Autodicus

Autodicus also known as Autodikos, Autolycus and Autolykos^[1] (early to mid-340s BC^[2]-?) was a Greek nobleman who was a Macedonian Thessalian who served as an official.

Autodicus was the third born of four sons to Agathocles^[3] and his wife, perhaps named Arsinoe. His paternal grandfather may have been called Alcimachus and one of his brothers was Lysimachus one of the Diadochi of Alexander the Great.^[4]

His father was a nobleman of high rank who was an intimate friend of King Philip II of Macedon, who shared in Philip II’s councils and became a favorite in the Argead court.^[5] Autodicus with his brothers grew up with the status of Macedonians; he with his brothers enjoyed prominent positions in King Alexander the Great’s circle^[6] and Autodicus with his brothers were educated at the court at Pella.^[7]

Autodicus was appointed in 321 BC^[8] as one of the four Somatophylakes at Triparadeisus for the Greek Macedonian King Philip III Arrhidaeus^[9] who reigned 323 BC-317 BC, who was a paternal half-brother of Alexander the Great.

In Lysimachus’ reign 306 BC-281 BC in his rule as King over Thrace, Anatolia and Macedonia; Autodicus and his family were prominent figures in his Thracian court^[10] and were among those who stayed loyal to Lysimachus.^[11]

According to an inscription found, Autodicus had a wife called Adeia,^[12] by whom he had children. However the identities of their children are unknown.

References

Sources

• Lysimachus’ article at Livius.org
• H.S. Lund, Lysimachus: A Study in Early Hellenistic Kingship, Routledge, 2002
• W. Heckel, Who’s who in the age of Alexander the Great: prosopography of Alexander’s empire, Wiley-Blackwell, 2006