Demetrius I (; grc, Δημήτριος; 337–283 BC), also called Poliorcetes (; el, Πολιορκητής, "The Besieger"), was a
Macedonian nobleman, military leader, and king of
Macedon
Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an Classical antiquity, ancient monarchy, kingdom on the periphery of Archaic Greece, Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. Th ...
(294–288 BC). He belonged to the
Antigonid dynasty and was its first member to rule Macedonia. He was the son of
Antigonus I Monophthalmus and
Stratonice.
Biography
Early career
Demetrius served with his father,
Antigonus I Monophthalmus, during the
Second War of the Diadochi
The Second War of the Diadochi was the conflict between the coalition of Polyperchon (as Regent of the Empire), Olympias and Eumenes and the coalition of Cassander, Antigonus, Ptolemy and Lysimachus following the death of Cassander's father, An ...
. He participated in the
Battle of Paraitakene
The Battle of Paraitakene (also called Paraetacene; el, Παραιτακηνή) was a battle in the wars of the successors of Alexander the Great (see Diadochi) between Antigonus I Monophthalmus and Eumenes. It was fought in 317 BC.
Background ...
where he commanded the cavalry on the right flank. Despite the Antigonid left flank, commanded by
Peithon
Peithon or Pithon (Greek: ''Πείθων'' or ''Πίθων'', 355 – 314 BC) was the son of Crateuas, a nobleman from Eordaia in western Macedonia. He was famous for being one of the bodyguards of Alexander the Great, becoming the later ...
, being routed, and the center, commanded by Antigonus, being dealt heavy losses at the hands of the famous
Silver Shields
The Argyraspides ( mkd, Аргираспиди, translation=Silver Shields) were elite Macedonian soldiers who carried silver-plated shields, hence their name. The original unit were hypaspists serving in the army Alexander the Great. During the W ...
, Demetrius was victorious on the right, and his success there ultimately prevented the battle from being a complete loss.
Demetrius was again present at the conclusive
Battle of Gabiene. Directly after the battle, while Antigonus held the betrayed
Eumenes
Eumenes (; grc-gre, Εὐμένης; c. 362316 BC) was a Greek general and satrap. He participated in the Wars of Alexander the Great, serving as both Alexander's personal secretary and as a battlefield commander. He later was a participant in t ...
, Demetrius was one of the few who implored his father to spare the Greek successor’s life.
At the age of twenty-two he was left by his father to defend
Syria against
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance ...
the son of
Lagus
Lagus of Eordaia (Greek Λάγος, ''Lagos''; lived 4th century BC) was a Macedonian courtier and the father of Ptolemy, the founder of the Ptolemaic dynasty. He married Arsinoe of the Argead dynasty and a concubine of Philip II, king of Mac ...
. He was defeated at the
Battle of Gaza, but soon partially repaired his loss by a victory in the neighbourhood of
Myus
Myus ( grc, Μυοῦς), sometimes Myous or Myos, was an ancient Greek city in Caria. It was one of twelve major settlements of the Ionian League. The city was said to have been founded by Cyaretus ( grc, Κυάρητος) (sometimes called Cyd ...
.
In the spring of 310, he was soundly defeated when he tried to expel
Seleucus I Nicator
Seleucus I Nicator (; ; grc-gre, Σέλευκος Νικάτωρ , ) was a Macedonian Greek general who was an officer and successor ( ''diadochus'') of Alexander the Great. Seleucus was the founder of the eponymous Seleucid Empire. In the po ...
from
Babylon; his father was defeated in the autumn. As a result of this
Babylonian War
The Babylonian War was a conflict fought between 311–309 BC between Antigonus I Monophthalmus and Seleucus I Nicator, ending in a victory for Seleucus. This conflict ended any possibility of restoration of the former empire of Alexander the Gr ...
, Antigonus lost almost two thirds of his empire: all eastern satrapies fell to Seleucus.
After several campaigns against Ptolemy on the coasts of
Cilicia
Cilicia (); el, Κιλικία, ''Kilikía''; Middle Persian: ''klkyʾy'' (''Klikiyā''); Parthian: ''kylkyʾ'' (''Kilikiyā''); tr, Kilikya). is a geographical region in southern Anatolia in Turkey, extending inland from the northeastern coa ...
and
Cyprus
Cyprus ; tr, Kıbrıs (), officially the Republic of Cyprus,, , lit: Republic of Cyprus is an island country located south of the Anatolian Peninsula in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its continental position is disputed; while it is ge ...
