Definition of prytany in English:

nounPlural prytanies

• 1(in ancient Greece) each of the ten divisions of the Athenian Council of Five Hundred.

  Example sentences

  • ‘The prytany rotated on each tenth of the year and was responsible for the daily operation of the city-state.’
  • ‘The year was divided into ten parts, and one tenth of the council, the Prytany, would meet during each period.’

  1. 1.1 A period of five weeks for which each of the prytanies presided in turn.
     Example sentences

     • ‘In the 4th century, there were 40 regularly scheduled meetings of the Assembly each year, four in each prytany (each prytany was one tenth of the year).’
     • ‘In the 4th century, the boule scheduled 4 meetings during each prytany. Since a prytany was about 1/10 of a year, this means there were 40 Assembly meetings.’