'archon of the deme'; plural δήμαρχοι, dēmarchoi), anglicized as Demarch, is a title historically given to officials related to civic administration.
[3] The responsibilities of the dēmarchos were to convene and chair the local assembly, and supervise the execution of its resolutions, as well as their engraving in public view.
[4] Along with the treasurers he supervised the deme's landed properties and their rent, as well as expenditure; along with the priests he was responsible for religious festivals, sacrifices, or theatre performances.
[5] As chief magistrate he also possessed considerable judicial powers, including holding his outgoing predecessor to account, and chairing the assembly when it was functioning as a public court.
The office survived into the Roman period, where it was reduced to a largely symbolic role supervising public religious acts and festivals.
There were usually four, known by their colours as the Blues (Βένετοι, Venetoi), Greens (Πράσινοι, Prasinoi), Whites (Λευκοὶ, Leukoi), and Reds (Ῥούσιοι, Rhousioi).
[12] However, after the Muslim conquests and the crisis of the 7th century, the dēmoi were restricted to Constantinople and were reduced to a purely ceremonial role as integral parts of the administration: their personnel had court ranks, and were paid salaries by the praipositos.
[14] By the mid-9th century, the dēmarchos was a government official, as attested in the Taktikon Uspensky and seals of office, holding the dignities such as hypatos or prōtospatharios in the court hierarchy.
[18][19] In the De ceremoniis of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, the ceremonies of promotion for the dēmarchoi are recorded, as well as for their subalterns.