 Fourteen in all, they were either sworn in by the Athenian "basilinna" or her husband, the "archon basileus".One of their primary duties during the Anthesteria was to assist in performing the sacred marriage rites of the queen to Dionysus, and thus held to secrecy.According to a folk etymology, they were called "Gerarai", from the Greek word γηράσκω, "gerasko", "I grow old".