After 683 BC the offices were held for only a single year, and the year was named after the archon eponymous. The year ran from July to June. The archon eponymous was the chief archon, and presided over meetings of the Boule and Ecclesia, the ancient Athenian assemblies. The archon eponymous remained the titular head of state even under the democracy, though with much reduced political importance. Under the reforms of Solon, himself archon eponymous in 594 BC, there was a brief period when the number of archons rose to ten. After 457 BC ex-archons were automatically enrolled as life members of the Areopagus, though that assembly was no longer extremely important politically.
In the following list of Archons, years where the name of the archon is unknown are identified as such. Years listed as "anarchy" mean that there was literally "no archon". There are various conflicting reconstructions of lists; sources for this list are given at the end. Note that the term of an archon covered two of our years, beginning in the spring or summer and continuing into the next spring or summer. The polemarch or strategoi, basileus, and thesmothetai (the six assistants to the archons) are also listed, where known.
The later Athenian tradition varies on the exact position of this line; they held archonship for life, sometimes referred to as "Perpetual Archon", and exercised the sacral powers of kingship, as did the archon basileus later. The historicity of any of this ancient list may be reasonably doubted. However, Aristotle indicates, within the Constitution of Athens, that it was indeed the house of Codrus that abolished the title of king in favor of Archon.
At first the chief of the city was only a priest. "The charge of the public sacrifices of the city belongs according to religious custom, not to special priests, but to those men who derive their dignity from the hearth, and who are here called kings, elsewhere Prytaneis, and again archons." (Aristotle, Politics, VIII.5) /wiki/Prytaneis
Michael Rostovtzeff, Greece, passim.
"The Athenian archons when they entered upon their duties ascended to the Acropolis wearing crowns of myrtles, and offered a sacrifice to the titular, divinity of the town. It was also customary for them to wear crowns of foliage when they exercised their functions. And it is certain that the crown, which became and which still remains the emblem of power, was then only a religious symbol, an exterior sign, which accompanied prayer and sacrifice. Amongst the nine archons, the second archon, the one called the King, was the representative of the high priestly function of the old Kings, but each of his colleagues had some priestly duty to fulfill, some sacrifice to offer to the gods. ("Gustave Ducoudray, The history of ancient civilization: a handbook, 1889 pg 129) https://books.google.com/books?id=CQoFAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA129
Gods, Heroes and Tyrants: Greek Chronology in Chaos By Emmet John Sweeney.
Green, Peter (2009). "Diodorus Siculus on the Third Sacred War". In Marincola, John (ed.). A Companion to Greek and Roman Historiography. Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World. Vol. 2. Oxford, United Kingdom: John Wiley & Sons. p. 364. ISBN 9780470766286. 9780470766286
Fox The Classical World p. 122
Lacey The Family in Ancient Greece p. 139-145
Adkins Handbook to Life in Ancient Greece p. 35-36
Aristotle Constitution of Athens, 3
The son of Codrus was lame, which was why his brother Neileus would not let him rule, but the Delphian oracle bestowed the kingdom upon Medon. For more see Pausanias, Description of Greece, 7. 2. 1. /wiki/Codrus
Constitution of Athens and Related Texts – Page 70 https://books.google.com/books?id=chvBXolBjoUC&pg=PA70
