Archinus

Who is Archinus?

Archinus was an Athenian democratic politician who wielded substantial influence between the restoration of democracy in 403 BCE and the beginning of the Corinthian War in 395 BCE. In the early days of the restored democracy, he acted to weaken the oligarchic exiles at Eleusis by ending the period during which citizens could register to emigrate to Eleusis before its announced ending date. He seems to have advocated a moderate democratic policy, opposing motions to expand the franchise and restore the levels of pay for civil service that had typified the glory days of Periclean democracy in the 4th century. Archinus is also said to have motivated the official adoption by Athens of the 24-letter Ionic alphabet in 403/2. A fragment of this Archinus may be preserved in St. Clement of Alexandria.