Basileus

Βασιλεύς

Coin of Antiochus I Soter. The reverse shows Apollo seated on an omphalos. Inscription reads ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ (lit. 'of king Antiochus').
Romanization	basileus
Pronunciation	Ancient Greek: [basile͜ús], Modern Greek: [vasiˈlefs]
Gender	male
Language(s)	Greek
Origin
Meaning	King, Emperor, Monarch
Region of origin	Ancient Greece

Basileus (Ancient Greek: βασιλεύς)^[a] is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs in history. In the English-speaking world it is perhaps most widely understood to mean 'monarch', referring to either a 'king' or an 'emperor'. A similar name deriving from Basileus was also used by bishops of the Eastern Orthodox Church and Eastern Catholic Churches.^[1] The title was used by sovereigns and other persons of authority in ancient Greece (especially during the Hellenistic period), the Byzantine emperors, and the kings of modern Greece.

The feminine form is usually Basilissa (βασίλισσα), but also Basillis (βασιλίς) or the archaic Basilinna (βασιλίννα), meaning 'queen' or 'empress'.^[2][3]

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