Search

(Γέλων; Gélōn). [German version] [1] Greatest Sicilian tyrant prior to Dionysius I, about 491-479 BC Son of Deinomenes from Gela, greatest Sicilian tyrant prior to Dionysius I, period of reign c. 491-478 BC. Firstly bodyguard, later master-of-horse of Hippocrates of Gela, after whose death in 491 he usurped the tyrannis over Gela and brought the east Sicilian archḗ of his predecessor, comprising Gela, Camarina, Callipolis, Leontini, Catana, Naxos and numerous Sicilian communities, into his power (Hdt. 7,154). Called to help around 485 by the Syracusan gamoroi (land owners), who …

(Ἀνδρίσκος; Andrískos). [German version] [1] (Pseudophilippos) the Macedonian; king Philippus VI (149-148 BC) (Pseudo-Philippus) from Adramyttium, incited 153 BC a rebellion in Syria as alleged son of  Perseus and was handed over by  Demetrius I to the Romans, but he fled and 151 arrived at Pergamum, where he came into possession of a diadem, in an ominous way, before he sought restoration of the Antigonid throne from Thrace with the help of his ‘relative’ Teres; 149 in Pella he was named king (Philip VI), 1…

(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…

(Ἄντανδρος; Ántandros). [German version] [1] of Syracuse Brother of Agathocles [2], end of the 4th cent. BC Brother of Agathocles [2]. At the beginning of the African campaign in 310 BC appointed ‘curator of Syracuse’ (Diod. Sic. 20,4,1) by his brother, whose life he later chronicled (Diod. Sic. 21,16,5), although Jacoby considers it a mere obituary. By some scholars, e.g. by Manni, A. is considered the author of the P Oxy. 2399 (FGrH 565 with commentary). Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography E. Manni, Note siceliote, I: un frammento di Antandro?, in Kokalos 12, 1966, 163-171 K. Meister…

(Λάνασσα; Lánassa). [German version] [1] Ancestress of the Molossian dynasty Daughter of Cleodaeus, granddaughter of Hyllus, great-granddaughter of Hercules [1], ancestress of the Molossian dynasty of Epirus (Plut. Pyrrhus 1,2; Lysimachus, FGrH 382 F 10). Neoptolemus abducts her from the Zeus temple of Dodona, marries her and has eight children with her, among them Pyrrhus (Iust. 17,3,4). Harder, Ruth Elisabeth (Zürich) Bibliography P. Levêque, Pyrrhos, 1957, 643 M. Schmidt, s.v. L., RE 12, 617. [German version] [2] Wife of Pyrrhus and Demetrius Poliorcetes, 3rd cent. BC Daughter…

(Φερεκύδης; Pherekýdēs). [German version] [1] P. of Syrus Mythographer and cosmologist, 6th cent. BC Greek mythographer and cosmologist, 6th cent. BC; according to an older tradition, he was a contemporary of Alyattes ( c. 605-560 BC; Pherecydes 7 A 2 DK; Acusilaus 9 A 1 DK), whilst according to another tradition, the acme of his career as a writer was in the 59th Olympiad (544-541 BC, so he would have been a contemporary of Cyrus [2]; Diog. Laert. 1,118 and 121; cf. Pherecydes 7 A 1 DK). According to Diog. Laert. 1,116, his book was still extant in the 3rd cent. AD; its title was probably Heptámych…

(Σκύθης). [German version] [1] Son of Heracles Third son of Heracles [1] (or Zeus: Diod. 2,43,3) and Echidna, brother of Agathyrsus and Gelonus [1]. Is the only son able to accomplish the task, set by his father, of drawing his bow and putting on his belt, and so becomes the king of Hylaea and the eponym of the Scythae (Hdt. 4,8-10; Steph. Byz. s. v. Σκύθαι; IG 1293 A 95 f.; cf. Sen. Herc. f. 533; Sen. Herc. Oetaeus 157). Antoni, Silke (Kiel) Bibliography 1 A. Nercessian, s. v. S. (1), LIMC 7.1, 794. [German version] [2] Tyrant of Cos, c. 500 BC Tyrant of  Cos c. 500 BC; in 494/3 he handed his…

