Meleager1, king of Macedon, son of Ptolemy I2, probably by Eurydice3, succeeded Ptolemy Ceraunus for two months as king of Macedon Jan/Feb-March/April 2794, subsequent career unknown5.
[1] PP VI 14535. Gr: MeleagroV. Ý
[2] Porphyry in Eusebius, Chronicorum I (ed. Schoene) 235 (FGrH 260 F 3 10), names him as "Ptolemy Meleager, the brother of Ptolemy (i.e. Ptolemy Ceraunus), the grandson of Lagus", making him a son of Ptolemy I. According to Diodorus 22.4, however, he was a brother of Ptolemy son of Lagus, i.e. of Ptolemy I, making him an uncle of Ceraunus. This statement is generally and reasonably rejected, partly on grounds of age, and partly because there is no obvious explanation for his involvement in these affairs with this relationship. It can be explained by supposing that "son" is an error for "grandson". Ý
[3] His maternity is not stated, but the fact that he succeeded Ptolemy Ceraunus in Macedon implies that he had accompanied the latter when he fled to the court of Lysimachus, presumably because there was a degree of trust between them not shared with Ptolemy II. This can most simply be attributed to a common maternity. Ý
[4] Porphyry in Eusebius, Chronicorum I (ed. Schoene) 235 (FGrH 260 F 3 10). He was deposed by Antipater Etesias, a nephew of Cassander. His reign length is generally given as 2 months, though the Greek table of Macedonian kings in Porphyry in Eusebius, Chronicorum I (ed. Schoene) 242 gives 1 year and 2 months, universally agreed to be an error. It may be dated in the Julian calendar by dead reckoning from the assassination of Seleucus I. Ý
[5] He is often conjectured to be identical to the unnamed son of Eurydice whose execution is mentioned in Pausanias 1.7.1. This proposal very likely fails on chronological grounds: his brother was probably executed in 282/1. Ý
Update Notes:
8-9 Feb 2002: Added individual trees
16 Feb 2002: Split out into separate entry
13 Sep 2004: Add Xref to online Eusebius
11 Mar 2005: Added Greek transcription
1 Jan 2006: Added Xref to online Porphyry
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