March 19, 2024

politics of law

Politics and Law

meet history’s most outrageous king, Demetrius the Besieger

4 min read

Alexander the Excellent was a productive conqueror, but a weak planner. He died devoid of an appropriate heir to inherit the empire, just a quickly-to-be-born little one son, and a 50 percent-brother not very up to the endeavor.

And as Match of Thrones followers will know, this kind of situation can guide to really the electric power struggle, with poisoning plots, extraordinary marriages, incest and a entire good deal of preventing. We find all this and more in the Hellenistic Age, which is what we get in touch with the time period of time 323 BCE-31 BCE, starting off with Alexander’s demise and ending with Cleopatra’s famous snake bite.

These situation started the occupation of Demetrius the Besieger, 1 of the extra outrageous rulers of the time. Like numerous others who fought for a piece of Alexander the Great’s empire, Demetrius was never ever meant to be king. But he and his father Antigonus the 1-Eyed didn’t allow a deficiency of royal blood get in the way of ambition. The two of them expended lots of decades fighting, stealing territory, and getting rid of rivals.

In 306 BCE, they the two claimed the title King. They were trendsetters in this space, and before long self-produced kings popped up all above the area, dividing Alexander’s empire into scaled-down kingdoms of their personal. But even through this time of royally bad behaviour and a multitude of rival kings, Demetrius continue to managed to get a standout track record.

The Siege of Rhodes (305-304 BC), led by Demetrius. Painting by Edmund Ollier.
Wikimedia Commons

Perform challenging, enjoy more difficult

Demetrius’ biographer, the historical writer Plutarch, tells us Demetrius experienced a coverage akin to get the job done tricky and enjoy tougher. He was renowned for his ingenuity and extravagance when it came to siege machines and his ability in this style of warfare earned him the identify Besieger.

His repertoire provided the use of a monstrosity named the Helepolis (city-taker), a variety of mobile tower block believed to be between 30-40 metres tall, with a base of 21 metres.

Model of a Helepolis siege tower, at the Thessaloniki Science Centre and Engineering Museum.
Wikimedia Commons, CC BY

This terrifying creation was loaded with troopers, and would screech as it moved slowly but surely toward its target town. This was such an amazing sight that, according to Plutarch, even individuals less than siege experienced to confess they had been impressed.

Cash and calendars

It can be hard to inform point from fiction in heritage, and the ancient writers definitely notify us some odd stories about Demetrius.

He is said to have manipulated time by transforming all-around the calendar months, all so that he could full his initiation into the Mysteries (a religious cult) a lot quicker than was lawful.

He place his individual portrait on his coins, and was probably the 1st dwelling particular person to do so in the western planet. Prior to this audacious go, the heads facet of the coin experienced generally been reserved for photos of gods or honouring critical (deceased) persons.

The Athenians even finished up addressing Demetrius as a residing god in a exclusive hymn, calling him the son of Poseidon and Aphrodite.

Functions and polygamy

Demetrius’ partying acquired him an even more infamous status.

He had a handful of wives (Demetrius was a polygamous king, and finished up marrying at least five women), but his favorite companion was the courtesan Lamia, whose title refers to a flesh devouring monster.

There are a good deal of tales of the two of them cavorting jointly, sometimes alternatively sacrilegiously. For instance, the Athenians experimented with to honour Demetrius by letting him a symbolic marriage to their patron goddess Athena – but the Besieger didn’t believe too considerably of marrying a statue. In its place, he and Lamia went into the temple and fully commited many functions claimed to be fairly surprising to the virgin goddess.

Demetrius is even accused of taxing the town 250 abilities (about 6,000 kilos of silver or gold), only to flip it over to Lamia and his other mistresses so they could purchase elegance goods.

A Silver Coin (Tetradrachm) of Demetrius the Besieger.

Level of popularity and public relations

All this irreverent behaviour can only consider you so much. Kingship, like several careers, demands a sure total of admin work. Demetrius’ Macedonian subjects ended up dismayed by the disinterest of their king, but on one situation they attained a little hope.

Demetrius actually took their petitions as even though he intended to go through them. They adopted the king alongside on his wander in wonderful enjoyment, only to check out in horror as Demetrius then dumped all of the petitions around a bridge, into the river underneath.




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He was run out of Macedonia a minimal when later on, ancient proof of the significance of general public relations. This type of reversal of fortune was some thing Demetrius was properly-versed in, possessing gained and shed several instances more than all through his career. So he basically went on with campaigning until he was deserted, broke, and fell into the fingers of one of his enemies.

It was a sorry finish for such a colourful character, but during his captivity Demetrius applied himself as vigorously to leisure and drinking as he once had to besieging and enjoy affairs. He may not have held his throne, but he undoubtedly acquired his put in heritage, an outrageous and fascinating person, and certainly a king.

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