The nine archons included the “eponymous archon”, the archon basileus, the polemarch and the six thesmothetai. At the beginning of the 5thcentury only those from the two wealthiest classes, that is the pentakossiomedimnoi and the hippeis were eligible for office. From 457/6 B.C. the zeugitai were also eligible. For all ten tribes to be represented, the secretary of the thesmothetai was elected as tenth archon by lot, and after the end of their term, they became life-members of the council of the Areopagus.

The nine archons held the presidency at the meetings of certain courts and conducted preliminary examinations of litigants. Their main duties were to preside over judicial bodies, to supervise the correct application of laws and decisions and to draw up issues to be discussed at the meetings of the Assembly and the courts. At the end of the 5thcentury B.C. and at the beginning of the 4thcentury B.C. the functions of the nine archons were mainly religious and judicial.

The “eponymous archon” gave his name to the year of his term and had a seat at the Prytaneio (which some scholars identify with Tholos). The procedure of adidosi and appointment of choregoi for drama contests were among his duties, as was the organisation of the Mission to Delos and certain processions, such as that of the Great Dionysia, and others in honour of Asclepius. In addition, he had to settle famly issues (Aristotle, Athenian Constitution 56.2-7). From the end of the 5thcentury B.C. the decrees of the Assembly of Citizens are dated and bear the name of the “eponynymous archon”, but this does not seem to have become general practice until the Roman period.


The archon basileus presided over the Areopagus and homicide trials. He superintended the ceremonies of the mysteries and was responsible for the proper observance of certain festivals and sacrifices. He had a seat in the Basileios Stoa (Aristotle, Athenian Constitution 57.1-2).

During the 5thcentury B.C. the polemarch, who held a seat at the Epilyceum, judged cases involving foreigners or metics. He was responsible for the funeral games in honour of those who had fallen in war and offered sacrifices to Artemis Agrotera, Enyalius and Tyrannicides (Aristotle, Athenian Constitution 58).

The six thesmothetai (“determiners of custom”) and their secretary were responsible for the courts and for setting the dates on which the courts would be in session (Aristotle, Athenian Constitution 59.1).

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