As he was marching to the assistance of Olympias, his troops mutinied against him, condemned him to exile, and slaughtered most of his friends. Pyrrhus, who was then an infant, happily escaped this massacre.
Neoptolemus, a prince of the blood, but whose particular extraction is little known, was placed on the throne by the people of Epirus.
Pyrrhus, being recalled by his subjects at the age of twelve years, first shared the sovereignty with Neoptolemus; but having afterwards divested him of his dignity, he reigned alone.
A.M. 3733. Ant. J.C. 271.
This history will treat of the various adventures of this prince. He died in the city of Argos, in an attack to make himself master of it.
Helenus his son reigned after him for some time in Epirus, which was afterwards united to the Roman empire.
Tyrants of Heraclea.
Heraclea is a city of Pontus, anciently founded by the Bœotians, who sent a colony into that country by the order of an oracle.
When the Athenians, having conquered the Persians, had imposed a tribute on the cities of Greece and Asia Minor, for the fitting out and support of a fleet intended for the defence of the common liberty, the inhabitants of Heraclea, in consequence of their attachment to the Persians, were the only people who refused to acquiesce in so just a contribution.[250] Lamachus was therefore sent against them, and he ravaged their territories; but a violent tempest having destroyed his whole fleet, he beheld himself abandoned to the mercy of that people, whose innate ferocity might naturally have been increased by the severe treatment they had lately received. But they had recourse to no other vengeance than kindness;[251] they furnished him with provisions and troops for his return, and were willing [pg cxxxiii] to consider the depredations which had been committed in their country as advantageous to them, if at that price they could convert the enmity of the Athenians into friendship.
A.M. 3640. Ant. J.C. 364.