prohedra (προέδρα) : pro HED ra

(Greek; pl. prohedrai: literally chair in front; an ornate seat of honor in the Greek theatre for dignitaries, officials, and priests). The number of seats varied from a single seat for the statue of Dionysos to an entire row of seats. The center seat in the front row was reserved for the priest of the god Dionysos-Eleuthereus at the Dionysian Festival in Athens. Beside him sat the other priests and officials. Seats were made from carved stone and usually had backs. Note: prohedria (προεδρία – pro hed RI a) is the privilege of sitting in these honorific seats. “Pollux calls the first row of seats the prohedria, [Onomasticon, 4. 121–2], although strictly the word refers to the privilege of sitting in the front seats of a theatre, not to a physical location. (Sear 5).