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[A.S. hyde, from hydan; Du. huid; Ger. haut; Dan. and Icel. hud. See verb above.] That which covers and protects the flesh or the body of an animal; the skin of an animal, either raw or dre ed. (Com.) The skin of some of the larger animals, which are specially adapted for the manufacture of leather, and Hierarch, ( hi'e -rärk,) n. [Gr. hierarches; Fr. hié rarque.] A ruler, or one who governs sacred things. "Angels, under their hierarchs in orders bright." -Milton . Hierarchal, a . Relating or pertaining to a hierarch. sacred or ecclesiastical government. Hi'erarchism, n. Ruling principles of a hierarchy. Hierarchy, ( hi'e -rar- ke ,) n. [Gr. hieros , sacred, and archon, government.) ( Eccl . Hist .) Literally, H. means. a holy government, and is used to signify either the constitution and government of the Christian Church, or ecclesiastical polity, comprehending different orders of clergymen, and the government of the Church over the State. Taken in the for ner sense, with reference to the internal government of the Church, the H. arose with the formation of the Christians on an independent establishment; for, although presbyters , or elders, were placed at the head of the earliest congregations of Christians, yet their constitution was e entially democratic, each and all of the members having a share in the concerns of the whole society, and a vote in the election of elders, the exclusion of renegades, and the reception of proselytes. Afterwards, the government of the Church became more and more transferred into the hands of the elders; and in the 2d century, the bishops became chiefs, and took all authority in their own hands, although the elders were still po e ed of some semblance of power. In the capitals of different provinces, the bishops were termed metropolitans , and were superior in office to the provincial bishops, and thus, gradually, an aristocratical H. was formed, and the "metropolitans" of Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, and Jerusalem were called "Patriarchs," and looked up to as the heads of the Church, under the sovereignty of the Pope. - According to Dionysius the Areopagite , H. also denotes a division of the angels which were divided into three of these separate constitutions. The first H. was composed of the cherubim, seraphim, and thrones ; the second of dominions, virtues , and powers ; and the third, of principalities angels, and archangels. Some of the Rabbins reckon 4, and others 10 hierarchies, or orders of angels. Hieratic, ( hi -e- rat'ik ,) a. [Gr. hieratikos , from hieros, sacred, hiersus , a priest.] Sacerdotal; pertaining to priests; priestly; consecrated to sacred uses; - especially applied to the emblematic character used by the Egyptian priests. - See HIEROGLYPHICS. Hières, in France. See HYÈRES. Hi'ero, or Hi'eron I., a tyrant of Syracuse, succeeded his brother Gelon B. c. 478. He carried on war for several years with Theron, tyrant of Agrigentum, and his son and succe or Thrasydæus, the latter of whom he defeated and got expelled. In 474 he gained, in conjunction with the Cumæans, a great victory over the Etruscans, whose naval power did not recover the blow. Hiero was a patron of scholars, and his court was made illustrious by the presence of Æschylus, Pindar, Simon ides, Xenophanes, and other distinguished Greeks. He was also frequently a succe ful conmpetitor in the games at Olympia and Delphi. His government was very despotic, and was supported by mercenary guards and a spy-system. D. at Catania, B. c. 467. HIERO II., king of Syracuse, was the son of Hierocles, said to be a descendant of Gelon. After distinguishing himself in the Sicilian war of Pyrrhus, he was chosen, in B. c. 275, general of the Syracusan army. He carried on war with the Mamertines, who had invaded the island and taken Me ina, and in 270 was chosen king by the Syracusans. The Mamertines having obtained the alliance of Rome, Hiero in 264 allied himself with the Cart hag in i a us, who had gained a footing in the island, and thus began the first Punic war. Defeated by Appius Claudius in the following year, Hiero made peace with the Romans, and became their faithful and very useful ally. Under his government his subjects enjoyed great prosperity; he made some excellent laws, which the Romans retained after their conquest of Sicily; avoided all parade of royalty; fostered commerce, and strengthened and beautified Syracuse. The mathematician Arch i me des lived in his reign. Hiero D. B. C. 215, aged 92.