Proxeny

in ancient Greece, a link between city-states, maintained by proxeni. These were citizens rendering hospitality and assistance to envoys or citizens of another city-state, either on their own initiative or on a commission from their own city-state. In exchange, the proxeni enjoyed a number of privileges in that city-state. During the Hellenistic period, the term “proxeny” also denoted the granting of privileges to a foreigner who had rendered special services to a city-state.