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Alexander II (Greek: Άλέξανδρος) was a king of Epirus, and the son of Pyrrhus and Lanassa, the daughter of the Sicilian tyrant Agathocles.<ref name="DGRBM">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref>
ReignEdit
He succeeded his father as king in 272 BC, and continued the war which his father had begun with Antigonus II Gonatas, whom he succeeded in driving from the kingdom of Macedon. He was, however, dispossessed of both Macedon and Epirus by Demetrius II of Macedon, the son of Antigonus II; upon which he took refuge amongst the Acarnanians. By their assistance and that of his own subjects, who entertained a great attachment for him, he recovered Epirus. It appears that he was in alliance with the Aetolians.<ref>Template:Cite EB1911</ref>
Alexander married his paternal half-sister Olympias, by whom he had two sons, Pyrrhus ΙΙ, Ptolemy ΙΙ and a daughter, Phthia.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite encyclopedia</ref> Beloch places the death of King Alexander II "about 255", and supports this date with an elaborate chain of reasoning.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> On the death of Alexander, Olympias assumed the regency on behalf of her sons, and married Phthia to Demetrius.<ref>Universal Pronouncing Dictionary of Biography and Mythology, by Joseph Thomas - 1908 - page 90</ref><ref name=":0" /> There are extant silver and copper coins of this king. The former bear a youthful head covered with the skin of an elephant's head. The reverse represents Pallas holding a spear in one hand and a shield in the other, and before her stands an eagle on a thunderbolt.<ref>Justin, xvii. 1, xxvi. 2, 3, xxviii. 1</ref><ref>Polybius, ii. 45, ix. 34</ref><ref>Plutarch, Pyrrhus 9</ref><ref name="DGRBM" />
ReferencesEdit
SourcesEdit
- Connop Thirlwall, History of Greece, vol. viii
- Johann Gustav Droysen, Hellenismus
- Benediktus Niese, Geschichte der griechischen und makedonischen Staaten
- Karl Julius Beloch, Griechische Geschichte vol. iii.
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