John Blair, Blair's Chronological and Historical Tables: From the Creation to the Present Time, with Additions and Corrections from the Most Authentic Writers, Including the Computation of St. Paul, as Connecting the Period from the Exode to the Temple. London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, 1844. pg. 27 https://archive.org/details/blairschronolog00blaigoog
John Lemprière, A Classical Dictionary pg. 183 https://books.google.com/books?id=i_F5e3lnUjsC&pg=PA183
Pausanias, Description of Greece, Volume 3 – Page 64. (cf. "The successors of Codrus were Medon (son of Codrus), Acastus (son of Medon), Archippus (son of Acastus), Thersippus (son of Archippus), Phorbas (son of Thersippus), Megacles (son of Phorbas), Diognetus (son of Megacles), Pherecles (son of Diognetus), Ariphron (son of Pherecles), Thespieus (son of Ariphron), Agamestor (son of Thespieus), Aeschylus (son of Agamestor), Alcmaeon. All these, according to the common tradition, held the archonship for life. After Alcmaeon the tenure of the office was made decennial. The first decennial archon was Charops, the second was Aesimides, and the third was Clidicus. See Eusebius, Chronic. vol. 1. pp. 185–190, ed. Schone.") https://books.google.com/books?id=LjNPAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA64
Michael Russell, A Connection of Sacred and Profane History, Pg 355 https://archive.org/details/aconnectionsacr00russgoog/page/n403
See Historicity of the Iliad. /wiki/Historicity_of_the_Iliad
Herodotus 2.53. /wiki/Herodotus
George Crabb, Universal Historical Dictionary pg. 91 https://books.google.com/books?id=uVZBAAAAcAAJ&pg=RA1-PA91
According to Diodorus Siculus (of the 1st century BC). /wiki/Diodorus_Siculus
Blair, Chronological and Historical Tables pg. 30 https://archive.org/details/blairschronolog00blaigoog
Herodotus, George Rawlinson, Sir Henry Creswicke Rawlinson, Sir John Gardner Wilkinson. The History of Herodotus: A New English Version, Ed. with Copious Notes and Appendices, Illustrating the History and Geography of Herodotus, from the Most Recent Sources of Information; and Embodying the Chief Results, Historical and Ethnographical, which Have Been Obtained in the Progress of Cuneiform and Hieroglyphical Discovery, Volume 3. Appleton, 1882. Pg 316 https://books.google.com/books?id=s1cyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA316
Evelyn Abbott. A Skeleton Outline of Greek History: Chronologically Arranged. Pg 27. https://books.google.com/books?id=aZEtAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA27
The Roman Antiquities, Volume 1. By Dionysius (Halicarnassensis). pg 162. /wiki/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus
History of Ancient and Modern Greece.
By John Frost. Pg 35 https://books.google.com/books?id=UksbAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA35
According to Dionysius of Halicarnassus /wiki/Dionysius_of_Halicarnassus
Pausanias's Description of Greece, 4.5.3; Volume 3
By Pausanias. Pg 64 /wiki/Pausanias_(geographer)
Henry-Fines Clinton. Fasti Hellenici, the Civil and Literary Chronology of Greece, from the Earliest Accounts to the Death of Augustus. University Press, 1834 pg 241, Pg 166 https://archive.org/details/fastihellenicic01clingoog/page/n273
Nicolas Lenglet Dufresnoy. Chronological Tables of Universal History: Sacred and Profane, Ecclesiastical and Civil; from the Creation of the World, to the Year One Thousand Seven Hundred and Forty-three. With a Preliminary Discourse on the Short Method of Studying History; and a Catalogue of Books Necessary for that Purpose; with Some Remarks on Them, Volume 1. A. Millar, 1762. Pg 124 https://books.google.com/books?id=61oQAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA124
John Blair. Blair's Chronological and Historical Tables: From the Creation to the Present Time, with Additions and Corrections from the Most Authentic Writers, Including the Computation of St. Paul, as Connecting the Period from the Exode to the Temple. Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, Paternoster Row., 1844. Pg 38 https://archive.org/details/blairschronolog00blaigoog
