Sebastos
/seˈvas.tos/noun
A Greek title meaning “venerable,” used especially as the Greek equivalent of the Roman imperial title Augustus.
Did you know?Sebastos was created as the Greek equivalent of Augustus, whose title derived from Latin augere, “to increase” or “make greater,” linking imperial authority with sacred elevation.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sóyǵʰos
“A proposed root associated with awe, reverence, or solemn religious feeling; the deeper reconstruction is debated.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
σέβας (sébas)
“Awe, reverence, or religious veneration.”
Classical Greek
Greek
σέβομαι (sébomai)
“To feel awe toward, worship, or revere.”
Hellenistic Greek
Greek
σεβαστός (sebastós)
“Venerable or worthy of reverence; adopted as the Greek equivalent of the Roman title Augustus.”
Byzantine Greek
Greek
σεβαστός (sebastós)
“An imperial honorific and later a Byzantine court title granted to high-ranking officials.”
Modern English
English
Sebastos
“A historical and Byzantine-studies term for the Greek imperial title or its holders.”
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