Trierarchy

A trierarchy (Greek: τριηραρχία, romanized: trierarchia) was a type of obligation called a liturgy, a tax levied on the very wealthy in Ancient Athens requiring the performance of public services. The person upon whom the duty fell is called a trierarch. The responsibility might fall on one person or be shared, in which case it was known as a syntrierarchy. The trierarch was responsible for the outfitting, maintenance, operation and leadership of a warship known as a trireme (triēres). The ship, its equipment, and crew were all provided by the State, although some trierarchs supplied their own equipment and hired their own crew.