Aeinautae (Ancient Greek: Ἀειναῦται, Aeinautai, from aeí 'always' and naûtai 'sailors') were magistrates at Miletus around 600 BC, consisting of the chief men in the state, who obtained the supreme power on the deposition of the tyrants, Thoas and Damasenor.
Whenever they wished to deliberate on important matters, they embarked on board ship (hence their name), put out at a distance from land, and did not return to shore until they had transacted their business.
21, Quaestiones Graecae (Αἴτια Ἑλληνικά), 32.298c-d: Ancient Greek: Τίνες οἱ ἀειναῦται παρὰ Μιλησίοις;Τῶν περὶ Θόαντα καὶ Δαμασήνορα τυράννων[3] καταλυθέντων ἑταιρεῖαι δύο τὴν πόλιν κατέσχον, ὧν ἡ μὲν ἐκαλεῖτο Πλουτὶς ἡ δὲ Χειρομάχα.
When the despots associated with Thoas and Damasenor had been overthrown, two political parties came into control of the city, one of which was called Plutis,[5] the other Cheiromacha.
But when they had come to a final decision, they sailed back; and because of this they acquired the appellation of Perpetual Sailors.Further there are three known stone inscriptions from the island Euboea which feature the word aeinautai.