noun
- A ruler or governor of a people or ethnic group, especially in ancient or medieval times.
Usage: historical; often used in reference to ancient Near Eastern or Mediterranean contexts
Examples
- The ethnarch of the Jewish community in Alexandria held significant authority over local affairs.
- In biblical times, an ethnarch served as both a political and religious leader for his people.
- The Roman Empire appointed ethnarchs to govern certain provinces and ethnic groups.
- Herod Archelaus was made ethnarch of Judea after his father's death.
- The ethnarch's power derived from both imperial appointment and traditional tribal customs.