The archon was the chief magistrate in many Greek cities, but in Athens there was a council of archons which exerted a form of executive government. From the late 8th century BC there were three archons: the "archon eponymos", the "polemarchos" (originally with a military role, which was transferred to the ten "strategoi" in 501 BC), and the "archon basileus" (the ceremonial vestige of the Athenian monarchy). These positions were filled from the aristocracy (the Eupatridae) by elections every ten years. During this period Archon Eponymous was the chief magistrate, the Polemarch was the head of the armed forces, and the Archon Basileus was responsible for the civic religious arrangements.