| Alexander II | |
|---|---|
| King of Epirus | |
Illustration of silver tetradrachm of Ptolemy I of Egypt, in the name of Alexander the Great (ca. 310-305 BC). Obverse: youthful head, covered with the skin of elephant's head. Reverse: Pallas Athena, holding spear and shield; before her eagle on thunderbolt. | |
| Reign | 272 - 255 BC[1] |
| Predecessor | Pyrrhus I of Epirus |
| Successor | Pyrrhus II of Epirus |
| Spouse | Olympias II of Epirus |
| Issue | Pyrrhus II of Epirus Ptolemy of Epirus Phthia of Macedon |
| House | Aeacidae |
| Father | Pyrrhus I of Epirus |
| Mother | Lanassa of Syracuse |
| Religion | Greek paganism |
Alexander II (Greek: Άλέξανδρος) was a king ofEpirus, and the son ofPyrrhus andLanassa, the daughter of the Sicilian tyrantAgathocles.[2]
He succeeded his father as king in 272 BC, and continued the war which his father had begun withAntigonus II Gonatas, whom he succeeded in driving from the kingdom ofMacedon. He was, however, dispossessed of bothMacedon andEpirus byDemetrius II of Macedon, the son of Antigonus II; upon which he took refuge amongst theAcarnanians. By their assistance and that of his own subjects, who entertained a great attachment for him, he recovered Epirus. It appears that he was in alliance with theAetolians.[3]
Alexander married his paternal half-sisterOlympias, by whom he had two sons,Pyrrhus ΙΙ,Ptolemy ΙΙ and a daughter,Phthia.[4] Beloch places the death of King Alexander II "about 255", and supports this date with an elaborate chain of reasoning.[5] On the death of Alexander, Olympias assumed the regency on behalf of her sons, and married Phthia to Demetrius.[6][4] There are extant silver and copper coins of this king. The former bear a youthful head covered with the skin of an elephant's head. The reverse represents Pallas holding a spear in one hand and a shield in the other, and before her stands an eagle on a thunderbolt.[7][8][9][2]
| Preceded by | King of Epirus 272–255 BC | Succeeded by |