Author Description

Excerpt from The Ancient History, Vol. 1 of 6: Of the Egyptians, Carthaginians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes and Persians, Grecians and Macedonians Lysimachus, king of Thrace, in order to strengthen him self in his dominions, entered'into a particular treaty with Ptolemy, and strengthened the alliance between them, by espousing one of his daughters, named Arsinoe shortly after which, his son Agathocles married another. This double alliance between Lysimachus and Ptolemy gave umbrage to Seleucus, who thereupon entered into a treaty with Demetrius, and espoused Stratonice, the daughter of that prince, by Phila the sister of Cassander. The beauty of that princess had induced Seleucus to demand her in mar riege; and as the affairs of Demetrius were at that time in a very bad condition, so honourable an alliance with so power ful a prince was exceedingly agreeable to him. In couse quence of which he immediately conducted his daughter with all his fleet into Syria from Greece, where he was still in pos session of some places. During his passage he made a descent on Cilicia, which then belonged to Plistarchus, the brother of Cassander, to whom it had been assigned by the four kings, who divided the dominions of Alexander the Great after the death of Antigonus. Plistarchus went to complain of this proceeding to Seleucus, and to reproach him for contracting an alliance with the common enemy without the consent of the other kings, which he considered as an infraction of the treaty. Demetrius, receiving intelligence of this journey, advanced directly to the city of Synada, where the treasures of the province, amounting to twelve hundred talents ii, were deposited. These he carried off with all expedition to his eet, and then set sail for Syria, where he found Seleucus, and gave him the princess Stratonice in marriage. Demetrius, after some days passed in rejoicings for the nuptials, and en tertainments given on each side, returned to Cilicia, and made himself master of