(or Agonothetes, from
ἀãώí
, a contest, and
ôßèçìé
, 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
áἰóõìíῆôáé
,
âñáâåíôáß
,
ἀãùíÜñ÷áé
,
ἀãùíïäßêáé
,
ἀèëïèÝôáé
.T'hev were also called
ῥáâäïῦ÷ïé
or
ñáâäïíüìïé
, from the rod or sceptre-emblematic of their authority.