1. plural of octarchy; governments or states ruled by eight people or eight rulers
Usage: formal; historical; rare
2. plural of octarchy; a system of rule divided into eight regions or provinces, each with its own authority
Usage: formal; historical; rare

Examples

• The ancient empire was divided into octarchies, each governed by a separate ruler.
• Historical texts describe the octarchies of the Byzantine period as complex administrative divisions.
• The concept of octarchies appears in political philosophy discussions about distributed power.
• Some scholars debate whether octarchies ever truly existed as stable governmental systems.