1. a system of government by three rulers
Usage: political science
2. in ancient Athens, a public duty requiring wealthy citizens to finance and command a warship
Usage: historical; ancient Greek

Examples

• The ancient city-state experimented with a trierarchy before adopting democracy.
• Under the Athenian trierarchy system, rich citizens were obligated to fund naval vessels.
• The trierarchy was both a financial burden and a mark of prestige in classical Athens.
• Historians debate whether the trierarchy was an effective method of naval financing.
• The concept of trierarchy differs significantly from modern democratic governance.
• Wealthy Athenians sometimes tried to avoid their trierarchy obligations through legal means.