Philokles ( dr. Greek Φιλοκλής ; died in 262 or 261 BC ) - King of Sidon (287–262 / 261 BC), subject to the rulers of Egypt . One of the most active supporters of the establishment of the power of the kings of the Ptolemaic dynasty over the coastal cities of Asia Minor and the Aegean basin .
| Philocles | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greek Φιλοκλής | |||||||
| |||||||
| Predecessor | ? | ||||||
| Successor | ? | ||||||
| Birth | IV century BC e. | ||||||
| Death | 262/261 BC e. | ||||||
Content
Biography
The early years
About Filokles is known from several inscriptions, as well as from Polien 's work “ ” [1] [2] [3] .
Information about the origin of Philokles and the early years of his life in historical sources has not been preserved. The name of his father is known - Apollodorus. However, despite the Greek names of father and son, both of them were probably Phoenicians . On this basis, it is assumed that the Phoenician name of Father Philokles could be Abdreshef. Perhaps Apollodorus and his son were relatives of the kings of Sidon [2] [3] .
The earliest evidence of Philokles is his mention in the list of donors who donated money to restore the city of Thebes , destroyed by order of Alexander the Great . He is twice mentioned in this list: for the first time as a donor of a huge sum of 100 talents at that time, for the second time as a donor of an unspecified amount paid in Alexandrian talents. Since the inscription is damaged, it is not known which title or position Philocles wore then. The reconstruction of Thebes was declared by decree of the Macedonian king Kassandra in 316 or 315 BC. e. and lasted until the end of the century. At that time, Sidon was in the possession of Antigonus I One-Eyed , on the basis of which it is assumed that initially Philokles was in the service of the Antigonids . However, this opinion did not receive widespread support from antiquologists , since all of Philokles' later activity was connected with the Ptolemies. The opinion is expressed that Philokles, as a relative of the Sidon monarchs, could be at the court of Ptolemy I Soter in the position of an exile. In this case, the donations of Philokles to Thebes can be considered as an attempt by Ptolemy I to achieve the location of the Greek city-states through his approximate [2] [3] .
In Polien's Stratigems, it is reported that Philocles, the strategist of Ptolemy betrayed the city of Cavn by betrayal. Probably this Philokles is identical to King Sidon. The date of the capture of Kavn is not exactly known: for the first time the city was included in the possession of Ptolemy I in 309 BC. e., then was returned by the Antigonides and finally annexed to the kingdom of Egypt around 286 BC. e. [3] [4] Another mention of Philokles is the inscription from Aspendos , which tells us that Philokles and the Ptolemaic military leader Leonid saved the city from the attack of unnamed enemies. The inscription dates from between 306 and 287 BC. e. If we take into account that the activities of Leonid mainly related to 310-306 years BC. e., an earlier dating of the inscription from Aspendos is preferable. It also casts doubt on the possibility of Philokles' service with the Antigonides [3] .
King Sidon
The date and circumstances of Philokles' ascension to the Sidon throne are not known. In the writings of ancient authors it is reported that after the submission of Sidon to the Macedonians in 332 BC. e. with the consent of Alexander the Great, the king of the city was raised Abdalonim . However, information about his further fate was not preserved [5] . One of the inscriptions mentions Tim, the son of Abdolonim, but it is not known for sure whether he occupied the Sidon throne [2] . The first mention of the "king of the Sidonians," Philocles, is dated 286 or 285 BC. e. inscriptions from Athens [3] . Perhaps Philocles was elevated by Ptolemy I to the Sidon throne immediately after the final incorporation of this city into Egypt in 287 BC. e. [2]
Dated to 280 BC e. inscriptions mentioning Philokles report on his interventions in the problems of island cities that recognized the Ptolemaic authority over themselves. In particular, Philokles played a large role in the introduction by the members of the festival in honor of King Ptolemy I, deified under his son Ptolemy II Philadelphus . In another inscription, Philokles (along with Bacchon) is named one of the leaders of this league: probably as the commander of the Egyptian fleet in the Aegean. Perhaps he was a foreman . The last time evidence of Philokles dates back to 280 or 279 BC. e.: it indicates that then his activity in the coastal areas of the Aegean Sea was completed [2] [3] [5] .
Based on an analysis of ancient sources about Philokles, modern historians have come to the conclusion that he was probably the main organizer of the early stage of the Ptolemaic expansion in the Mediterranean [4] .
Philocles probably passed away in 262 or 261 BC. e. He is the last king of Sidon, mentioned in historical sources. In the middle of the III century BC. e. the rulers of the city were already archons and suffetts [2] [5] .
Notes
- ↑ Polyan . Strategies (Book III, Chapter 16).
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Tsirkin Yu. B. Hellenization of the political structure of the cities of Phenicia // Mnemon. Studies and publications on the history of the ancient world / Frolov E. D. - St. Petersburg. , 2004 .-- T. 3 . - S. 185-202 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Merker IL The Ptolemaic Officials and the League of the Islanders // Historia. - 1970. - No. 19 (2) . - P. 143-150. - ISSN 0018-2311 .
- ↑ 1 2 Hauben H. Callicrates of Samos and Patroclus of Macedon, champions of Ptolemaic thalassocracy // The Ptolemies, the Sea and the Nile: Studies in Waterborne Power / Buraselis K., Stefanou M., Thompson DJ - Cambridge: Cambridge University Press . - P. 43-45. - ISBN 978-1-1070-3335-1 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 Lipiński E. Dieux et déesses de l'univers phénicien et punique . - Leuven / Louvain: Peeters Publishers, 1995 .-- P. 128. - ISBN 978-9-0683-1690-2 .