, Demetrius sailed with a fleet of 250 ships to
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
. He freed the city from the power of
Cassander
Cassander ( el, Κάσσανδρος ; c. 355 BC – 297 BC) was king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 305 BC until 297 BC, and ''de facto'' ruler of southern Greece from 317 BC until his death.
A son of Antipater and a conte ...
and Ptolemy, expelled the garrison which had been stationed there under
Demetrius of Phalerum
Demetrius of Phalerum (also Demetrius of Phaleron or Demetrius Phalereus; grc-gre, Δημήτριος ὁ Φαληρεύς; c. 350 – c. 280 BC) was an Athenian orator originally from Phalerum, an ancient port of Athens. A student of Theophrast ...
, and besieged and took
Munychia
Munichia or Munychia (; el, Μουνιχία or Μουνυχία) is the ancient Greek name for a steep hill ( high) in Piraeus, Greece, known today as Kastella (Καστέλλα). This is a fashionable neighborhood in Piraeus. On the top of t ...
(307 BC). After these victories he was worshipped by the Athenians as a
tutelary deity
A tutelary () (also tutelar) is a deity or a spirit who is a guardian, patron, or protector of a particular place, geographic feature, person, lineage, nation, culture, or occupation. The etymology of "tutelary" expresses the concept of safety an ...
under the title of ''Soter'' (Σωτήρ) ("Saviour").
At this time Demetrius married Eurydike, an Athenian noblewoman who was reputed to be descendant from
Miltiades
Miltiades (; grc-gre, Μιλτιάδης; c. 550 – 489 BC), also known as Miltiades the Younger, was a Greek Athenian citizen known mostly for his role in the Battle of Marathon, as well as for his downfall afterwards. He was the son of Cimon C ...
; she was the widow of
Ophellas, Ptolemy's governor of
Cyrene. Antigonus sent Demetrius instructions to sail to Cyprus and attack Ptolemy's positions there.
Demetrius sailed from Athens in the spring of 306 BC and in accordance with his father's orders he first went to Caria where he summoned the
Rhodians
Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...
in an unsuccessful attempt to support his naval campaign. In the campaign of 306 BC, he defeated Ptolemy and
Menelaus
In Greek mythology, Menelaus (; grc-gre, Μενέλαος , 'wrath of the people', ) was a king of Mycenaean (pre- Dorian) Sparta. According to the ''Iliad'', Menelaus was a central figure in the Trojan War, leading the Spartan contingent of th ...
, Ptolemy's brother, in the naval
Battle of Salamis, completely destroying the naval power of
Ptolemaic Egypt.
Demetrius conquered Cyprus in 306 BC, capturing one of Ptolemy's sons.
[Walter M. Ellis, ''Ptolemy of Egypt'', Routledge, London, 1994, p. 15.] Following the victory, Antigonus assumed the title "king" and bestowed the same upon his son Demetrius. In 305 BC, he endeavoured to punish the
Rhodians
Rhodes (; el, Ρόδος , translit=Ródos ) is the largest and the historical capital of the Dodecanese islands of Greece. Administratively, the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the So ...
for having deserted his cause; his ingenuity in devising new
siege engines
A siege engine is a device that is designed to break or circumvent heavy castle doors, thick city walls and other fortifications in siege warfare. Some are immobile, constructed in place to attack enemy fortifications from a distance, while other ...
in his (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt to reduce the capital gained him the title of Poliorcetes.
Among his creations were a
battering ram
A battering ram is a siege engine that originated in ancient times and was designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates. In its simplest form, a battering ram is just a large, heavy log carried b ...
long, requiring 1000 men to operate it; and a wheeled
siege tower
A Roman siege tower or breaching tower (or in the Middle Ages, a belfry''Castle: Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections''. Dorling Kindersley Pub (T); 1st American edition (September 1994). Siege towers were invented in 300 BC. ) is a specialized siege ...
named "
Helepolis
Helepolis ( el, ἑλέπολις, meaning: "Taker of Cities") is the Greek name for a movable siege tower.
The most famous was that invented by Polyidus of Thessaly, and improved by Demetrius I of Macedon and Epimachus of Athens, for the S ...
