Ptolemy of

Aloros Alorus or Aloros ( grc, Ἄλωρος) was a town of ancient Macedonia in the district Bottiaea, placed by Stephanus of Byzantium in the innermost recess of the Thermaic Gulf. According to the ''Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax'' it was situated between ...

( grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος), was sent by King Amyntas III of Macedon as an envoy to Athens c. 375–373 BC. After Amyntas' death, he began a liaison with his widow,

Eurydice Eurydice (; Ancient Greek: Εὐρυδίκη 'wide justice') was a character in Greek mythology and the Auloniad wife of Orpheus, who tried to bring her back from the dead with his enchanting music. Etymology Several meanings for the name ...

. In 368 BC, he assassinated her son, Alexander II, in order to gain control of the throne. His actions were not well-regarded by the leading families of Macedon, who called in the Theban general,

Pelopidas Pelopidas (; grc-gre, Πελοπίδας; died 364 BC) was an important Theban statesman and general in Greece, instrumental in establishing the mid-fourth century Theban hegemony. Biography Athlete and warrior Pelopidas was a member of a ...

, to re-establish peace. As part of the peace settlement, Philip, Alexander II's younger brother, was taken as a hostage back to Thebes. As Alexander II's younger brother, Perdiccas III, was under-age when Alexander II was killed, Ptolemy of Aloros ruled as regent. Ptolemy ruled as a regent for

Perdiccas III Perdiccas III (Greek: Περδίκκας Γ΄) was king of the Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 365 BC to 360 BC, succeeding his brother Alexander II. Son of Amyntas III and Eurydice, he was a child when in 369 BCE his brother Alexander II was k ...

until Perdiccas killed him in 365 BC. It is suggested that Ptolemy was descended from

Amyntas II Amyntas II ( grc, Ἀμύντας) or Amyntas the Little, was the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia for a short time, ''circa'' 393 BC. Thucydides describes him as a son of Philip, the brother of king Perdiccas II. He first succe ...

's brother,

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 ...

, son of

Alexander I Alexander I may refer to: * Alexander I of Macedon, king of Macedon 495–454 BC * Alexander I of Epirus (370–331 BC), king of Epirus * Pope Alexander I (died 115), early bishop of Rome * Pope Alexander I of Alexandria (died 320s), patriarch of ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ptolemy Of Aloros 365 BC deaths 4th-century BC viceregal rulers Regents of Macedonia (ancient kingdom) Ancient Alorites People from Imathia Theban hegemony Old Macedonian kingdom Ambassadors of Macedonia (ancient kingdom) Year of birth unknown