Codrus (/ˈkɒdrəs/;[1] or /ˈkoʊdrəs/;[2] Greek: Κόδρος, Kódros) was the last of the semi-mythical Kings of Athens (r. ca 1089–1068 BC).

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.

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, states that it was indeed the house of Codrus that abolished the title of king in favor of Archon, eventually followed by 11 more.