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(Ἀριστόβουλος; Aristóboulos). [German version] [1] Judas A. I., High Priest 104-103 BC Judas A. I, son and successor of John  Hyrcanus, High Priest in 104-103 BC, had his mother and brother incarcerated or killed to secure his rule. This and his philhellenic leanings determined his negative image in Jewish tradition. The claim of Josephus that he took on the title of king is thrown into doubt by (rare) coins with the Hebrew legend: ‘Judas the High Priest and the Council of Elders of the Jews’. During his ca…

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[German version] (Λεόννατος; Leónnatos). L., who was born around 356 BC to the royal house of Lyncestis ( Lyncus), may have been the son of a certain Anteas. In 336 he took part in the prosecution of the murderer of Philippus II. As one of his hetairoi, L. was sent by Alexander [4] the Great with a message of solace to the family of Dari…

[German version] [1] Macedonian commander (320-319 BC) Son of Iolaus,  399/398 BC, was certainly already active militarily and diplomatically under  Philippus and under his father  Amyntas and brothers. He was especially connected with  Alexander [4] and secured his throne after the murder of Philippus. During Alexander's invasion in Asia he remained with half of the Macedonian army as governor of Europe. He monitored Greece and sent mercenaries and Macedonian contingents during the first year of the …

(Ἀσάνδρος; Asándros) [German version] [1] Macedonian satrap of Lydia (334-331 BC) Son of a certain Philotas, probably related to  Parmenion, under Alexander [4] the Great t…

(Εὐρυδίκη; Eurydíkē). [German version] [1] Frequently occurring name of Greek heroines Frequently occurring name of Greek heroines, initially that of the wife of Aeneas in the  Cypria (Paus. 10,26,1; catalogue [1. 193]). The best-known is the wife of  Orpheus; the myth is told by  Vergilius (Georg. 4,453-527) and  Ovidius (Met. 10,1-147; 11,1-66) in the form that has since become canonical: E. died of a snakebite on the day of her marriage; through the power of his songs Orpheus was able to persuade the ru…

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[German version] (Δρωπίδης; Drōpídēs). From an aristocratic Athenian family (an ancestor with the same name was an archon in 645/4 BC and related to  Solon); according to Curtius 3,13,15, he was one of the three Athenian emissaries to  Darius [3] captured by  Parmenion after the battle of  Issus (in 333). The account in Arrian An. 3,24,4, needs to be corrected in some details where it deviates from Curtius [1. 1, 233f.] but reports credibly that  Alexander [4] had him arrested. His fate is unknown. Badian, Ernst (Cambridge, MA) …

(Μελέαγρος/ Meléagros, Lat. Meleager). [German version] [1] Hero from the pre-Trojan period, Argonaut Mythological hero. Hero from the generation before the Trojan War, from Calydon [3], the capital city of the Aetolians. As one the Argonauts ( Argonautae) M. participated in the funereal games for Pelias (Stesich. PMG 179; Diod. 4,48,4). As the brother of Deianeira he is also linked with the Hercules cycle (Bacchyl. 5,170-175; Pind. fr. 70b). First and foremost, however, he is associated with the local legend of Calydon. In the archaic period there were two variations of the myth. According to one of these, M., the son of Ares, was killed by Apollo while fighting…

(Ἀντίγονος; Antígonos). [German version] [1] Monophthalmus Diadoch (‘The One-eyed’), 382-301 BC.  Hetairos of  Philippus and  Alexander [4], married to  Stratonice, was the father of  Demetrius. During Alexander's invasion of Asia, commander of the Greek hoplites, satrap of Greater Phrygia from 333 until Alexander's death [323]. He defeated rebels and remnants of Persian troops, he gained Lycao…

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(Μένανδρος; Ménandros). [German version] [1] Joint strategos with Nicias, 414 BC The Athenians M. and Euthydemus [1], who were already in Sicily, were chosen as joint strategoi of Nicias towards the end of 414 BC, during the Sicilian Expedition, to support him until the relief expedition of Demosthenes [1] arrived (413) (Thucyd. 7,16,1; Plut. Nicias 20,2); re-elected 413/12 (Plut. Nicias 20,6-8; Thucyd. 7,69,4; Diod. 13, 13,2). Possibly identical with the M. who fought in Abydus in 409 (Xen. Hell. 1,2,16). He was stratēgós with Tydeus (405/4) in the defeat at Aigos potamoi (Xen. Hell. 2,1,16; 26; Plu…

[German version] [1] Visionary from  Telmessus (4th cent. BC) Visionary from  Telmessus, in the service first of  Philippus, then of  Alexander [4] the Great; hero of many anecdotes which only report on successful predictions; no further references after the death of  Cleitus. Prophecies of the future success of some of the  Diadochi have turned out to be fabrications. …

(Νεοπτόλεμος; Neoptólemos). [German version] [1] Son of Achilles and Deidamia The son of Achilles [1] and Deidamia, the daughter of king Lycomedes [1] of Scyros. Rare but explainable variants of the mother's name are Pyrrha (Heliodorus 3,2 = Anth. Pal. 9,485,8) and Iphigenia (Duris of Samos FGrH 76 F 88; on this FGrH 2 C 130). Homer only knows the name N., and Pyrrhus probably only becomes more common in the 4th cent. (first Theopompus FGrH 115 F 355) because of dynastic considerations of the Epirote king…

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(Δήμαρχος; Dḗmarchos). [German version] [1] Lycian, honoured in Samos Son of Taron, Lycian, rewarded with citizenship and privileges of honour for his services to the Samians (at the time of their banning) and to  Phila on Samos (Syll.3 333). Badian, Ernst (Cambridge, MA) [German version] [2] Syracusan strategos c. 400 BC Syracusan strategos, who in 411 BC, as one of the followers of the exiled Hermocrates, commanded the Syracusan fleet in the Aegean (Thuc. 8,85,3; Xen. Hell. 1,1,29) and was removed in 405/4 by Dionysius I as a political rival (Diod. Sic. 13,96,3). Meister, Klaus (Berli…

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[German version] Impoverished offspring of a king of  Sidon, put in the place of Straton as city-king by  Alexander [4] and outfitted richly. Embellished in Curt. 4,2,15-26 and Diod. Sic. 17,47 as a philosophical novella. He is probably the person for whom the  Alexander Sarcophagus was made. Badian, Ernst (Cambridge, MA) Bibliography Berve II no. 1.

(Μένων; Ménōn). [German version] [1] Recipient of Athenian citizenship according to Demosthenes For his support for the Athenians in their attack on Eion [1] on the Strymon, M. of Pharsalus was, according to Demosthenes (Or. 13,23), awarded …