Neoptolemus I of Epirus

King of Epirus from 370 BC to 357 BC

Neoptolemus I

King of Epirus
Reign| 370-357 BC
Predecessor| Alcetas I of Epirus
Successor| Arybbas of Epirus
Issue| Alexander I of Epirus
Olympias (married Philip II of Macedon)
Troas (married Arybbas of Epirus)
House| Aeacidae
Father| Alcetas I
Religion| Ancient Greek religion

Neoptolemus I of Epirus (Greek: Νεοπτόλεμος Α' Ηπείρου) (370–357 BC) was a Greek king of Epirus and son of Alcetas I, and father of Troas, Alexander I of Epirus and Queen Olympias. He was the maternal grandfather of Alexander the Great and great-grandfather of Pyrrhus of Epirus.[1] He claimed he was a descendant of the hero Achilles and King Lycomedes, while Emperor Caracalla claimed that he was a descendant of Neoptolemus I.[citation needed]

## Etymology

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His name means "new war".[2] This was also a name of the son of the warrior Achilles and the Princess Deidamia in Greek mythology, and also the mythical progenitor of the ruling dynasty of the Molossians of ancient Epirus.

## Reign

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On the death of Alcetas, Neoptolemus and his brother Arybbas agreed to divide the kingdom, and continued to rule their respective portions without any interruption of the harmony between them, until the death of Neoptolemus, which, according to German historian Johann Gustav Droysen, may be placed about 360 BC. The first epigraphical evidence of the Molossian League goes back to 370 BC under Neoptolemus.[3]

## See also

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* List of the kings of Ancient Epirus

## Notes

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1. ^ Lemprière, John. Classical Dictionary, Containing a Copious Account of All the Proper Names, 1825.
2. ^ Name of Neoptolemus
3. ^ Cabanes, L'Épire 534,1

## References

[edit]

* Pausanias i. 11. §§ 1, 3
* Justin vii. 6. § 10, xvii. 3. § 14
* Droysen, Hellenismus, vol. i. p. 250

This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Neoptolemus". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.

Preceded by

Alcetas I

|  King of Epirus
with Arymbas
370-357 BC  | Succeeded by

Arymbas

|
|

* v
* t
* e

Hellenistic rulers

Argeads|

* Philip II
* Alexander III the Great
* Philip III Arrhidaeus
* Alexander IV

Antipatrids|

* Cassander
* Philip IV
* Alexander V
* Antipater II
* Antipater Etesias
* Sosthenes

Antigonids|

* Antigonus I Monophthalmus
* Demetrius I Poliorcetes
* Antigonus II Gonatas
* Demetrius II Aetolicus
* Antigonus III Doson
* Philip V
* Perseus
* Philip VI (pretender)

Ptolemies|

* Ptolemy I Soter
* Ptolemy Keraunos
* Ptolemy II Philadelphus
* Ptolemy III Euergetes
* Ptolemy IV Philopator
* Ptolemy V Epiphanes
* Cleopatra I Syra (regent)
* Ptolemy VI Philometor
* Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator
* Cleopatra II Philometor Soter
* Ptolemy VIII Physcon
* Cleopatra III
* Ptolemy IX Lathyros
* Ptolemy X Alexander
* Berenice III
* Ptolemy XI Alexander
* Ptolemy XII Auletes
* Cleopatra VI Tryphaena
* Berenice IV Epiphanea
* Ptolemy XIII
* Ptolemy XIV
* Cleopatra VII Philopator
* Ptolemy XV Caesarion

Monarchs of Cyrene|

* Magas
* Berenice II
* Demetrius the Fair
* Ptolemy VIII Physcon
* Ptolemy Apion
* Cleopatra Selene II