(Δήμων; Dḗmōn). [German version] [1] Uncle of Demosthenes Uncle of  Demosthenes, honoured for the way in which he conducted his office as priest in 386/5 BC (IG II2 1140); possibly trierarch in 373/2 (IG II2 1607, 26; again later IG II2 1609,13; [1. 115] see Demosthenes 3597 II). Engels, Johannes (Cologne) [German version] [2] Nephew of Demosthenes, Athenian priest Son of Demomeles of the Paeania deme, nephew of  Demosthenes, priest of the urban Asclepius cult (IG II2 4969), probably identical with the rhetor whose extradition was demanded by  Alexander [4] the Great i…

(Ἀναξίλαος; Anaxílaos). [German version] [1] Tyrant of Rhegium (494-476 BC) Of Rhegium. Belonged to a family which emigrated from Messene to  Rhegium after the second Messenian War at the end of the 7th cent. BC. In 494 BC A. deposed the oligarchy of the 1,000 richest citizens in Rhegium (Aristot. fr. 611,55; Pol. 6,1316 a 38) and established there a personal rulership. A short while later he convinced the Samians and Milesians, who during their flight from the Persians were invited by the Zanclaeans to s…

(Μύρσιλος; Mýrsilos). [German version] [1] Tyrant of Mytilene, c. end of the 7th cent. BC Pilloried as the ‘tyrant of Mytilene in the fragments of the lyric poet Alcaeus [4] (oldest documentary evidence for the word monarchía ), M. is therefore ranked by Strabo alongside Melanchrus and Pittacus (Str. 13,2,3). His name points to Lydia (Hdt. 1,7 and he was possibly part of the Cleanactid family (schol. to Alcaeus 112,23 Lobel-Page = Voigt). After Melanchrus' overthrow he became a tyrant and survived a conspiracy…

(Κράτιππος; Krátippos). [German version] [1] Of Athens, contemporary of Thucydides, continued Th.'s work of Athens. According to Dionysius of Halicarnassus (De Thucydide 16), he was roughly a contemporary of  Thucydides and also the one who continued his work. The table of contents from his historical work which spanned at least to 394 BC is recorded in Plutarch (mor. 345c-e). Some researchers (e.g. [1; 2; 4; 5; 6]) claim that C. was a significant historian of the 4th cent. BC and the author of the   Hellēnikà Oxyrhýnchia , others (e.g. Ed. Schwarz, Ed. Meyer…

(Ἀρχάγαθος; Archágathos). [German version] [1] Son of Agathocles [2] (end of the 4th cent. BC) Before his return to Sicily in 308/7 BC  Agathocles [2] gave the command of the African troops to his eldest son A. despite his poor military ability. Since the latter fragmented the invasion army, the Carthaginians soon achieved significant successes and encircled A. in Tunes (Diod. Sic. 20,57-61). Even Agathocles could not reverse the situation in Africa after his return and fled to Sicily while abandoning the army. Therefore, embittered soldiers killed A. (Diod. Sic. 20,68). Meister, Klau…

(Πολύαινος/ Polýainos). [German version] [1] Epicurean, c. 300 BC One of the four 'masters' (καθηγεμόνες; kathēgemónes) of the Epicurean School (with Epicurus, Metrodorus and Hermarchus). B. at Lampsacus (year unknown), d. at Athens in 278/7 BC. Epicurus inaugurated an annual festival in his honour in the month of Metageitnion. P. came into contact with Epicurus during the latter's sojourn at Lampsacus (311/10-307/6 BC), and thereafter devoted himself to philosophy. At first, he excelled as a mathematician; re…

(Ἑρμείας; Hermeías) see also Hermias (Ἑρμίας; Hermías). [German version] [1] Of Methymna, author of Sikelika, dated 4th cent. BC of Methymna. Probably 4th cent. BC. First ‘foreign’ author of Sikeliká, comprising 10 or 12 bks and covering the period up to 376/5 (Diod. Sic. 15,37,3). As only a single fragment is extant, he hardly seems to have influenced the subsequent tradition. Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography Fr.: FGrH 558. Bibliography: K. Meister, Die griech. Geschichtsschreibung, 1990, 69. [German version] [2] Of Curium, iambic poet, Hellenistic period of Curium, iambi…

