Nicolaus of Aetolia

Nicolaus(Greek:Nικoλαoς,Nikolaos) was anAetolian,and a general ofPtolemy IV Philopator(221–204 BC), king ofEgypt.In 219 BC he led a siege ofPtolemais,which was held by the traitorTheodotus,who had revolted from Ptolemy toAntiochus III the Great(223–187 BC). Nicolaus, however, abandoned the siege on the approach of theSeleucidking. In the same year he did much towards baffling the attempt of Antiochus onDorainPhoenicia,by sending constant succours to the besieged. In 218 BC he was invested by Ptolemy with the supreme command inCoele-Syria,an appointment fully warranted, according toPolybius,by his military experience and bravery. He was, however, dislodged by Antiochus and his generals from a strong position which he had taken up between the range ofMount Lebanonand the sea near the town ofPorphyreon,and was obliged to seek safety in a precipitate flight towardsSidon.It may be conjectured that after this he deserted to Antiochus: at least, we find the name of Nicolaus of Aetolia mentioned among the generals of the Syrian king during theBattle of Mount Labus209 BC.

References

• Polybius;Histories,Evelyn S. Shuckburgh(translator);London-New York,(1889)
• Smith, William(editor);Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology,"Nicolaus (4)",Boston,(1867)

Notes

This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Smith, William,ed. (1870).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.{{cite encyclopedia}}:Missing or empty|title=(help)