Apollodorus was a

tyrant A tyrant (), in the modern English usage of the word, is an absolute ruler who is unrestrained by law, or one who has usurped a legitimate ruler's sovereignty. Often portrayed as cruel, tyrants may defend their positions by resorting to ...

of the ancient Greek city of

Cassandreia Cassandreia or Cassandrea (, ''Kassándreia'') was once one of the most important cities in Ancient Macedonia, founded by and named after Cassander in 316 BC. It was located on the site of the earlier Ancient Greek city of Potidaea, at the isth ...

(formerly

Potidaea __NOTOC__ Potidaea (; , ''Potidaia'', also Ποτείδαια, ''Poteidaia'') was a colony founded by the Corinthians around 600 BC in the narrowest point of the peninsula of Pallene, Chalcidice, Pallene, the westernmost of three peninsulas at t ...

) in the peninsula of Pallene. He at first pretended to be a friend of the people, but when he had gained their confidence, he formed a conspiracy for the purpose of making himself tyrant, and bound his accomplices by most barbarous ceremonies described in

Diodorus Diodorus Siculus or Diodorus of Sicily (; 1st century BC) was an ancient Greek historian from Sicily. He is known for writing the monumental universal history '' Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which survive intact, b ...

. When Apollodorus had gained his object, about 279 BC, he began his tyrannical reign, which in cruelty, rapaciousness and debauchery has seldom been equalled in any country. The ancients mention him along with the most detestable tyrants that ever lived. But notwithstanding the support which he derived from the Gauls, who were then penetrating southward, he was unable to maintain himself, and in 276 or 275 he was conquered with the help of the pirate Ameinias the Phocian and put to death by

Antigonus II Gonatas Antigonus II Gonatas (, ; – 239 BC) was a Macedonian Greek ruler who solidified the position of the Antigonid dynasty in Macedon after a long period defined by anarchy and chaos and acquired fame for his victory over the Gauls who had inv ...

Polyaenus Polyaenus or Polyenus ( ; see ae (æ) vs. e; , "much-praised") was a 2nd-century Roman Macedonian author and rhetorician, known best for his ''Stratagems in War'' (), which has been preserved. He was born in Bithynia, Asia Minor. The ''Suda'' c ...

VI 7, IV 6, 18 ;

Aelian Aelian or Aelianus may refer to: * Aelianus Tacticus, 2nd-century Greek military writer in Rome * Casperius Aelianus (13–98 AD), Praetorian Prefect, executed by Trajan * Claudius Aelianus Claudius Aelianus (; ), commonly Aelian (), born at Pr ...

, ''F. If.'' XIV 41 ; ''Hist. An.'' V. 15 ;

Plutarch Plutarch (; , ''Ploútarchos'', ; – 120s) was a Greek Middle Platonist philosopher, historian, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo (Delphi), Temple of Apollo in Delphi. He is known primarily for his ''Parallel Lives'', ...

, ''De Sera Num. Vind.'' 10, 11; Pausanias IV. 5. § 1; Heinsius, ''ad Odd. ex Pont.'' II 9. 43.

Notes

References

The Biographical Dictionary, Volume 3
* 3rd-century BC Greek people Ancient Greek tyrants 3rd-century BC monarchs in Europe 3rd-century BC Macedonians 270s BC deaths {{AncientGreece-bio-stub