Demetrius Poliorcetes

Also known as: Demetrius · Family: Macedonian · Role: prince · First appears: Aemilius Paulus

Demetrius was the son of Philip and brother of Perseus. When Philip ended the war with Titus Quintius Flamininus and the Romans, Demetrius was sent to Rome as a hostage. He later inherited a kingdom won for him by Antigonus, who presented him to the army as his successor; during the struggle for Macedon, however, Demetrius fled in disguise, allowing Pyrrhus to seize the army and be declared king.

Demetrius married Phila, Eurydice, and Deidamia, and had children including Antigonus, Stratonice, and Alexander. Lamia held his particular affection, while Cratesipolis was well disposed toward him and Nicaea was courted with the promise of marriage to him. He fought Ptolemy, Menelaus, Cilles, Lysimachus, Pyrrhus, Lachares, Archidamus, and Agathocles, was opposed by Cassander and Demetrius the Phalerian, and was eventually surrendered as a prisoner, gaining three additional years of life in captivity.