" (or "Taker of Cities") which stood tall and wide, weighing 360,000 pounds. After failing to conquer Rhodes the weapons were abandoned with the bronze from these weapons used by the Rhodians to construct the Colossus of Rhodes.
In 304 BC, he returned a second time to Greece as liberator, and reinstated the
Corinthian League
The League of Corinth, also referred to as the Hellenic League (from Greek Ἑλληνικός ''Hellenikos'', "pertaining to Greece and Greeks"), was a confederation of Greek states created by Philip II in 338–337 BC. The League was created ...
, but his licentiousness and extravagance made the Athenians long for the government of Cassander.
Among his outrages was his courtship of a young boy named Democles the Handsome. The youth kept on refusing his attention but one day found himself cornered at the baths. Having no way out and being unable to physically resist his suitor, he took the lid off the hot water cauldron and jumped in. His death was seen as a mark of honor for himself and his country. In another instance, Demetrius waived a fine of 50 talents imposed on a citizen in exchange for the favors of Cleaenetus, that man's son.
[Plutarch, ''Life of Demetrius''] He also sought the attention of Lamia, a Greek courtesan. He demanded 250 talents from the Athenians, which he then gave to Lamia and other courtesans to buy soap and cosmetics.
He also roused the jealousy of
Alexander
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
's
Diadochi
The Diadochi (; singular: Diadochus; from grc-gre, Διάδοχοι, Diádochoi, Successors, ) were the rival generals, families, and friends of Alexander the Great who fought for control over his empire after his death in 323 BC. The War ...
;
Seleucus, Cassander and
Lysimachus united to destroy him and his father. The hostile armies met at the
Battle of Ipsus in
Phrygia (301 BC). Antigonus was killed, and Demetrius, after sustaining severe losses, retired to
Ephesus. This reversal of fortune stirred up many enemies against him—the Athenians refused even to admit him into their city. But he soon afterwards ravaged the territory of
Lysimachus and effected a reconciliation with Seleucus, to whom he gave his daughter
Stratonice in marriage. Athens was at this time oppressed by the tyranny of
Lachares—a popular leader who made himself supreme in Athens in 296 BC—but Demetrius, after a protracted blockade, gained possession of the city (294 BC) and pardoned the inhabitants for their misconduct in 301 BC in a great display of mercy, a trait Demetrius highly valued in a ruler.
After Athens' capitulation, Demetrius formed a new government which espoused a major dislocation of traditional democratic forms, which anti Macedonian democrats would have called oligarchy. The cyclical rotation of the secretaries of the Council and the election of archons by allotment, were both abolished. In 293/3 - 293/2 B.C., two of the most prominent men in Athens were designated by the Macedonian king, Olympiordoros and
Phillipides of Paiania. The royal appointing is implied by Plutarch who says that "he established the archons which were most acceptable to the Demos."
King of Macedonia
In 294 BC, he established himself on the throne of Macedonia by murdering
Alexander V
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
, the son of Cassander.
He faced rebellion from the
Boeotians
Boeotia ( ), sometimes Latinized as Boiotia or Beotia ( el, Βοιωτία; modern: ; ancient: ), formerly known as Cadmeis, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. Its capital is Livadeia, and its la ...
but secured the region after
capturing Thebes in 291 BC. That year he married
Lanassa, the former wife of
Pyrrhus, but his new position as ruler of Macedonia was continually threatened by Pyrrhus, who took advantage of his occasional absence to ravage the defenceless part of his kingdom (
Plutarch
Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...
, ''Pyrrhus'', 7 ff.); at length, the combined forces of Pyrrhus, Ptolemy and Lysimachus, assisted by the disaffected among his own subjects, obliged him to leave Macedonia in 288 BC.
After
besieging Athens without success he passed into Asia and attacked some of the provinces of Lysimachus with varying success. Famine and pestilence destroyed the greater part of his army, and he solicited Seleucus' support and assistance. However, before he reached Syria hostilities broke out, and after he had gained some advantages over his son-in-law, Demetrius was totally forsaken by his troops on the field of battle and surrendered to Seleucus.
His son
Antigonus offered all his possessions, and even his own person, in order to procure his father's liberty, but all proved unavailing, and Demetrius died after a confinement of three years (283 BC). His remains were given to Antigonus and honoured with a splendid funeral at
Corinth
Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government refor ...
. His descendants remained in possession of the Macedonian throne until the time of
Perseus, when Macedon was conquered by the
Romans
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
in 168 BC.
