Ophellas
Indus
in 326 BC.Zeus Ammon standing left, holding patera and lotus-tipped sceptre; thymiaterion
to left, [Π]OΛIANΘEYΣ to right.
Libya
) right, hair tied in bun above, with ties handing below; Π-[O] flanking neck.Ophellas or Ophelas (
ancient Macedonian soldier and politician. Born in Pella in Macedonia, he was a member of the expeditionary army of Alexander the Great in Asia, and later acted as Ptolemaic governor of Cyrene. His father's name was Seilenus.[1]
India
Ophellas's name is first mentioned as a
Indus in 326 BC.[2]
Governor of Cyrenaica (322 BC - c. 308 BC)
After the death of Alexander, he followed the fortunes of
Thimbron and the party that supported him, he helped establish Ptolemaic control over Cyrene itself and its dependencies. The character of the new pro-Ptolemaic regime at Cyrene is illuminated by a lengthy constitutional document from Cyrene, preserved on stone, whose precise date remains controversial.[4]
Ophellas' later career is somewhat obscure.
Miltiades, and appears to have maintained friendly relations with Athens. It seems likely that he was left by Ptolemy as governor of Cyrene, which he presumably continued to hold on behalf of Ptolemy until 309/8 BC: his name is not mentioned in the account given by Diodorus[7]
of the revolt of the Cyrenaeans in 313 BC, which was rapidly suppressed by Ptolemy.
He is next heard of in 309/8 BC, when
Carthaginians. In order to gain him over he promised to cede to him whatever conquests their combined forces might make in Africa, reserving to himself only the possession of Sicily.[8] Ophellas gathered a powerful army from the homeland of his wife Euthydike where many citizens felt disgruntled after having lost their voting rights.[9] Notwithstanding all the natural obstacles which presented themselves on his route, he succeeded in reaching the Carthaginian territories after a toilsome and perilous march of more than two months' duration.[10] He was received by Agathocles with every demonstration of friendship, and the two armies encamped near each other: but not many days had elapsed when Agathocles betrayed his new ally, attacked the camp of the Cyrenaeans, and had Ophellas himself killed.[11] The Cyrenean troops, left without a leader, went over to Agathocles.[9]
Sometime after his death, the control of Cyrene was handed over to Magas of Cyrene, who was first a governor for the province before claiming independence from the Ptolemaic Kingdom and becoming king in 276 BC.
References
- Habicht, Christian (1998). Ελληνιστική Αθήνα [Hellenistic Athens] (in Greek). Athens: Odysseas. ISBN 960-210-310-8.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Ophellas". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.