in Grecian antiquity, were the presidents of the senate, whose authority consisted chiefly in assembling the senate, which, for the most part, was done once every day. The senate consisted of five hundred, fifty senators being elected out of each tribe; after which, lots were cast to determine in what order the senators of each tribe should preside, which they did by turns, and during their presidency were called prytanes. However, all the fifty prytanes of the tribes did not govern at once, but one at a time, namely, for seven days; and after thirty-five days another tribe came into play, and presided for other five weeks; and so of the rest.