Archon. Detailed history

Archon was the term for a ruler, leader, or magistrate in Greek cities. This person could generally be seen as a leader and was often seen in societies, such as burial or social clubs, as well.

Originally, the king was the supreme leader of political, military, and religious matters, but when kings were driven out or replaced by aristocrats, his power was often split up among various officials, often called and led by archons. Information on the Athenian government and magistrates, including the archons, is best known from the so-called Constitution of the Athenians, written in the fourth century and often attributed to Aristotle, where the king’s power was transferred to the archons.

Originally, the archons in Athens were elected every ten years, with this later changed to every year. The first three archons were called Eponymous, Polemarch (or war-archon), and the third Basileus (or king-archon), and the later six remained judicial officers or thesmothetai (law-setters), for a total of nine archons. After Cleisthenes reformed the Athenian constitution, a tenth archon was added, who was the secretary for the thesmothetai.

The Eponymous archon gave his name to the year, thereby providing a type of dating system, and he was the chief leader or magistrate during that time. Originally, the Eponymous archon presided over the civic functions of the government; the boule, or council of 500; and the ecclesia, or the general assembly. When the Athenian democracy was in full force, the Eponymous archon was still the official leader of the state, even though his power was mainly ceremonial. He had primary oversight of family cases.

The Polemarch was the senior general or commander of the army. In Athens, his power was later transferred to the ten strategoi or generals, one elected from each of the tribes. He continued to command armies until 487, but after the Persian Wars, he was then selected by chance or lot. His continued devolution occurred when it was mainly ceremonial and in charge over trials involving inheritance, foreigners, and status.

The Archon Basileus was in charge of the religious structure of the state. During the early period, the Archon Basileus probably ensured that the city’s religious functions and sacrifices were properly attended. He was also tasked with overseeing trials of murder and arson, since these were viewed as a violation of religious laws. The trials of such crimes were still undertaken by the Areopagus. In 487, the Archon Basileus was no longer elected from the aristocracy but chosen by lot, as with the other archons.

The thesmothetai were in charge of determining the general court calendars and which courts the magistrates handled. They were also in charge of the courts of impeachment of magistrates, for the improper submission of decrees, penalties in excess of the boule’s authority, appeals for the deme’s registers (demes were county districts or villages, usually outside the polis), bribery, and a host of other charges, both criminal and moral.

The archons were also charged with overseeing the great literary festivals, which ensured that the city was properly praised. This duty involved the selection of poets or playwrights, the chief actors, and the wealthy patrons who paid for the productions. The archons not only selected the writers, but also matched them with the chief actors and the patrons.

Before Cleisthenes’s reform in 509, the archons were elected from the wealthiest and most powerful families. While Solon in the mid-fifth century opened up the office by basing it on wealth, the archons still came from the most important and powerful families, even if their wealth had diminished. Once the archons had served in their positions, they became members of the Areopagus, the chief court and assembly for Athens before the reforms took place. During the time of Pisistratus and his family, the nine yearly archons, although supposedly elected, were in reality chosen by the tyrants, which gave them increasing power over the legislative and judicial functions of the state.

When Cleisthenes reformed the constitution, he devalued the power of the Areopagus, in part due to their connection with the old tyrant. The archons now increased by one, to ten, and continued to be elected. This would go on until at least 487, when the reforms occurred and the archons were chosen by lot.

As proof, the names of the Eponymous Archon, which gave their names to the Athenian year they served in, were previously held by important men who controlled the politics of Athens, such as Themistocles and Aristides, but afterward, the individuals were no longer just important men, but rather shows the results of being chosen by chance.

This was the eventual evolution of Cleisthenes’s reforms, which had made the archons less important. The archons ultimately became another set of magistrates appointed by lot, who oversaw the courts and ensured the smooth running of the state.