Neoptolemus II of Epirus

King of Epirus in 3rd century BC

Neoptolemus II
King of Epirus
Reign	302 - 297 BC^[1]
Predecessor	Pyrrhus I of Epirus
Successor	Pyrrhus I of Epirus
House	Aeacidae
Father	Alexander I of Epirus
Mother	Cleopatra of Macedon
Religion	Ancient Greek religion

Neoptolemus II (Greek: Νεοπτόλεμος; died 297 BC) was king of Epirus from 302 BC until his death.^[2] He was the son of king Alexander I of Epirus and Cleopatra of Macedonia, his maternal grandparents were Philip II of Macedon and Olympias. His maternal uncles included Alexander the Great and Philip III of Macedon. His maternal aunts included Thessalonike and Cynane.

Neoptolemus came to the throne after the overthrow of his cousin Pyrrhus in 302 BC. However, Pyrrhus returned five years later in 297 BC with the financial and military support of the Egyptian king Ptolemy I. After they initially agreed to rule together as co-kings, Neoptolemus was killed at the behest of Pyrrhus.^[3]

References

^ Sampson, Gareth C. (2020-08-05). Rome & Parthia: Empires at War: Ventidius, Antony and the Second Romano-Parthian War, 40–20 BC. Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-5267-1015-4.
^ D'Agostini, Monica; Anson, Edward M.; Pownall, Frances (2020-12-31). Affective Relations and Personal Bonds in Hellenistic Antiquity: Studies in honor of Elizabeth D. Carney. Oxbow Books. pp. 66–74. ISBN 978-1-78925-501-0.
^ Cole, Myke (2018-10-18). Legion versus Phalanx: The Epic Struggle for Infantry Supremacy in the Ancient World. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 13. ISBN 978-1-4728-2844-6.