Archede'mus
or ARCHEDA'MUS (
*)Arxe/dhmos or
*)Arxe/damos) 1.
A popular leader at Athens, took the first step against the generals who had gained the battle of Arginusae, B. C. 406, by imposing a fine on Erasinides, and calling him to account in a court of justice for some public money which he had received in the Hellespont. (Xen.
Hell vii 1 § 2) This seems to be the same Archedemus of whom Xenophon speaks in the Memorabilia (2.9), as originally poor, but of considerable talents both for speaking and public business, and who was employed by Criton to protect him and his friends from the attacks of sycophants.
It appears that Archedemus was a foreigner, and obtained the franchise by franchise by fraud, for which he was attacked by Aristophanes (
Aristoph. Frogs 419) and by Eupolis in the Baptae. (Schol.
ad Aristoph. l.c.) Both Aristophanes (
Aristoph. Frogs 588) and Lysias (
c. Alcib. p. 536, ed. Reiske) call him
blear-eyed (
γλάηων).
