Lysimachus (ca.
360 BCE–281 BCE, Greek: Λυσίμαχος) was a
Macedonian officer and "successor" (
diadochus) of
Alexander the Great, later a
basileus (king) (
306 BCE) in
Thrace and
Asia Minor.
Son of Agathocles, he was from
Pella in Macedonia. During Alexander's
Persian campaigns he was one of his immediate bodyguard and distinguished himself in
India. After Alexander’s death (
323 BCE) he was appointed to the government of Thrace and the
Chersonese. For a long time he was chiefly occupied with fighting against the
Odrysian king
Seuthes III.
In
315 BCE he joined
Cassander, Ptolemy and
Seleucus against
Antigonus, who, however, diverted his attention by stirring up Thracian and
Scythian tribes against him. In
309 BCE, he founded
Lysimachia in a commanding situation on the neck connecting the Chersonese with the mainland. He followed the example of Antigonus in taking the title of king. In
302 when the second
affiance between Cassander, Ptolemy and Seleucus was made, Lysimachus, reinforced by troops from Cassander, entered
Asia Minor, where he met with little resistance. On the approach of Antigonus he retired into winter quarters near
Heraclea, marrying its widowed queen
Amastris, a Persian princess. Seleucus joined him in
301 BCE, and at the
battle of Ipsus Antigonus was defeated and slain. His dominions were divided among the victors. Lysimachus share was
Lydia, Ionia, Phrygia and the north coast of Asia Minor.
Feeling that Seleucus was becoming dangerously great, Lysimachus now allied himself with Ptolemy, marrying his daughter
Arsinoe II of Egypt. Amastris, who had divorced herself from him, returned to Heraclea. When Antigonus’s son
Demetrius I of Macedon renewed hostilities (
297 BCE), during his absence in
Greece, Lysimachus seized his towns in Asia Minor, but in
294 BCE concluded a peace whereby Demetrius was recognized as ruler of Macedonia. He tried to carry his power beyond the
Danube, but was defeated and taken prisoner by the
Getae king
Dromichaetes (
Dromihete), who, however, set him free on amicable terms. Demetrius subsequently threatened Thrace, but had to retire due to a sudden uprising in
Boeotia, and an attack from
Pyrrhus of Epirus.
In
288 BCE Lysimachus and Pyrrhus in turn invaded Macedonia, and drove Demetrius out of the country. Lysimachus left Pyrrhus in possession of Macedonia with the title of king for around seven months before Lysimachus invaded. For a short while the two ruled jointly but in
285 BCE Lysimachus expelled Pyrrhus.
Domestic troubles embittered the last years of Lysimachus’s life. Amastris had been murdered by her two sons; Lysimachus treacherously put them to death. On his return Arsinoe asked the gift of Heraclea, and he granted her request, though he had promised to free the city. In
284 BCE Arsinoe, desirous of gaining the succession for her sons in preference to
Agathocles (the eldest son of Lysimachus), intrigued against him with the help of her brother
Ptolemy Keraunos; they accused him of conspiring with Seleucus to seize the throne, and he was put to death.
This atrocious deed of Lysimachus aroused great indignation. Many of the cities of Asia revolted, and his most trusted friends deserted him. The widow of Agathocles fled to Seleucus, who at once invaded the territory of Lysimachus in Asia. In
281 BCE, Lysimachus crossed the
Hellespont into
Lydia, and at the decisive
Battle of Corupedium was killed. After some days his body was found on the field, protected from birds of prey by his faithful dog. Lysimachus's body was given over to his son Alexander, by whom it was interred at Lysimachia.
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