Archōn
In ancient Greece, title of the chief magistrate in several city-states.
In Athens there were originally three archons: the archon basilieus, or king archon, the eponymous archon, and the polemarch. Their numbers were increased to nine in 683 BC: the extra six thesmothetae keeping a record of judgements. The king archon was the elected king and religious representative of the state; the eponymous archon, by whose personal name the administrative year was known in Athens, was the head of state and supreme judge; the polemarch was in charge of state security and commanded the army.
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