Family
Demetrius was married five times:
* His first wife was
Phila daughter of Regent
Antipater by whom he had two children:
Stratonice of Syria
Stratonice or Stratonica of Syria ( grc, Στρατoνίκη, c. 320 BC - 254 BC) was Queen of the Seleucid Empire from 300 BC until 294 BC and from 281 BC until 261 BC.
Biography
Stratonice of Syria was the daughter of king Demetrius Poliorcetes ...
and
Antigonus II Gonatas.
* His second wife was
Eurydice of Athens, by whom he is said to have had a son called Corrhabus.
* His third wife was
Deidamia, a sister of
Pyrrhus of Epirus
Pyrrhus (; grc-gre, Πύρρος ; 319/318–272 BC) was a Greek king and statesman of the Hellenistic period.Plutarch. '' Parallel Lives'',Pyrrhus... He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house, and later he be ...
. Deidamia bore him a son called Alexander, who is said by
Plutarch
Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...
to have spent his life in
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
, probably in an honourable captivity.
[Plutarch, "Demetrius"]
53
/ref>
* His fourth wife was Lanassa, the former wife of his brother-in-law Pyrrhus of Epirus.
* His fifth wife was Ptolemais, daughter of Ptolemy I Soter
Ptolemy I Soter (; gr, Πτολεμαῖος Σωτήρ, ''Ptolemaîos Sōtḗr'' "Ptolemy the Savior"; c. 367 BC – January 282 BC) was a Macedonian Greek general, historian and companion of Alexander the Great from the Kingdom of Macedo ...
and Eurydice of Egypt
Eurydice ( grc, Εὐρυδίκη) third known wife to Ptolemy I Soter and as such a queen of Egypt
Life
Eurydice (ca. 330-post 279 BCE) is thought to be the youngest of Antipater's known daughters. Her wedding date and repudiation date are a ...
, by whom he had a son called Demetrius the Fair
Demetrius I the Fair or the Handsome ( gr, Δημήτριος ὁ Καλός, c. 285 BC–249 BC), known in modern ancient historical sources as Demetrius of Cyrene, was a Hellenistic king of Cyrene, who succeeded Magas I.
Family
Dem ...
.
He also had an affair with a celebrated courtesan called Lamia of Athens
Lamia of Athens (floruit, fl. 300 BC) was a celebrated courtesan, and mistress of Demetrius Poliorcetes.
Life
Lamia was the daughter of one Cleanor. She began her career as a flute-player on the stage, for which she gained some fame, but afterw ...
, by whom he had a daughter called Phila.
Literary references
Plutarch
Plutarch
Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...
wrot
a biography of Demetrius
in which he is paired with Mark Antony
Marcus Antonius (14 January 1 August 30 BC), commonly known in English as Mark Antony, was a Roman politician and general who played a critical role in the transformation of the Roman Republic from a constitutional republic into the au ...
.
Hegel
Hegel, in the ''Lectures on the History of Philosophy
''Lectures on the History of Philosophy'' (''LHP''; german: Vorlesungen über die Geschichte der Philosophie, ''VGPh'',) delivered by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel 1805-6, 1816-8, 1819, 1820, 1825–6, 1827–8, 1829–30, and 1831, just before ...
'', says of another Demetrius, Demetrius Phalereus
Demetrius of Phalerum (also Demetrius of Phaleron or Demetrius Phalereus; grc-gre, Δημήτριος ὁ Φαληρεύς; c. 350 – c. 280 BC) was an Athenian orator originally from Phalerum, an ancient port of Athens. A student of Theophrast ...
, that "Demetrius Phalereus and others were thus soon after lexanderhonoured and worshipped in Athens as God." What the exact source was for Hegel's claim is unclear. Diogenes Laërtius in his short biography of Demetrius Phalereus does not mention this. Apparently Hegel's error comes from a misreading of Plutarch
Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...
's
Life of Demetrius
' which is about Demetrius Poliorcetes and not Demetrius of Phalereus. Plutarch describes in the work how Demetrius Poliorcetes conquered Demetrius Phalereus at Athens. Then, in chapter 12 of the work, Plutarch describes how Demetrius Poliorcetes was given honors due to the god Dionysus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Roma ...
. This account by Plutarch was confusing not only for Hegel, but for others as well.
