Nicarchus was a Greek writer of the first century AD, best known for his epigrams, of which 42 survive, and his satirical poetry. He was a contemporary of, and influence on, the better-known Latin writer Martial. A large proportion of his epigrams are directed against doctors. Some of his writings have been found at Oxyrhynchus in Egypt.

A fragment of Nicarchus:

The Raven

''The gloom of death is on the raven’s wing,
''The song of death is in the raven’s cries:
''But when Demophilus begins to sing,
''The raven dies.


Nicarchus is also the name of a character in a play of Aristophanes, The Acharnanians.