Blair's Chronological and Historical Tables. Pg 39 https://archive.org/details/blairschronolog00blaigoog
Unless otherwise indicated, the names and dates of archons down to 481/0 BC are taken from T. J. Cadoux, "The Athenian Archons from Kreon to Hypsichides", Journal of Hellenic Studies, 68 (1948), pp. 70-123 https://www.jstor.org/stable/626301
Cadoux, "Athenian Archons", p. 88
Cadoux notes "We cannot be sure that it was the same man who held the second archonship, nor, if we held that it was, do we know anything of the circumstances under which this happened. Nor, again, do we know if this man or men belonged to the Philaid family." ("Athenian Archons", p. 90)
Cadoux notes "We cannot be sure that it was the same man who held the second archonship, nor, if we held that it was, do we know anything of the circumstances under which this happened. Nor, again, do we know if this man or men belonged to the Philaid family." ("Athenian Archons", p. 90)
Cadoux notes this entry is based on a surviving passage of Hippys of Rhegion which is very obscure; Hippys states one Epainetos was king at Athens in the 36th Olympiad. However, this statement is full of mistakes which makes Cadooux suspicious of this passage. ("Athenian Archons", p. 91) /w/index.php?title=Hippys_of_Rhegion&action=edit&redlink=1
Per one surviving fragment of the Athenian Archon list. Donald W. Bradeen, "The Fifth-Century Archon List", Hesperia, 32 (1963), pp. 187-208 https://www.jstor.org/stable/147176
Per one surviving fragment of the Athenian Archon list. Donald W. Bradeen, "The Fifth-Century Archon List", Hesperia, 32 (1963), pp. 187-208 https://www.jstor.org/stable/147176
Per one surviving fragment of the Athenian Archon list. Donald W. Bradeen, "The Fifth-Century Archon List", Hesperia, 32 (1963), pp. 187-208 https://www.jstor.org/stable/147176
Cadoux, "Athenian Archons", p. 103
Per one surviving fragment of the Athenian Archon list. Donald W. Bradeen, "The Fifth-Century Archon List", Hesperia, 32 (1963), pp. 187-208 https://www.jstor.org/stable/147176
Per one surviving fragment of the Athenian Archon list. Donald W. Bradeen, "The Fifth-Century Archon List", Hesperia, 32 (1963), pp. 187-208 https://www.jstor.org/stable/147176
So Cadoux and Alan Samuel; Benjamin D. Merrit notes the name could be read "Onetorides". (Merrit, "Greek inscriptions, 14-27", Hesperia, 8 (1939), p 60)
This identification has been questioned by Matthew P. J. Dillon, "Was Kleisthenes of Pleisthenes Archon at Athens in 525 BC?", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 155 (2006), pp. 91-107 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20191029
Herodotus, Histories, books V and VI Google Books link https://books.google.com/books?id=lig9AAAAYAAJ&pg=PR10
But he adds, "It seems gratuitous to invent a third Miltiades-presumably from another family; and there are no solid chronological grounds for rejecting either of the two Philaids." (Cadoux, "Athenian Archons", p. 110)
See Cadoux, "Athenian Archons", pp. 111f
Alan Samuel is doubtful this archon existed, claiming this is based on Eustathius' misunderstanding his source, which provides the date Pindar died, not when he was born. Samuel, Greek and Roman Chronology (Muenchen: Beck'sche, 1972), p. 204
Cadoux suspects this is a corruption of the archon's real name. ("Athenian Archons", p. 116)
Added from Samuel, Greek and Roman Chronology, p. 205
Nine archons were appointed by lot by the tribes from 500 nominees chosen by the demes and that this was the method in the Archonship of Telesinus. See also the Areopagite constitution. /wiki/Sortition
Cadoux, "Athenian Archons", p. 119
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 480/79 to 348/7 BC are taken from Alan E. Samuel, Greek and Roman Chronology (Muenchen: Beck'sche, 1972), pp. 206-210.