In early societies, largely based on family organizations, genealogy as a derivation of a person's descent in the form of a pedigree is often used as a means of legitimation and (pseudo-historical) memory, which was always also directed at publicity (genealogy from Greek γενεαλογεῖν; genealogeîn, ‘to talk about [one's] origin’). [German version] I. Near East and Egypt The purpose of lineage, transmitted in the form of a genealogy (generally patrilineal; exceptions in the case of Egyptian rulers), was to legitimate a claim to rulership, to tenure of a …

(Κάδμος; Kádmos, Lat. Cadmus). [German version] [1] Son of Agenor and Telephassa Son of  Agenor [1] (or Phoenix) and  Telephassa (or Argiope or Tyro), brother (or half-brother) of  Phoenix,  Cilix and others, uncle (or brother) of  Europa [2], husband of  Harmonia, father of  Agave,  Autonoe, Ino,  Semele and of  Polydorus (first mentioned in Hom. Od. 5.333; Kadmeíoi Kadmeíōnes already mentioned in Hom. Il. 4.385 and passim; Hes. Theog. 937; 975-978; at least since Bacchyl. 19.46-51 descendant of Io). In his search for Europa, C. leaves Tyre (Hdt. 2.49.3; Eur. Phoen. 639)…

(Κράτερος, Κρατερός; Kráteros, Kraterós). [German version] [1] Son of Alexander of Orestis, commander under Alexander the Great Son of Alexander of Orestis. Under Alexander [4], he commanded a   táxis of the   pezétairoi at the  Granicus (334 BC), and near  Issus (333) and  Gaugamela (331), he commanded the entire regiment. C. held a leading command against the  Uxii and the Ariobarzanes [2], as he also did in the wars in  Hyrcania and Areia [1] after Darius' death [3]. He played an important role in the …

(Σιληνός; Silēnós). [German version] [1] S. from Caleacte Greek historian, 2nd cent. BC Greek historian, like Sosylus in the retinue of Hannibal [4], 'as long as fate allowed it' (FGrH 175 T 2 in Nep. Hann. 13,3). Author of an 'official' history of Hannibal (F 1-2) and of Sikeliká in 4 books (F 3-9). S. was used by Coelius [I 1] Antipater (F 2); perhaps Polybius's criticism (3,47,6-48,12) of 'a number of' Hannibal historians concerning Hannibal's crossing the Alps is aimed at S., in whose work dreams, omens etc. play an important role (F 2). …

(Κλέανδρος; Kléandros). [German version] [1] C. of Gela Founded tyrannis in Gela in 505 BC Son of Pantares. C. founded c. 505 BC the tyrannis in  Gela and was assassinated after governing for seven years. C. created the preconditions for the rise of Gela under his brother and successor Hippocrates [4] (Hdt. 7,154; Aristot. Pol. 1316a 37f.). Meister, Klaus (Berlin) Bibliography D. Asheri, in: CAH 42, 1988, 758 H. Berve, Die Tyrannis bei den Griechen, 1967, 137. [German version] [2] Spartan commander in Byzantium c. 400 BC Spartan commander ( harmostḗs) in Byzantium. After the Greek…

(Δημοχάρης; Dēmochárēs). [German version] [1] Athenian delegate to Philip II, mocked by Seneca Mentioned by Seneca as an Athenian delegate to Philip II and compared to the Homeric  Thersites because of his open and bold style of speech (cf. Il. 2,212ff.) (Sen. De ira 3,23,2f.). Possibly identical with D. [3] PA 3716. Meier, Mischa (Bielefeld) [German version] [2] Relative of Demosthenes the orator The son of Demon of the Paeania deme, a relative of  Demosthenes, possibly as commander of the cavalry, he was Athenian delegate and witness of the oath of symmachia with Amyntas (IG II2 102,19?…