiers.
However, their powers differ, so while in
Macedonia (and Persia) we find absolute rule,
in Idalion the authority of the pa-si-le-u-se is
circumscribed by his polis (ICS 217), and in
Sparta there were two basileis whose will was
restricted by substantial checks.
After Alexander, basileus is the term used to
describe incumbents of the autocratic heredi-
tary dynasties that thereafter govern most of
the Greek world. In the Roman imperial
period, basileus translates the Latin term
imperator.
SEE ALSO: Kingship, Classical Greece; Kingship,
Hellenistic; Lefkandi; Macedonia; Rex; Spartan
kings; Tyranny; Wanax.
REFERENCES AND SUGGESTED READINGS
Drews, R. (1983) Basileus: the evidence for
kingship in Geometric Greece. New Haven.
Finley, M. I. (1956) The world of Odysseus.
London.
LSJ9 s.v. basileύς.Rhodes, P. J. (1993) A commentary on the
Aristotelian Athenaion Politeia, 2nd ed. Oxford.
Ventris, M. and Chadwick, J. (1973) Documents in
Mycenaean Greek, 2nd ed. Cambridge.
West, M. L. (1978) Hesiod, Words and Days:
edited with Prolegomena and commentary.
Oxford.
The Encyclopedia of Ancient History, First Edition. Edited by Roger S. Bagnall, Kai Brodersen, Craige B. Champion, Andrew Erskine,
and Sabine R. Huebner, print pages 1055–1056.
© 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Published 2013 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
DOI: 10.1002/9781444338386.wbeah02032
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