ὑπηρέτης

Ancient Greek

Etymology

From ὑπό (hupó, below) + ἐρέσσω (eréssō, to row) + -της (-tēs, -er).

Noun

ὑπηρέτης • (hupērétēs) m (genitive ὑπηρέτου); first declension

(Attic, Ionic, Koine)
  1. An Ancient Greek title, originally for a rower; In later times a title for those who performed any service in a vessel, except the soldiers or marines
  2. Any person who acted as the assistant of another, and performed manual labour for him, whether in sacred or profane things; a slave.
  3. A title for men by whom the hoplites (ὁπλίτης (hoplítēs)) were accompanied when they took the field, and who carried the luggage, the provisions, and the shield of the hoplites. (The more common name for this servant of the hoplites was σκευοφόρος (skeuophóros).)

Usage notes

At Athens ὑπηρέτης seems to have been applied to a class of officers. Aristotle (Polit. vi. 5) divides all public offices into three classes, archai (ἀρχαί) or magistracies, epimeleiai (ἐπιμέλειαι) or administrations, and hyperesiai (ὑπηρεσίαι) or services.

Declension

Descendants

References

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