Ptolemy (nephew of Antigonus I Monophthalmus)

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Ptolemy (general)
)
For other people with the same name, see Ptolemy (name).

Ptolemaeus (

Demetrius
took on a more prominent role.

He is first mentioned as being present with his uncle at the siege of

Asia Minor
.

The young general successfully carried out his mission, relieving

Zipoites to join Antigonus. Upon his approach and occupation of Ionia, Seleucus withdrew from that territory.[2] He made an alliance with Dionysius the tyrant of Heraclea, cemented by marrying the tyrant's daughter.[3]

In the latter part of that year, Ptolemy next threatened

Ptolemaic Egypt. In the following year (313 BC) Ptolemy was able to strike a decisive blow in that quarter against Eupolemus, a general of Cassander, whom he surprised and defeated.[4] Ptolemy had been attending his father's funeral when his opponent Assander (satrap of Karia) received reinforcements from his ally Cassander and decided to strike at Ptolemy's troops who were without their commander and scattered around Karia in winter quarters. He sent Eupolemus with 8,000 foot and 200 horse to take Ptolemy's forces by surprise. Ptolemy somehow got word of the surprise attack and ambushed Eupolemus, capturing his entire force.[5]

In the summer of 313 BC, the arrival of Antigonus himself gave a decided preponderance to his arms in Anatolia, and Ptolemy, after rendering active assistance in the sieges of

Demetrius Phalereus to make overtures of submission, and then carried his arms triumphantly through Boeotia, Phocis, and Locris
. Wherever he went, he expelled Cassander's garrisons, and proclaimed the liberty and independence of the cities.

He then directed his armies to the Peloponnese, where the authority of Antigonus had been endangered by the recent defection of his general Telesphorus another nephew of Antigonus's. Ptolemy succeeded in bringing Teleshorus back into the fold.[6] Here he appears to have remained till the peace of 311 suspended hostilities in that region.

He is thought to have considered that his services had not met with their due reward from Antigonus; and therefore, when in 310 BC Cassander and Ptolemy were preparing to renew the war, Ptolemy suddenly abandoned the cause of his uncle and concluded a treaty with Cassander and Ptolemy. His ambition may have been to establish himself in chief command in the Peloponnese: but the reconciliation of Polyperchon with Cassander must have frustrated this: and on the arrival of Ptolemy with a fleet at Cos, Ptolemy repaired from Chalcis to join him. He was received at first with the utmost favour, but soon gave offence to his new patron by his intrigues and ambitious demonstrations, and was in consequence thrown into prison and compelled to put an end to his life by poison, 309 BC.[7]

References

  1. ^ Plutarch, Parallel Lives, Life of Eumenes, 10
  2. Bibliotheca Historica
    , xix. 57, 60.
  3. ^ Memnon, History of Heraclea, F. 4, 6.
  4. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, xix. 62, 68.
  5. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, xix. 68.
  6. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, xix. 75, 77, 78, 87.
  7. ^ Diodorus Siculus, Bibliotheca Historica, xx. 19, 27.

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the

Bunbury, Edward Herbert (1870). "Ptolemaeus". In Smith, William (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology
. Vol. 3. p. 565.

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