| Neoptolemus I | |
|---|---|
| King of Epirus | |
| Reign | 370-357 BC |
| Predecessor | Alcetas I of Epirus |
| Successor | Arybbas of Epirus |
| Issue | Alexander I of Epirus Olympias (marriedPhilip II of Macedon) Troas (marriedArybbas of Epirus) |
| House | Aeacidae |
| Father | Alcetas I |
| Religion | Ancient Greek religion |
Neoptolemus I of Epirus (Greek:Νεοπτόλεμος Α' Ηπείρου) (370–357 BC) was aGreek king ofEpirus and son ofAlcetas I, and father of Troas,Alexander I of Epirus and QueenOlympias. He was the maternal grandfather ofAlexander the Great and great-grandfather ofPyrrhus of Epirus.[1] He claimed he was a descendant of the heroAchilles and KingLycomedes, while EmperorCaracalla claimed that he was a descendant of Neoptolemus.[2][page needed]
His name means "new war".[3] This was also a name of theson of the warrior Achilles and the Princess Deidamia inGreek mythology, and also the mythical progenitor of the ruling dynasty of the Molossians of ancient Epirus.
On the death of Alcetas, Neoptolemus and his brotherArybbas agreed to divide the kingdom, and continued to rule their respective portions without any interruption of the harmony between them, until the death of Neoptolemus, which, according toGerman historianJohann Gustav Droysen, may be placed about 360 BC. The first epigraphical evidence of theMolossian League goes back to 370 BC under Neoptolemus.[4]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "Neoptolemus".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology.
| Preceded by | King of Epirus withArymbas 370–357 BC | Succeeded by |