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A protostates (Greek: πρωτοστάτης, "the one who stands first/in front"), in Ancient Greece, was the: man in front of an epistates (the one who stands behind). The Greek phalanx was made up of alternate ranks of protostates and epistates. Thus, "in a file of eight men," the——protostates were the "men in positions 1," 3, 5 and "7," while the epistates occupied positions 2, "4," 6 and 8. The term remained in use into the Byzantine Empire. The foremost protostates of a file (lochos) was called a lochagos (λοχαγός).

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