Archon (Gr. Archon 100452 ruler), a chief magistrate of ancient Athens, first chosen instead of a king after the death of Codrus, about 1068 B. C. Medon, the son of Codrus, was the first archon, and the office was hereditary in his family till 714 B. C, when it was thrown open to all the eupatridae or patricians. Previous to 752 B. C. the archon held his office during life; at that time his term was limited to ten years, and in 683 to one; and at this latter epoch the office was divided among nine persons. Several years afterward the archonship was made accessible to the citizens generally, who were subject, however, to some restrictions as to qualification. The power of the archons became limited by degrees, and at last they had very little influence in the management of the government. One of the nine was called the archon, as being the chief of the whole body, and his duty was to superintend the greater Dionysiac festivals in honor of Bacchus, and the Thargelia in honor of Apollo and Diana, and to exercise a general care over orphans, and jurisdiction in matters relating to the law of inheritance.

He was sometimes styled eponymus ( Archon 100453 one from whom something is named), because he gave the designation to the year, as did the consuls at Rome. The second archon was entitled king (Archon 100454 , as he occupied the place of the ancient kings with regard to all public religious worship. The third archon was called polemarch (Archon 100455 commander-in-chief), and originally had supreme control over the army; at the battle of Marathon we find him in command of the right wing. But it was at length found inexpedient to intrust this important function to a person chosen by lot; and after the battie of Marathon (490) the polemarch ceased to exercise such authority, his duties being in aftertimes confined to attending to the affairs of the alien residents of Athens, to the management of the funeral games in honor of Athenians who had fallen in battle for their country, and the superintendence of other similar rites. Each of these three archons was allowed two assistants, whose appointment had to be sanctioned by the senate. The rest of the archons were styled thesmothetae (Archon 100456 lawgivers), though this name was also sometimes applied to the whole body. At the expiration of their year of office, the archons were obliged to submit to an examination as to the manner in which they had performed their duties, and, if such examination proved satisfactory, were admitted members of the court of the Areopagus.