Seleucids|

* Seleucus I Nicator
* Antiochus I Soter
* Antiochus II Theos
* Seleucus II Callinicus
* Seleucus III Ceraunus
* Antiochus III the Great
* Seleucus IV Philopator
* Antiochus IV Epiphanes
* Antiochus V Eupator
* Demetrius I Soter
* Alexander I Balas
* Demetrius II Nicator
* Antiochus VI Dionysus
* Diodotus Tryphon
* Antiochus VII Sidetes
* Alexander II Zabinas
* Cleopatra Thea
* Seleucus V Philometor
* Antiochus VIII Grypus
* Antiochus IX Cyzicenus
* Seleucus VI Epiphanes
* Antiochus X Eusebes
* Antiochus XI Epiphanes
* Demetrius III Eucaerus
* Philip I Philadelphus
* Antiochus XII Dionysus
* Cleopatra Selene I
* Antiochus XIII Asiaticus
* Philip II Philoromaeus

Lysimachids|

* Lysimachus
* Ptolemy Epigonos

Attalids|

* Philetaerus
* Eumenes I
* Attalus I
* Eumenes II
* Attalus II
* Attalus III
* Eumenes III

Greco-Bactrians|

* Diodotus I
* Diodotus II
* Euthydemus I
* Demetrius I
* Euthydemus II
* Antimachus I
* Pantaleon
* Agathocles
* Demetrius II
* Eucratides I
* Plato
* Eucratides II
* Heliocles I

Indo-Greeks|

* Demetrius I
* Antimachus I
* Pantaleon
* Agathocles
* Apollodotus I
* Demetrius II
* Antimachus II
* Menander I
* Zoilos I
* Agathokleia
* Lysias
* Strato I
* Antialcidas
* Heliokles II
* Polyxenos
* Demetrius III
* Philoxenus
* Diomedes
* Amyntas
* Epander
* Theophilos
* Peukolaos
* Thraso
* Nicias
* Menander II
* Artemidoros
* Hermaeus
* Archebius
* Telephos
* Apollodotus II
* Hippostratos
* Dionysios
* Zoilos II
* Apollophanes
* Strato II
* Strato III

Monarchs of Bithynia|

* Boteiras
* Bas
* Zipoetes I
* Nicomedes I
* Zipoetes II
* Etazeta (regent)
* Ziaelas
* Prusias I
* Prusias II
* Nicomedes II
* Nicomedes III
* Nicomedes IV
* Socrates Chrestus

Monarchs of Pontus|

* Mithridates I Ctistes
* Ariobarzanes
* Mithridates II
* Mithridates III
* Pharnaces I
* Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos with Laodice
* Mithridates V Euergetes
* Mithridates VI Eupator
* Pharnaces II
* Darius
* Arsaces
* Polemon I
* Pythodorida
* Polemon II

Monarchs of Commagene|

* Ptolemaeus
* Sames II
* Mithridates I
* Antiochus I
* Mithridates II
* Antiochus II
* Mithridates III
* Antiochus III
* Antiochus IV

Monarchs of Cappadocia|

* Ariarathes I
* Ariarathes II
* Ariamnes II
* Ariarathes III
* Ariarathes IV
* Ariarathes V
* Orophernes
* Ariarathes VI
* Ariarathes VII
* Ariarathes VIII
* Ariarathes IX
* Ariobarzanes I
* Ariobarzanes II
* Ariobarzanes III
* Ariarathes X
* Archelaus

Monarchs of the
Cimmerian Bosporus|

* Paerisades I
* Satyros II
* Prytanis
* Eumelos
* Spartokos III
* Hygiainon (regent)
* Paerisades II
* Spartokos IV
* Leukon II
* Spartokos V [ru]
* Kamasarye
* Paerisades III
* Paerisades IV
* Paerisades V
* Mithridates I
* Pharnaces
* Asander with Dynamis
* Mithridates II
* Asander with Dynamis
* Scribonius's attempted rule with Dynamis
* Dynamis with Polemon
* Polemon
* Aspurgus
* Gepaepyris
* Mithridates III
* Cotys I

Monarchs of Epirus|

* Admetus
* Tharrhypas
* Alcetas I
* Neoptolemus I
* Arybbas
* Alexander I
* Aeacides
* Neoptolemus II
* Alcetas II
* Pyrrhus I
* Alexander II
* Olympias II (regent)
* Pyrrhus II
* Ptolemy
* Pyrrhus III
* Deidamia

Hellenistic rulers were preceded by Hellenistic satraps in most of their territories.
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