Harmost (from Ancient Greek ἁρμοστής (harmostḗs) 'joiner, adaptor') was a Spartan term for a military governor.
Although in many cases they were ostensibly sent for the purpose of abolishing the tyrannical government of a town and restoring freedom, they were accused of acting like kings or tyrants themselves,[citation needed] such that the grammarian Dionysius thought[citation needed] that harmost was merely another word for "king".
In the peace of Antalcidas the Lacedaemonians pledged to reestablish free governments in their subject towns, but they nevertheless continued to install harmosts in them.
[1] Even Xenophon, generally pro-Spartan, censured the Spartans for the manner in which they allowed their harmosts to govern.
There is an earlier use of the word in a scholium to Pindar's odes, but the meaning isn't explained.