Archias ( grc, Ἀρχίας) of

Thurii Thurii (; grc-gre, Θούριοι, Thoúrioi), called also by some Latin writers Thurium (compare grc-gre, Θούριον in Ptolemy), for a time also Copia and Copiae, was a city of Magna Graecia, situated on the Tarentine gulf, within a s ...

was an actor turned military agent of the Macedonian general

Antipater Antipater (; grc, , translit=Antipatros, lit=like the father; c. 400 BC319 BC) was a Macedonian general and statesman under the subsequent kingships of Philip II of Macedon and his son, Alexander the Great. In the wake of the collaps ...

in the 4th century BCE in

ancient Greece Ancient Greece ( el, Ἑλλάς, Hellás) was a northeastern Mediterranean civilization, existing from the Greek Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of classical antiquity ( AD 600), that comprised a loose collection of cu ...

. He was nicknamed "the hunter of the exiles" (φυγαδοθήρας).

History

Archias was originally trained as a

rhetor Rhetoric () is the art of persuasion, which along with grammar and logic (or dialectic), is one of the three ancient arts of discourse. Rhetoric aims to study the techniques writers or speakers utilize to inform, persuade, or motivate parti ...

under Anaximenes of Lampsacus and Lacritus before becoming an actor. In his career as a tragic actor, he was said to have achieved some renown, performing in Athens and elsewhere.

Plutarch Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...

mentions him as having been the mentor of the great actor Polus of Aegina, as well as having once won the

Lenaia The Lenaia ( grc, Λήναια) was an annual Athenian festival with a dramatic competition. It was one of the lesser festivals of Athens and Ionia in ancient Greece. The Lenaia took place in Athens in Gamelion, roughly corresponding to January. T ...

around 330, despite being, as far as Athens was concerned, a "foreigner". Archias is more known to history as a servant of the Macedonian statesman

, probably for money. He was not an Athenian, but neither was he a Macedonian, and seemed to have no affiliation with any political parties, so later historians have assumed his motivations to have been mercenary in nature. Archias was sent in 322, after the Battle of Crannon, to apprehend the anti-Macedonian orators whom Antipater had demanded of the

Athenians Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...

, and who had fled from Athens. Archias seized Hypereides, Aristonicos, and

Himeraeus Himeraeus or Himeraios ( grc, Ἱμεραῖος), of the borough of Phalerus in Attica, was son of Phanostratus, and brother of the celebrated Demetrius of Phalerum. We know but little of his life or political career, but it seems certain that he ...

, and had them dragged from the sanctuary of

Aeacus Aeacus (; also spelled Eacus; Ancient Greek: Αἰακός) was a mythological king of the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf. He was a son of Zeus and the nymph Aegina, and the father of the heroes Peleus and Telamon. According to legend, ...

Aegina Aegina (; el, Αίγινα, ''Aígina'' ; grc, Αἴγῑνα) is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of the hero Aeacus, who was born on the island an ...

, and transported to Cleonae in

Argolis Argolis or Argolida ( el, Αργολίδα , ; , in ancient Greek and Katharevousa) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese, situated in the eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula and part of the ...

, where they were executed - quite gruesomely in the case of Hypereides. Archias also apprehended the renowned Greek statesman and orator

Demosthenes Demosthenes (; el, Δημοσθένης, translit=Dēmosthénēs; ; 384 – 12 October 322 BC) was a Greek statesman and orator in ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual pr ...

in the temple of

Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as ...

Calaureia Kalaureia ( grc, Καλαυρεία) or Calauria or Kalavria ( ell, Καλαυρία) is an island close to the coast of Troezen in the Peloponnesus of mainland Greece, part of the modern island-pair Poros. Strabo describes the coastwise journey ...

, leading to Demosthenes's suicide after a memorable exchange recorded by Plutarch. An otherwise unknown "Archias" is mentioned by

Arrian Arrian of Nicomedia (; Greek: ''Arrianos''; la, Lucius Flavius Arrianus; ) was a Greek historian, public servant, military commander and philosopher of the Roman period. ''The Anabasis of Alexander'' by Arrian is considered the best ...

as having escorted Antipater's daughter

Nicaea of Macedon Nicaea ( el, Nίκαια, – ) was a Greek Macedonian noblewoman and was a daughter of the powerful regent Antipater. Her mother's name is unknown. She was born and raised in Macedonia while her father was governor of Macedonia during the reign ...

to Asia around 322, whom some scholars (such as Karl Julius Beloch) identify with Archias of Thurii. Archias's fortunes at some point afterward took a downward turn. He eventually died of hunger, ending his life in great poverty and disgrace.

, ''apud Phot.'' p. 69b. 41, ed. Bekker

Notes

{{authority control Ancient Greek actors Ancient Greek actors-turned military agents 4th-century BC Greek people Magna Graecians