"Calliades was archon in Athens, and the Romans made Spurius Cassius and Proculus Verginius Tricostus consuls, and the Eleians celebrated the Seventy-fifth Olympiad, that in which Astylus of Syracuse won the 'stadion.' It was in this year that king Xerxes made his campaign against Greece" (Diodorus, 11.1.2) /wiki/Spurius_Cassius
Friis Johansen, H. and Whittle, E.W. 1980. Aeschylus: the Suppliants, 3 Vols. Copenhagen. 21ff
Alternative spellings are taken from Samuel, Greek and Roman Chronology, pp. 206-210
Samuel, Greek and Roman Chronology, p. 207
Develin 1989, p. 78. - Develin, Robert (1989). Athenian Officials 684–321 BC. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-32880-2. https://books.google.com/books?id=cmoRFMTAu-0C
Classical Philology. p. 53 https://books.google.com/books?id=UIvPAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA53
The Works of Xenophon: & II and Anabasis. 1890 By Xenophon. Pg 98 /wiki/Xenophon
Samuel, Greek and Roman Chronology, p. 207
Thucydides (2.2) states that it began "in the 48th year of the priestess-ship of Chrysis at Argos, in the ephorate of Aenesias at Sparta, in the last month but two of the archonship of Pythodorus at Athens." Thucydides reports a solar eclipse that summer (2.28), which can be confidently dated to 3 August 431 BC. (E. J. Bickerman, Chronology of the Ancient World (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1968), p. 87)
Thucydides: Arguments. Peloponnesian War, Book III (cont'd.)-VI By Thucydides. Pg 208 https://archive.org/details/thucydides01smitgoog/page/n227
Sophocles: The Oedipus Coloneus. 3d ed. 1900 By Sophocles, Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb. Pg 4. (cf. Micon was [the Archon of] 402 B.C., Callias of [the Archon of] 406 B.C. Between them came Alexias (405), Pythodorus (404, the Anarchy), and Eucleides (403).) https://books.google.com/books?id=RToZAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA4
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 347/6 to 301/0 BC are taken from Benjamin D. Meritt, "Athenian Archons 347/6–48/7 B.C.", Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte, 26 (1977), pp. 161–191 https://www.jstor.org/stable/4435550
Samuel, Greek and Roman Chronology, p. 210
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 300/299 to 228/7 BC are taken from Michael J. Osborne, "The Archons of Athens 300/299-228/7", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 171 (2009), pp. 83-99 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20756748
The order in which these three archons held their office is not yet clear. (Osborne, "Archons of Athens", p. 85 n. 14)
The order in which these three archons held their office is not yet clear. (Osborne, "Archons of Athens", p. 85 n. 14)
The order in which these three archons held their office is not yet clear. (Osborne, "Archons of Athens", p. 85 n. 14)
This year is commonly attributed to "Gorgias" based on Pseudo-Plutarch (Vitae Decem Oratorum, 847D); however, Gorgias may be a corruption of the very rare name "Ourias" archon in 281/0 BC; Gorgias is thus a ghost. (Osborne, "Archons of Athens", p. 87 n. 21) /wiki/Pseudo-Plutarch
Osborne notes that Pytharatus "is one of the very few archons of the 3rd century after the 290s to be securely dated on the basis of Olympiads and literary testimony." "Archons of Athens", p. 88 n. 26
Osborne, "Archons of Athens", p. 90 n. 29
Osborne, "Archons of Athens", p. 90 n. 29
Voula Bardani and Stephen Tracy, "A New List of Athenian Ephebes and a New Archon of Athens", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 163 (2007), pp. 75-80 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20476395
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 227/6 to 211/0 BC are taken from Michael Osborne, "The Date of the Athenian Archon Thrasyphon", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 164 (2008), pp. 85-8 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20476441
Aleshire had placed Hoplon at this year because there was a gap; however, Osborne's latest revision of the Archon list has removed that gap. For further details, see Aleshire, "The Athenian Archon Hoplon", Hesperia, 57 (1988), pp. 253-5 https://www.jstor.org/stable/148359
Thrasyphon is commonly dated to 221/0 BC based on a Magnesian inscription that allows his archonship to be dated to the fourth year of Olympiad 139; Osborne has argued that the correlation is not that exact and his archonship could fall in the first year of Olympiad 140. (Osborne, "The Date", pp. 85, 88)
Merrit disagrees, placing Sostratos here and providing a primary source; Osborne provides no supporting evidence for Aeschron here. Merritt, "Athenian Archons", p. 178
Unless otherwise noted, the archons from 209/8 to 201/0 BC are taken from John S. Traill, "A Revision of Hesperia, XLIII, 1974, 'A New Ephebic Inscription from the Athenian Agora'", Hesperia, 45 (1976), pp. 296-303 https://www.jstor.org/stable/147935
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 201/0 to 160/59 BC are taken from Osborne, "Archons of Athens"
Following the arguments of John S. Traill, "The Athenian Archon Pleistainos", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 103 (1994), pp. 109-114 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20189176
Following the arguments of John S. Traill, "The Athenian Archon Pleistainos", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 103 (1994), pp. 109-114 https://www.jstor.org/stable/20189176
Christian Habicht argues that, based on the floruit of the letter-cutter of inscription did not extend beyond 185 BC, Achaeus' archonship occurred earlier and places Epaenetus in this year. (Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons", p. 245)
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 159/8 to 141/0 BC are taken from Christian Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons of Athens from 159/8 to 141/0 B. C.", Hesperia, 57 (1988), pp. 237-247 https://www.jstor.org/stable/148357
