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Agonotheta

Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature

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(or Agonothetes, from ἀγών , a contest, and τίθημι, to place), in Grecian antiquity was the president or 'superintendent. of the sacred games. At first the person who instituted the games and defrayed the expenses was the Agonothetes; but in the great public games, such as the Olympic, Pythian, etc., these presidents were the representatives of different states, or were chosen from the people in whose country the games were celebrated. They received the several titles of αἰσυμνῆται, βραβενταί, ἀγωνάρχαι, ἀγωνοδίκαι, ἀθλοθέται.T'hev were also called ῥαβδοῦχοι or ραβδονόμοι , from the rod or sceptre-emblematic of their authority.