Menelaus (Diadoche)

Menelaus ( Greek Μενέλαος; † after 284 BC ) was a Macedonian general during the Diadoch Wars of the 4th century BC.

He was a son of the Macedonian nobleman Lagos and the Arsinoë , who was probably related to the Macedonian royal family. His brother was the founder of the dynasty Ptolemy . Together with Seleucus and the support of the city king Nikokreon of Soloi , he conquered during the Third Diadoch War in 314 BC. The island of Cyprus . Here he officiated after Nikokreon's death in 311/310 BC. As a subordinate of his brother in the office of strategist . Presumably he also became city king of Salamis , since he struck coins with his name there. He defended the rule of the "Lagids" ( Ptolemies ) on the island with the suppression of the rebellious city king Nicocles of Paphos .

During the fourth Diadoch war Menelaus could 306 BC. BC did not prevent Demetrios Poliorketes from landing on Cyprus and was trapped in Salamis by him. An attempt at relief by his brother Ptolemy failed in a severe defeat at sea , whereupon Menelaus had to give up the island. Cyprus was founded in 295 BC. BC again and now permanently conquered by Ptolemy.

Menelaus was the first eponymous priest of the deified Alexander ( Ptolemaic Alexander cult) to serve for five terms, with only his last two terms in the thirty-ninth (285/284 BC) and fortieth (284/283 BC) year of reign of Ptolemy I . are documented by papyrus finds.

literature

Vassos Karageorghis : Menelaus in Cyprus. London 1969.

Web link

Menelaus at genealogie-mittelalter.de (Hellenism)

Remarks

↑ Diodorus 19,62,4
↑ Diodorus 20.47.3; Pausanias (1,6,6) describes him as a "satrap"
↑ Hibeh Papyri I 84a; Elephantine Papyri 2. In the former, Menelaus with the patronymic “Lamachos” was assigned a wrong patronymic by mistake. See also Bernard P. Grenfell, Arthur S. Hunt: The Hibeh Papyri, Part I (London, 1906), No. 84a, pp. 242-245.

personal data
SURNAME	Menelaus
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Brother and general of Ptolemy I, first eponymous priest of Alexander in Alexandria
DATE OF BIRTH	4th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH	after 284 BC Chr.

[1] Diodorus 19,62,4

[2] Diodorus 20.47.3; Pausanias (1,6,6) describes him as a "satrap"

[3] Hibeh Papyri I 84a; Elephantine Papyri 2. In the former, Menelaus with the patronymic “Lamachos” was assigned a wrong patronymic by mistake. See also Bernard P. Grenfell, Arthur S. Hunt: The Hibeh Papyri, Part I (London, 1906), No. 84a, pp. 242-245.