πολιτάρχης
politárchēs
G4173 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Principal magistrate or governing official of a city; specifically, one who holds authority in municipal administration. In Greek civic institutions, the term refers to an official endowed with executive or administrative powers within a city's political structure. Used with reference to city authorities who collectively govern or supervise city affairs. The word can denote individual city rulers or a group forming the city's governing board.
Semantic Range
city magistrate, municipal ruler, civic official, principal city authority, member of a municipal governing board
Root / Etymology
From πόλις ('city') and ἄρχω ('to rule, to be chief'). The compound directly expresses the notion of a 'city-ruler' or magistrate with authority in the civic sphere.
Historical & Contextual Notes
'πολιτάρχης' is not attested in classical Greek literature but appears in Hellenistic and especially Macedonian and Roman-period inscriptions, particularly in Macedonia and Thessalonica, confirming its historical accuracy in the New Testament (Acts 17:6, 17:8). The term is specific to certain Greek cities, especially in the Macedonian context, where the πολιτάρχαι formed the chief magistrates or ruling body of a city under Roman administration. Unlike generic terms for authorities (e.g., ἄρχων, στρατηγός), πολιτάρχης designates a municipal official with political and administrative oversight, not military command or religious office. English Bible translations usually render the term as 'city officials' or 'city authorities,' but 'magistrates' or 'civic rulers' may better reflect the municipal nature of the office. Its use in the New Testament is corroborated by multiple non-biblical inscriptions, some listing the names of πολιτάρχαι, especially from Thessalonica, lending historical credibility to the Acts narrative.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from πόλις and ἄρχω; a town-officer, i.e. magistrate:--ruler of the city.
Root Family
πολι-ἀρχ- (politárchēs) — to rule, to govern, to be chief
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G4173-01 |
πολιτάρχας | politarchas | N ACC M PL |
city authorities | city magistrates | city magistrates | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 occurrences