View source for Codrus

{{Short description|Last of the Athenian Semi-Mythical Kings (r. 1089–1068 BC)}}
{{Infobox person
|image = Kodros-Schale.png
|caption = Codrus on a Attic [[Red-figure pottery|red-figure]] cup of Bologna
|children = [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]]<br/>Acastus
| title = [[King of Athens]]
}}

'''Codrus''' ({{IPAc-en|'|k|ɒ|d|r|ə|s}};<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/newcenturyclassi00aver/page/314/mode/2up |page=314 |title=New Century Classical Handbook|editor-first=Catherine B. |editor-last=Avery |publisher=Appleton-Century-Crofts |location=New York |year=1962}}</ref> {{small|or}} {{IPAc-en|'|k|oʊ|d|r|ə|s}};<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/centurycyclopedi09smituoft/page/264/mode/2up |page=264 |title=Century Cyclopedia of Names|editor-first=Benjamin E. |editor-last=Smith |publisher=Century |location=New York |year=1895 |volume=i}}</ref> [[Greek alphabet|Greek]]: {{lang|grc|Κόδρος}}, ''Kódros'') was the last of the semi-mythical [[Kings of Athens]] (r. ca [[1080s BC|1089]]–[[1060s BC|1068 BC]]). He was an ancient exemplar of [[patriotism]] and self-[[sacrifice]].<ref>{{cite EB1911|wstitle=Codrus}}</ref> He was succeeded by his son [[Medon (mythology)|Medon]], who it is claimed ruled not as king but as the first [[Archon of Athens]]. He was said to have traced his descent to the sea-God [[Poseidon]] through his father [[Melanthus]].<ref>The Great Books of the Western World, Biographical Note</ref><ref>Diogenes Laertius Plato 1</ref>

== Legend ==
The earliest version of the story of Codrus comes from the 4th oration ''Against Leocrates'' by [[Lycurgus of Athens]].<ref>Lycurgus, ''Against Leocrates'', 84-87</ref> During the time of the [[Dorians|Dorian]] Invasion of [[Peloponnesus]] (c. [[1060s BC|1068 BC]]), the Dorians under [[Aletes, son of Hippotes]], had consulted the [[Delphic Oracle]], who prophesied that their invasion would succeed as long as the king was not harmed. The news of this prophecy, that only the death of an [[Athens|Athenian]] king would ensure the safety of [[Athens]], quickly found its way to the ears of the king.  Knowing Athens would fall to the foreign war tribe otherwise, after conquering most of Greece up to this point; for the love of his people, King Codrus sacrificed himself to save them.  

Disguised as a peasant, he made it to the vicinity of the Dorian encampment across the river, where he provoked a group of Dorian soldiers. He was put to death in the quarrel, and the Dorians, realizing Codrus had been slain, decided to retreat in fear of their prophesied defeat. In the aftermath of these events, it was claimed that no one thought himself worthy to succeed Codrus and so the title of king was abolished, and that of [[archon]] substituted for it.

[[Aristotle]] (or possibly one of his students), in the ''[[Constitution of the Athenians (Aristotle)|Constitution of the Athenians]]'', states that it was indeed the house of Codrus that abolished the title of king in favor of Archon, eventually followed by 11 more.<ref>[https://sites.ualberta.ca/~egarvin/assets/athenian-constitution.pdf Aristotle ''Constitution of Athens'' 3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170808173915/https://sites.ualberta.ca/~egarvin/assets/athenian-constitution.pdf |date=2017-08-08 }}, page 6</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

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{{s-bef| before = [[Melanthus]] }}
{{s-ttl| title = [[King of Athens]] }}
{{s-non| reason = Title abolished }}
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[[Category:Kings of Athens]]
[[Category:Iron Age Greece]]
[[Category:2nd millennium BC]]
[[Category:Family of Plato]]
[[Category:Ancient Greek monarchs]]