3. With the Cretan cosmi may be compared the magistrates named prytanes, who in Corinth, as well as in other states, succeeded in the place of the kings. The numerous house of the Bacchiadæ were not content that certain individuals of their number should exercise the government as an hereditary right for life, but wished to obtain a larger share in it, and to give the enjoyment of the supreme power to a greater number. The only difference, however, which existed between a prytanis and a king was, that the former was elected, and only held his office for a year, by which he was compelled to administer it according to the will of his house, into the body of which he was soon to return. In this state, doubtless, there was also a gerusia, but perhaps only consisting of Bacchiadæ. As the Bacchiadæ only intermarried with persons of their own house, they formed an aristocratic caste, whose government, which lasted for ninety years, must have been exceedingly oppressive.(588) As Corcyra was founded from Corinth before the commencement of the tyranny of the Cypselidæ, we find that in the latter state annual prytanes, chosen apparently from among the aristocracy, remained the supreme magistrates even in a democratic age.(589) The power of the prytanis, as has been already mentioned, came next in order in that of king, and hence the ancient Charon of Lampsacus called the Spartan kings _prytanes_;(590) which was also the proper name of one of them. The early kings of Delphi were also, at least about 360 B.C., called prytanes;(591) in which state there was for a long time an aristocratic government, similar to that which prevailed in the Homeric age.(592) The number of the prytanes was in general only one or two.(593) At Rhodes there were two in a year, each of whom had the precedence for six months;(594) so that sometimes one, sometimes two prytanes are mentioned: they managed the public affairs with great power in the Prytaneum, in which building the archives of the city were preserved, and foreign ambassadors received.(595) Yet their powers cannot have been excessive in the free constitution, which Rhodes, at its most flourishing period, enjoyed. For the senate, which was chosen on purely democratic principles, as we shall see below, shared the management of all public affairs with the prytanes; the people, however, exercised the supreme power in the general assembly, voted by cheirotonia,(596) and does not appear to have been even led in its deliberations by the magistrates alone.(597) Yet the government of Rhodes was never, up to the time of the Roman dominion, a complete democracy;(598) perhaps it approximated at the period of the greatest power of these islanders to the _politeia_ of Aristotle.(599) But the power of the prytanes, who were also the chief magistrates in Ionian, and especially Æolian(600) states, was not everywhere so wisely restrained; in Miletus their authority was nearly