hecatontarchy
(hɛkəˈtɒntɑːkɪ)
[ad. Gr. ἑκατονταρχία the post or command of a centurion, f. ἑκατοντ(α)- comb. form of ἑκατόν hundred + -αρχία, ἀρχή rule, sovereignty.]
Government by a hundred rulers.
| 1660 S. Ford Loyal Subj. Exhult. 37 One whiles we were under a Saxon Heptarchy again..sometimes under an Hecatontarchy (give me leave to frame a new name for a new thing). a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams ii. (1692) 202 What would come to pass if the choice of a governor or governors were referred to the thousands and millions of England? Beware a Heptarchy, again beware a hecatontarchy. 1852 Grote Greece ii. lxxvi. (1856) X. 98 The omnipotent Hekatontarchy named by the partisan feelings of Agesilaus. |