 Originally these offices were filled from the wealthier classes by elections every ten years.During this period the eponymous archon was the chief magistrate, the polemarch was the head of the armed forces, and the "archon basileus" was responsible for some civic religious arrangements, and for the supervision of some major trials in the law courts.After 683 BC the offices were held for only a single year, and the year was named after the eponymous archon.