Alexander II of Epirus
Alexander II | |
---|---|
King of Epirus | |
Illustration of silver tetradrachm of Ptolemy I of Egypt, in the name of Alexander the Great (ca. 310-305 BC). Obverse: youthful head, covered with the skin of elephant's head. Reverse: Pallas Athena, holding spear and shield; before her eagle on thunderbolt. | |
Reign | 272 - 255 BC[1] |
Predecessor | Pyrrhus I of Epirus |
Successor | Pyrrhus II of Epirus |
Spouse | Olympias II of Epirus |
Issue | Pyrrhus II of Epirus Ptolemy of Epirus Phthia of Macedon |
House | Aeacidae |
Father | Pyrrhus I of Epirus |
Mother | Lanassa of Syracuse |
Religion | Ancient Greek religion |
Alexander II (Greek: Άλέξανδρος) was a king of Epirus, and the son of Pyrrhus and Lanassa, the daughter of the Sicilian tyrant Agathocles.[2]
Reign
He succeeded his father as king in 272 BC, and continued the war which his father had begun with Antigonus II Gonatas, whom he succeeded in driving from the kingdom of Macedon. He was, however, dispossessed of both Macedon and Epirus by Demetrius II of Macedon, the son of Antigonus II; upon which he took refuge amongst the Acarnanians. By their assistance and that of his own subjects, who entertained a great attachment for him, he recovered Epirus. It appears that he was in alliance with the Aetolians.[3]
Alexander married his paternal half-sister Olympias, by whom he had two sons, Pyrrhus ΙΙ, Ptolemy ΙΙ and a daughter, Phthia.[4] Beloch places the death of King Alexander II "about 255", and supports this date with an elaborate chain of reasoning.[5] On the death of Alexander, Olympias assumed the regency on behalf of her sons, and married Phthia to Demetrius.[6][4] There are extant silver and copper coins of this king. The former bear a youthful head covered with the skin of an elephant's head. The reverse represents Pallas holding a spear in one hand and a shield in the other, and before her stands an eagle on a thunderbolt.[7][8][9][2]
References
- ^ Sampson, Gareth C. (2020-08-05). Rome & Parthia: Empires at War: Ventidius, Antony and the Second Romano-Parthian War, 40–20 BC. Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-5267-1015-4.
- ^ a b Mason, Charles Peter (1867). "Alexander II". In Smith, William (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. p. 116.
- ^ Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Alexander II." . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 545.
- ^ a b Smith, William, ed. (1867). "Olympias (2)". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 3. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. p. 23.
- ^ Cross, Geoffrey Neale (2014). Epirus. Cambridge University Press. p. 124. ISBN 978-1-107-45867-3.
- ^ Universal Pronouncing Dictionary of Biography and Mythology, by Joseph Thomas - 1908 - page 90
- ^ Justin, xvii. 1, xxvi. 2, 3, xxviii. 1
- ^ Polybius, ii. 45, ix. 34
- ^ Plutarch, Pyrrhus 9
Sources
- Connop Thirlwall, History of Greece, vol. viii
- Johann Gustav Droysen, Hellenismus
- Benediktus Niese, Geschichte der griechischen und makedonischen Staaten
- Karl Julius Beloch, Griechische Geschichte vol. iii.
Preceded by | King of Epirus 272–255 BC | Succeeded by |
- v
- t
- e
- Ptolemy I Soter
- Ptolemy Keraunos
- Ptolemy II Philadelphus
- Ptolemy III Euergetes
- Ptolemy IV Philopator
- Ptolemy V Epiphanes
- Cleopatra I Syra (regent)
- Ptolemy VI Philometor
- Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator
- Cleopatra II Philometor Soter
- Ptolemy VIII Physcon
- Cleopatra III
- Ptolemy IX Lathyros
- Ptolemy X Alexander
- Berenice III
- Ptolemy XI Alexander
- Ptolemy XII Auletes
- Cleopatra VI Tryphaena
- Berenice IV Epiphanea
- Ptolemy XIII
- Ptolemy XIV
- Cleopatra VII Philopator
- Ptolemy XV Caesarion
- Seleucus I Nicator
- Antiochus I Soter
- Antiochus II Theos
- Seleucus II Callinicus
- Seleucus III Ceraunus
- Antiochus III the Great
- Seleucus IV Philopator
- Antiochus IV Epiphanes
- Antiochus V Eupator
- Demetrius I Soter
- Alexander I Balas
- Demetrius II Nicator
- Antiochus VI Dionysus
- Diodotus Tryphon
- Antiochus VII Sidetes
- Alexander II Zabinas
- Cleopatra Thea
- Seleucus V Philometor
- Antiochus VIII Grypus
- Antiochus IX Cyzicenus
- Seleucus VI Epiphanes
- Antiochus X Eusebes
- Antiochus XI Epiphanes
- Demetrius III Eucaerus
- Philip I Philadelphus
- Antiochus XII Dionysus
- Cleopatra Selene I
- Antiochus XIII Asiaticus
- Philip II Philoromaeus
- Demetrius I
- Antimachus I
- Pantaleon
- Agathocles
- Apollodotus I
- Demetrius II
- Antimachus II
- Menander I
- Zoilos I
- Agathokleia
- Lysias
- Strato I
- Antialcidas
- Heliokles II
- Polyxenos
- Demetrius III
- Philoxenus
- Diomedes
- Amyntas
- Epander
- Theophilos
- Peukolaos
- Thraso
- Nicias
- Menander II
- Artemidoros
- Hermaeus
- Archebius
- Telephos
- Apollodotus II
- Hippostratos
- Dionysios
- Zoilos II
- Apollophanes
- Strato II
- Strato III
Cimmerian Bosporus
- Paerisades I
- Satyros II
- Prytanis
- Eumelos
- Spartokos III
- Hygiainon (regent)
- Paerisades II
- Spartokos IV
- Leukon II
- Spartokos V [ru]
- Kamasarye
- Paerisades III
- Paerisades IV
- Paerisades V
- Mithridates I
- Pharnaces
- Asander with Dynamis
- Mithridates II
- Asander with Dynamis
- Scribonius's attempted rule with Dynamis
- Dynamis with Polemon
- Polemon
- Aspurgus
- Gepaepyris
- Mithridates III
- Cotys I