Life Archedicus (Ἀρχέδικος) was an Athenian comic poet of the 4th century BCE, active during the period of Middle Comedy. The 10th-century Byzantine encyclopedia, the Suda, identifies him as the son of Tryphiodorus and notes he was ridiculed by the contemporary comic poet Timocles, which firmly establishes his chronological context [1]. No further biographical details survive.

Works The Suda credits Archedicus with two comedies: The Treasure (Θησαυρός) and The Pregnant Woman (Κυοῦσα) [1]. Both plays are now lost, and no fragments are extant. The same source mentions a third play, The Water-Carrier (Ὑδροφόρος), but acknowledges uncertainty over whether its author was Archedicus or the poet Nicochares [1].

Significance Archedicus is a minor figure, known only from catalog entries. His placement within Middle Comedy situates him in a key transitional phase of the genre between Old and New Comedy [2]. His mention as a target of Timocles offers a minor point of evidence for the competitive nature of Athenian comic poetry, though the total loss of his work precludes any analysis of his specific style or themes.

Sources 1. Suda, Alpha 4095 (Suda On Line): https://www.cs.uky.edu/~raphael/sol/sol-entries/alpha/4095 2. Encyclopædia Britannica, "Greek Literature: Middle Comedy": https://www.britannica.com/art/Greek-literature/Middle-Comedy