Demetrios (Antigonide)
Demetrios ( Greek : Δημήτριος; † 181 BC ) was a Macedonian prince from the Antigonid dynasty . He was a son of King Philip V and his second wife, whose name was unknown.
Demetrios lived after the second Macedonian-Roman War (200-197 BC) six years as a hostage in Rome , where he became popular with the citizens and city leaders. After several Greek states brought charges against his father to the Roman Senate , Demetrios was defeated in 184 BC. Sent to Rome again, where he successfully represented his father against the accusers. He was treated with the highest honor by the Senate, which even made him an offer to recognize him as the next Macedonian king, instead of his older brother Perseus .
As a result, however, Demetrios drew the distrust of his father and brother. In the following years he was in close personal contact with Titus Quinctius Flamininus , who allegedly supported him in the line of succession. Perseus finally accused Demetrios of attempting murder on himself; as evidence he used an intercepted letter from Flamininus, in which Demetrios was asked to do the deed. King Philip believed the indictment and ordered a secret execution so as not to cause unrest among the Macedonians. Demetrios had to drink poison ; when this did not work quickly enough, he was suffocated .
Roman historians such as Titus Livius later stated that the incriminating letter was fabricated by Perseus himself. Allegedly, King Philip is said to have discovered the forgery later, whereupon he regretted the execution of his son.
literature
- HJ Dell: The Quarrel between Demetrius and Perseus: A Note on Macedonian National Policy . In: Ancient Macedonia. Volume 3, Thessaloniki 1983.
- Julius Kaerst : Demetrios 37 . In: Paulys Realencyclopadie der classischen Antiquity Science (RE). Volume IV, 2, Stuttgart 1901, Col. 2794 f.
- Rene Pfeilschifter : Titus Quinctius Flaminius: Investigations on the Roman policy on Greece . Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen 2005, ISBN 3-525-25261-7 .
Remarks
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Demetrios |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Δημήτριος (Greek) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Macedonian prince from the Antigonid dynasty |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 3rd century BC Chr. |
| DATE OF DEATH | 181 BC Chr. |