Menander (general)
Menander(Greek:Μένανδρος;fl. 4th century BC) was an officer in the service ofAlexander the Great.He was one of those calledetairoi,but he held the command of a body of mercenaries. He was appointed by Alexander to the government ofLydia,during the settlement of the affairs of Asia made by Alexander when atTyre(331 BC). Menander appears to have remained at that post until the year 323 BC, when he was commissioned to lead a reinforcement of troops to Alexander atBabylon— he arrived there just before the king's last illness.[1]In the division of the provinces, after the death of Alexander, Menander received his former government of Lydia, of which he was quick to take possession.[2]
He appears soon to have attached himself to the party ofAntigonusand was the first to give Antigonus information about the ambitious schemes of Perdiccas for marryingCleopatra.[3]In the new distribution of the provinces atTriparadisus(321 BC) he lost the government of Lydia, which was given toCleitus;[3]but this was probably only in order that he might liaise more easily with Antigonus, as illustrated by him commanding a part of Antigonus's army in the first campaign againstEumenes(320 BC). The following year, Menander learnt of the escape of Eumenes from Nora, and advanced with an army intoCappadociato attack him, forcing him to take refuge inCilicia.[4]After this, there is no further records about Menander.
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References[edit]
- Smith, William(editor);Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology,"Menander (1)",Boston,(1867)
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)