Archias of Cyprus
2nd-century BC Egyptian satrap
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Archias (Ancient Greek: Ἀρχίας) was the governor (strategos) of Cyprus under Ptolemy VI Philometor in the 2nd century BCE.[1]
Little is known of Archias's life. He traveled with Ptolemy to Rome in 164, and took his post in Cyprus in 163.[2] The Seleucids had always had their eye on the island, and in 155 Demetrius I Soter gave Archias a bribe of 500 talents in order to betray the island. Archias was caught, and put on trial for this. Before the trial could be resolved in a guilty or innocent verdict, Archias hanged himself.[3][4][5] While 155 is traditionally considered his date of death, various scholars have put the date of his suicide anywhere between 158 and 154.[2]
This event was said to have inspired the adage of the Dutch Renaissance humanist Erasmus, "Inanium inania consilia" ("futile advice from futile people"), said when a person of low intelligence is foiled in their plans.[6]