Habicht expresses less certainty about the dates of these seven archones. (Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons", p. 246)
Habicht expresses less certainty about the dates of these seven archones. (Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons", p. 246)
Habicht expresses less certainty about the dates of these seven archones. (Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons", p. 246)
Habicht expresses less certainty about the dates of these seven archones. (Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons", p. 246)
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 159/8 to 141/0 BC are taken from Christian Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons of Athens from 159/8 to 141/0 B. C.", Hesperia, 57 (1988), pp. 237-247 https://www.jstor.org/stable/148357
Habicht expresses less certainty about the dates of these seven archones. (Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons", p. 246)
Habicht expresses less certainty about the dates of these seven archones. (Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons", p. 246)
Habicht expresses less certainty about the dates of these seven archones. (Habicht, "The Eponymous Archons", p. 246)
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 139/8 to 61/60 BC are taken from Merrit, "Athenian Archons"
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 60/59 to 10/9 BC are taken from Simone Follet, "Deux inscriptions attiques inédites copiées par l'abbé Michel Fourmont (Parisinus Suppl. gr. 854)", Revue des Études Grecques, 118 (2005). pp. 1-14. http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/reg_0035-2039_2005_num_118_1_4604
Samuel adds these three names, as well as the next four, citing IG III2 1713 for their presence in the archon list. (Greek and Roman), p. 226
Samuel adds these three names, as well as the next four, citing IG III2 1713 for their presence in the archon list. (Greek and Roman), p. 226
Samuel adds these three names, as well as the next four, citing IG III2 1713 for their presence in the archon list. (Greek and Roman), p. 226
Unless otherwise noted, archons from 8/7 BC to AD 74 are taken from Samuel, Greek and Roman, pp. 223–237
Identified with a member of the Thracian Royal house based on IG II2 1070, making him the first verified foreigner to be the Athenian Eponymous archon. (Robert K. Sherk, "The Eponymous Officials of Greek Cities: I", Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik, 83 (1990), p. 275) https://www.jstor.org/stable/20187346
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 489
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 488–489
R. Neubauer, "Das Archontat des Rhoemetalkas in Athen", Hermes, 10 (1876), pp. 145–152 https://www.jstor.org/stable/4471392
Or eponymous archon in 41/2.
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 153-164
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 488–489
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 243-244
Unless otherwise noted, archons from AD 74 to 267 are taken from Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 501–510
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 488–489
James H. Oliver, "Greek Inscriptions", Hesperia: The American Excavations in the Athenian Agora: Twenty-First Report, 11 (1942), p. 80 https://www.jstor.org/stable/146530
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 243-244
Gustav Hirschfeld, "Die Familie des Titus Flavius Aklibiades", Hermes, 7 (1873), pp. 52–61 https://www.jstor.org/stable/4471237
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 314–320
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 489–491
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 114–115
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 256–257
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 138–139
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 508, 527
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 246
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. xv
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 462
Rotoff, "An Athenian Archon List", p. 408
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 281-282
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 153-164
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. xv
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 153-164
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 370
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 218-221
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 225
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 6-7
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 6-7
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 153-164
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. xv
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 420
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 314–320
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 370
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 225
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 281-282
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 218-221
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 420
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. xv
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 314–320
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 314–320
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 290-291
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 290-291
After 265, the record is so fragmentary that "Unknown" is not indicated past this point.
Byrne, Roman Citizens, pp. 266-267
So claimed by James H. Oliver, "Roman Emperors and Athens", Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte, 30 (1981), 423 https://www.jstor.org/stable/4435777
Unless otherwise noted, archons for 300 to 484-485 are taken from Samuel, Greek and Roman Chronology, pp. 234–237.