πρυτανεῖον πρῠτᾰνεῖον, Ionic -ήιον, ου, τό, πρύτανις the presidentsʼ hall, town-hall, Lat. curia, Hdt., Thuc., etc.; consecrated to Hestia or Vesta, to whom a perpetual fire was kept burning in it, which in Colonies was brought from the Prytaneion of the mother-city: at Athens the Prytanes had their meals there, and there they entertained foreign ambassadors, Ar., Dem.: citizens also of high merit, and the children of those who had fallen in battle, were rewarded by a seat at this public table, ἐν πρυτανείῳ δειπνεῖν, σιτεῖσθαι Ar., Plat. a law-court at Athens, Dem., Plut. πρυτανεῖα, τά, a sum of money deposited by each party to a lawsuit before the suit began, Ar., etc.; τιθέναι πρυτανεῖά τινι, i. e. bring an action against, Ar.; ἵνʼ αἱ θέσεις γίγνοιντο τῇ νουμηνίᾳ (sc. τῶν πρυτανείων) Ar.; δέχεσθαι τὰ πρ. to receive this deposit, i. e. to allow the action to be brought, Ar.