ἀρχιτελώνης
architelṓnēs
G754 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Principal or chief tax collector; a person holding the highest rank among those collecting taxes, particularly direct taxes or tolls. Also used more broadly to describe an official overseeing multiple tax collectors within a particular district or region. In contexts of the Roman imperial system, denotes an individual with administrative authority over taxation operations rather than simply a collector.
Semantic Range
principal tax collector, supervisor of tax collectors, chief of customs officials, high-ranking tax administrator
Root / Etymology
From ἀρχή ('beginning, first, authority') and τελώνης ('tax collector'). Denotes one who holds authority (ἀρχι-) over tax collectors (τελῶναι).
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term ἀρχιτελώνης is rare in extant Greek literature, with its most notable use in the New Testament (e.g., Luke 19:2 describing Zacchaeus). In the Roman and Hellenistic taxation systems, such a person managed the collection of taxes in a local or regional domain and may have supervised other τελῶναι (tax collectors). While standard English translations often render this as 'chief tax collector' or formerly as 'chief among the publicans,' the term 'publican' is an anachronistic Anglicism that obscures the socioeconomic and administrative context. The ἀρχιτελώνης was typically viewed with suspicion or disdain by the populace due to association with Roman authorities and the financial burdens of taxation; the role could be lucrative and sometimes involved exploitative practices. Unlike the lower-ranked τελῶναι, who collected taxes directly, the ἀρχιτελώνης could be a regional contractor, often wealthy and influential. In later Greek, the term does not persist; it is specific to the administrative context of the Roman East.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from ἀρχή and τελώνης; a principle tax-gatherer:--chief among the publicans.
Root Family
ἀρχιτελώνης (architelōnēs) — to lead, to govern, to collect taxes, to exact tolls
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G754-01 |
ἀρχιτελώνης | architelones | N NOM M SG |
chief tax collector | chief tax collector | chief tax collector | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G754-01 |
Luke 19:2 | ἀρχιτελώνης | architelones | N NOM M SG |
chief tax collector | chief tax collector | chief tax collector |