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TYPHAINE HAZIZA

Université de Caen Normandie

Arcesilaus III, king of the Greek city of CYRENE in LIBYA (North Africa) from around 530 until 519 BCE. He did not accept the reforms of DEMONAX, an arbitrator called in from MANTINEIA, which were imposed by Arcesilaus’ father, BATTUS III. Herodotus, our principal source for this conflict (4.162–64), insists upon the tyrannical character of the power Arcesilaus sought to put in place with the aid of his mother, PHERETIME. In his struggle against the great landowners of Cyrene, he relied on help from the common people and also received, before he was forced into EXILE, the support of POLYCRATES, tyrant of SAMOS, who supplied him with MERCENARIES. This assistance allowed him to retake power at Cyrene, which he quickly conferred upon his mother. Arcesilaus did not hesitate to place himself under the authority of the Persians, who had just conquered EGYPT, in 526/5 (4.165.2). He ended up being assassinated by his adversaries while he was taking refuge with his father‐in‐law, ALAZIR, at BARCA (having misinterpreted an ORACLE which Herodotus reports, 4.163); but he left to Cyrene a regime which the last two Battiad kings maintained.

SEE ALSO: Monarchy; Stasis