βασιλεία

A. kingdom, dominion, Hdt. 1.11, etc.; παιδὸς ἡ β. Heraclit. 52; hereditary monarchy, opp. τυραννίς, ἐπὶ ῥητοῖς γέρασι πατρικαὶ β. Th. 1.13; βασιλείας εἴδη τέτταρα Arist. Pol. 1285b20; ἡ πρώτη πολιτεία μετὰ τὰς β. after the age of monarchies, ib.1297b17: metaph., ἐποίησεν ἡμᾶς β. Apoc. 1.6; β. τῶν οὐρανῶν Ev.Matt. 3.2; τοῦ θεοῦ ib.6.33, etc.

2. kingly office, β. καὶ στρατηγία Arist. Pol. 1273a37.

3. at Athens, the office of the archon βασιλεύς, Paus. 1.3.1.

4. Pass., being ruled by a king, τῆς ὑπ’ ἐκείνου βασιλείας Isoc. 9.43.

II. diadem, D.S. 1.47, OGI 90.43 (Rosetta).

III. reign, ib.331.40 (Pergam.), D.S. 17.1, POxy. 1257.7 (iii A. D.); so αἱ β. the reigns of the Kings, title of book of VT; accession to the throne, BGU 646.12 (ii A. D.).

IV. concrete, His Majesty, LXX 4 Ki. 11.1, 1 Ma. 6.47.