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a higher magistrate in ancient Athens.
any ruler.
Historical Examples

Some of these archons might dye before the end of the ten years, and the remainder of the ten years be supplied by a new archon.
The Chronology of Ancient Kingdoms Amended Isaac Newton

Oils, as I am a Christian, and close to the very palace of the archon!
Gycia Lewis Morris

While at archon’s table he had determined to place his cure in the hands of higher powers.
Arachne, Complete Georg Ebers

This probably alludes to the government of Solon, when archon of Athens.
The Fables of Phdrus Phaedrus

Immediately after those events, Aristeides was chosen as archon Eponymus, that is, the archon who gives his name to the year.
Plutarch’s Lives, Volume II Aubrey Stewart & George Long

Alkibiades, Basilea, the mistress of the archon, what signified that to her?
His Excellency the Minister Jules Claretie

He corresponded to the Roman consul and the Athenian archon.
Mesopotamian Archaeology Percy S. P. Handcock

Its meetings were held in the open air, and its members were selected from those who had held the office of archon.
The New Gresham Encyclopedia. Vol. 1 Part 2 Various

It began two months before Pythodorus ceased to be archon, Thucyd.
Observations upon the Prophecies of Daniel, and the Apocalypse of St. John Isaac Newton

By what sign can we be sure that the manifesting agency present is that of a god, an angel, an archon, or a soul?
Cock Lane and Common-Sense Andrew Lang

noun
(in ancient Athens) one of the nine chief magistrates
n.

one of the nine chief magistrates of ancient Athens, 1650s, from Greek arkhon “ruler,” noun use of present participle of arkhein “to rule,” from PIE *arkhein- “to begin, rule, command,” a “Gk. verb of unknown origin, but showing archaic Indo-European features … with derivatives arkhe, ‘rule, beginning,’ and arkhos, ‘ruler’ ” [Watkins].