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Basileus: From Homeric Heroes to Byzantine Emperors
Basileus or bazyleus (Gr. βασιλεύς) was a title used by rulers of both Greek city-states and monarchies during the Hellenistic period. This name is traditionally translated into English as “king” or “emperor.”
In many Greek city-states, such as Athens, after the abolition of monarchy, this title was held by one of the highest officials responsible for performing the sacred duties of a monarch. In modern times, the title basileus was also used by the monarchs of the Kingdom of Greece, emphasizing the connection to the country’s ancient and medieval history.
Where does the word basileus come from?
The origin of the word basileus is uncertain. Some linguists trace it back to the Mycenaean form *gwasileus, which simply meant a court official or local leader, not a king. An earlier proto-Greek form would be *gwatileus. However, other linguists believe it is not a Greek word and was adopted by the Greeks from a pre-existing language in the eastern Mediterranean region.
The first recorded use of the word basileus is found on fired clay tablets discovered during excavations in the ancient Mycenaean palaces. These tablets date from the 15th to the 11th century BCE. The word basileus is written as qa-si-re-u and originally meant “leader.” On one specific tablet…
