ARCHON, 4exedv, from the verb ;qv), impero, signi fies a commander ; but in the constitution of the Athenian state, it denoted the chief magistrate.
The Athenians, like all the other states of Greece, were originally governed by kings, whose authority, however, was considerably limited by the laws, and check ed by the power of the nobles, who had rendered them selves in Li great measure independent 'of the crown. The institutions of Theseus, while they weakened the power of the nobles, by abolishing all the provincial tribunals, and obliging the people to have recourse to the courts of justice established at Athens, changed in a great degree the nature of the government, and infused into it a large portion of that dcmocratical spirit, which afterwards became predominant. The moinu•chal power, however, was continued under the restictions imposed by Theseus till toe death of Codrus, who, singular magnanimity,. voluntarily sacrificed his life for the good of his country. The Athenians laid hold of this event to abolish the name of king, alleging that none could be found to equal the virtue of Codrus, and that Jupiter alone was worthy to reign over them. This resolution wa, the more easily carried into execution, by reason of the dispute that arose among tile sons of Codrus about the succession to the throne. Aleclon, the eldest of his sons, obtained the preference by the intervention of the Delphic oracle, but was obliged to content himself with the title of archon instead of king, which was conferred upon him for life, and declared to be hereditary in his family. Tnis event is said to have taken place in the year Pilo before Christ. When the Athenians changed the title of their first magistrate, they likewise imposed a considerable check upon the exercise of his authority, by making him accountable to the assembly of the people for the proper administration of his office ; a measure which, with the power they possessed, must have made him extremely cautious and fearful of offending them. After the office of perpetual archon had remained in the family of Aledon during the space of 287 years, it was considered by the Athenians, among whom the idea of a more free constitution had been gaining ground, to bear too strong a resemblance to monarchy, which at that time was proscribed in every part of Greece, ex cept Lacedxmon. They, therefore, limited the duration
of the office, upon the accession of Charops, to ten years. But on the expiration of the archonship of Erexias, in cluding a space of about seventy years, they proceeded to make a greater and more important change. Anxious to enlarge their power, and to make it return as fre quently as possible into their own hands, they appointed nine archons instead of one, and resolved that they should continue in office no longer than one year. They were appointed by lot out of the first rank of citizens in the commonwealth, and were obliged, before they entered upon the administration of their respective offices, to undergo two rigorous examinations, one in the senate house, called imixcrers, the other in the forum before the heliast2e, called hztszr-ix. They were obliged to prove that they were descended from ancestors, who had been citizens of Athens for three generations ; to declare to what tribe and ward they belonged ; to spew that they had always paid a proper veneration to their parents ; that they had borne arms in the service of their country, and were possessed of a competent estate ; all which were requisite as proofs and pledges of their honour, ability and fidelity, in the discharge of their office. They "vere also asked, whether they were related to Apollo Patrius and Jupiter Herceus, by which was understood, that they were required to prove themselves free-born citizens of Athens.
They were next conducted into the royal portico, and obliged to swear upon the original of the laws, which were kept with the most religious veneration, that they would observe the laws, administer impartial justice, accept no presents ; or, if they did, that they would dedicate a statue of gold, of equal weight with them selves, to the Delphian Apollo. Under the influence of this oath, and still more with the hopes of being admitted, when they went out of office, and had under gone another examination, into the senate-house of the Areopagus, they conducted themselves with much pro priety, dignity, and honour, in discharging their respec tive functions.