Others
Plutarch's account of Demetrius' departure from Macedonia in 288 BC inspired Constantine Cavafy
Konstantinos Petrou Kavafis ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Πέτρου Καβάφης ; April 29 (April 17, OS), 1863 – April 29, 1933), known, especially in English, as Constantine P. Cavafy and often published as C. P. Cavafy (), was a Gre ...
to write "King Demetrius" (ὁ βασιλεὺς Δημήτριος) in 1906, his earliest surviving poem on an historical theme.
Demetrius is the main character of the oper
Demetrio a Rodi
(Turin, 1789) with librettoDemetrio a Rodi: festa per musica da rappresentarsi nel Regio teatro di Torino per le nozze delle LL. AA. RR. Vittorio Emanuele
48p. Published by Presso O. Derossi, 1789. by Giandomenico Boggio and Giuseppe Banti. The music is set by
Gaetano Pugnani
Gaetano Pugnani (27 November 1731 – 15 July 1798, full name: Giulio Gaetano Gerolamo Pugnani) was an Italian composer and violinist.
Biography
Gaetano Pugnani was born in 1731 in Turin, the city where he spent most of his life, son of Giova ...
(1731-1798).
Demetrius appears (under the Greek form of his name, Demetrios) in
L. Sprague de Camp
Lyon Sprague de Camp (; November 27, 1907 – November 6, 2000) was an American writer of science fiction, fantasy and non-fiction. In a career spanning 60 years, he wrote over 100 books, including novels and works of non-fiction, including biog ...
's historical novel,''
The Bronze God of Rhodes
''The Bronze God of Rhodes'' is a historical novel by American writer L. Sprague de Camp. It was first published in hardcover by Doubleday in 1960, and in paperback by Bantam Books in 1963. A trade paperback edition was projected by The Donning ...
'', which largely concerns itself with his siege of Rhodes.
Alfred Duggan
Alfred Duggan (born Alfredo León Duggan; 1903–1964) was an English historian and archaeologist, and a well-known historical novelist in the 1950s. His novels are known for meticulous historical research.
Background
Though brought up in Brita ...
's novel ''Elephants and Castles'' provides a lively fictionalised account of his life.
See also
*
Winged Victory of Samothrace
The ''Winged Victory of Samothrace'', or the ''Nike of Samothrace'', is a votive monument originally found on the island of Samothrace, north of the Aegean Sea. It is a masterpiece of Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic era, dating from the be ...
References
Sources
Ancient sources
*
Plutarch
Plutarch (; grc-gre, Πλούταρχος, ''Ploútarchos''; ; – after AD 119) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for hi ...
Life of Demetrius*
Diodorus SiculusLibrary of History books 19–21
*
Polyaenus
Polyaenus or Polyenus ( ; see ae (æ) vs. e; grc-gre, Πoλύαινoς, Polyainos, "much-praised") was a 2nd-century CE Greek author, known best for his ''Stratagems in War'' ( grc-gre, Στρατηγήματα, Strategemata), which has been pr ...
Stratagems, 4.7*
Justin
Justin may refer to: People
* Justin (name), including a list of persons with the given name Justin
* Justin (historian), a Latin historian who lived under the Roman Empire
* Justin I (c. 450–527), or ''Flavius Iustinius Augustus'', Eastern Rom ...
Epitome of Trogus books 15–16
*
Athenaeus
Athenaeus of Naucratis (; grc, Ἀθήναιος ὁ Nαυκρατίτης or Nαυκράτιος, ''Athēnaios Naukratitēs'' or ''Naukratios''; la, Athenaeus Naucratita) was a Greek rhetorician and grammarian, flourishing about the end of th ...
Deipnosophists, 6.252–255
Modern works
* Pat Wheatley, Charlotte Dunn : ''Demetrius the Besieger.'' Oxford University Press, Oxford 2020, .
* R. M. Errington, ''A History of the Hellenistic World'', pp. 33–58. Blackwell Publishing (2008). .
* s]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Demetrius 01 Of Macedon
3rd-century BC Macedonian monarchs
Hellenistic generals
Ancient Macedonian monarchs
3rd-century BC rulers
Antigonid dynasty
Antigonus I Monophthalmus
337 BC births
283 BC deaths
Ancient Macedonian scientists
Hellenistic military engineers
Generals of Antigonus I Monophthalmus
Ancient Macedonians in Athens