prytaneum

prytaneum
/prit'n ee"euhm/, n.
a public building in ancient Greece, containing the symbolic hearth of the community and commonly resembling a private dwelling in plan, used as a community meeting place and as a lodging for guests of the community.
[1590-1600; < L prytaneum < Gk prytaneîon, akin to prýtanis prince, ruler, chief]

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▪ ancient Greek building type
Greek  Prytaneion,  

      town hall of a Greek city-state, normally housing the chief magistrate and the common altar or hearth of the community. Ambassadors, distinguished foreigners, and citizens who had done signal service were entertained there. Prytanea are attested at Sigeum in the Troas from the 6th century BC and at various dates in Cyzicus, Erythrae, Priene, Ephesus, Epidamnus, Rhodes, and Olympia. In Athens one sign of the unification (synoecism) of Attica by Theseus was the creation of a single prytaneum, which became the seat of the chief archon. The prytaneum was dedicated to Hestia, goddess of the hearth, and within the building a perpetual fire burned, but it was not otherwise sacred. Prytanea were built according to many widely varied ground plans. According to some contemporary sources, when colonizers established a new Greek colony, they brought with them a brand from the prytaneum at Athens, from which the fire in the new colony's prytaneum was kindled.

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  • PRYTANEUM — placet hîc adscribere Etymologici magni verba, quae sunt: Τόπος ἦν παῤ Α᾿θηναίοις, εν ῳ κοιναὶ σιτήσεις τοῖς δημοσίοις ἐυεργέταις ἐδίδοντο, ὅθεν καὶ Πρυτανεῖον ἐκαλεῖτο, ὁιονεὶ πυροταμεῖον. Πυρὸς γὰρ ὁ σῖτος: τουτέςτι τοῦ σίτου δημοσίου ταμεῖον.… …   Hofmann J. Lexicon universale

  • Prytaneum — Pryt a*ne um, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? prytanis.] (Gr. Antiq.) A public building in certain Greek cities; especially, a public hall in Athens regarded as the home of the community, in which official hospitality was extended to distinguished… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Prytaneum — Prytaneum, in mehren griech. Republiken das Stadthaus, der Sitz der Regierung; Prytanen, zu Athen (über die Prytanen anderer griech. Städte ist fast nichts bekannt) der Ausschuß aus dem Rathe (500 Mitglieder), der 35 bis 36 Tage die Geschäfte… …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Prytaneum — Das Prytaneion war der Sitz der Prytaneis (Regierung) einer Polis (Stadt) im antiken Griechenland. Ihre Mitglieder, die Prytanen, waren die führenden Repräsentanten der Bule (Ratsversammlung). Das Prytaneion stand an zentraler Stelle der Stadt,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • prytaneum — noun The town hall in an ancient Greek city …   Wiktionary

  • Prytaneum — Pry|ta|nei|on, das; s, …eien, Pry|ta|ne|um, das; s, …een [griech. prytaneĩon]: Haus für die Versammlungen der altgriech. Stadtstaatbehörde. * * * Pry|ta|nei|on, das; s, ...eien, Pry|ta|ne|um, das; s, ...een [griech. prytaneĩon]: Haus für die… …   Universal-Lexikon

  • prytaneum — pryt·a·ne·um …   English syllables

  • Prytaneum — Pry|ta|nei|on, das; s, ...eien, Pry|ta|ne|um, das; s, ...een (Versammlungshaus der Prytanen) …   Die deutsche Rechtschreibung

  • prytaneum — ˌpritənˈēəm noun ( s) Etymology: Latin, from Greek prytaneion, from prytaneia : a public building or hall in an ancient Greek city containing the state hearth and serving as the place of meeting and dining for the prytanes and sometimes of… …   Useful english dictionary

  • Hestia — Hestia, 1) bei den Römern Vesta, die jüngste von allen olympischen Gottheiten, welche Homer noch nicht kannte, Tochter des Kronos u. der Rhea, wurde von ihrem Vater verschlungen, aber durch die List der Rhea wieder gerettet; weil sie unter ihren… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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