eponymous archon

The eponymous archon (anc. Gk. ἐπώνυμος ἄρχων, romanized epōnymos archōn) was the chief magistrate in various ancient Greek city states, who gave his name to the year in which he held office, much like Roman consuls. "Archon" (ἄρχων, pl. ἄρχοντες, archontes) means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office, In Classical Athens, a system of nine concurrent archons evolved, led by three respective remits over the civic, military, and religious affairs of the state: the three office holders were known as the eponymous archon (ruler of Athens, the highest political office in the city-state), the polemarch (πολέμαρχος, "war ruler", the commander-in-chief of the Athenian military), and the archon basileus (ἄρχων βασιλεύς, "king ruler", the high priest of the cit...