antistĕs, ĭtis, m. and f. (fem. also antistĭta, ae, like hospita from hospes, sospita from sospes, clienta from cliens, Inscr. Orell. 2200; cf. Charis. p. 77 P.; Prisc. p. 650 P.) [antisto = antesto, q. v.; pr. adj., standing before], an overseer, president.
I Lit.
A In gen. (rare): vindemiatorum, Col. 3, 21, 6: imperii Romani, Tert. Apol. 1. —In fem. , a female overseer : latrinarum, Tert. Pall. 4 fin. —Far more freq.,
B Esp., an overseer of a temple , a high-priest : caerimoniarum et sacrorum, Cic. Dom. 39, 104; id. Div. 2, 54 fin. : Jovis, Nep. Lys. 3, 3; Liv. 9, 34; 1, 7: sacrorum, Juv. 2, 113.— In the O. T. simply a priest : et sanctificarentur antistites, * Vulg. 2 Par. 29, 34.—In the Christian writers, a bishop , Cod. Just. 1, 3; 1, 18 et saep.—
C In fem. , a female overseer of a temple , a chief priestess. — Form antistĕs : adsiduae templi antistites, Liv. 1, 20; so id. 23, 24; 31, 14: perita antistes, Val. Max. 1, 1, n. 1: templi aeditua et antistes pudicitia, Tert. Cult. Fem. 1.— Form antistĭta , Plaut. Rud. 3, 2, 10: Veneris antistita, Pollio ap. Charis. p. 77 P.; Att. ap. Non. p. 487, 19: fani antistitae, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 45, 99; cf. Gell. 13, 20, 22: antistita Phoebi, i. e. Cassandra , so called as prophetess, Ov. M. 13, 410: Cybeles antistita, Verg. Cir. 166; Corn. Sev. ap. Charis. p. 77 P.—
II Trop., a master in any science or art , as in Engl. high-priest : artis dicendi antistes, Cic. de Or. 2, 46, 202: cultor et antistes doctorum virorum, Ov. Tr. 3, 14, 1: artium, Col. 11, 1, 10: sapientiae, Plin. 7, 30, 31, § 110: philosophiae, Lact. 5, 2: juris, Quint. 11, 1, 69: justitiae, Gell. 14, 4: studiorum liberalium, Dig. 10, 46, 1.