A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

5. Of Miletus, a friend and flatterer of Antigonus, king of Asia, who sent him, in B. C. 315, to Peloponnesus with 1000 talents, and ordered him to maintain friendly relations with Polysperchon and his son Alexander, to collect as large a body of mercenaries as possible, and to conduct the war against Cassander. On his arrival in Laconia, he obtained permission from the Spartans to engage mercenaries in their country, and thus raised in Peloponnesus an army of 8000 men. The friendship with Polysperchon and his son Alexander was confirmed, and the former was made governor of the peninsula. Ptolemy, who was allied with Cassander, sent a fleet against the general and the allies of Antigonus, and Cassander made considerable conquests in Peloponnesus. After his departure, Aristodemus and Alexander at first endeavoured in common to persuade the towns to expel the garrisons of Cassander, and recover their independence. But Alexander soon allowed himself to be made a traitor to the cause he had hitherto espoused, and was rewarded by Cassander with the chief command of his forces in the Peloponnesus. In B. C. 314, Aristodemus invited the Aetolians to support the cause of Antigonus; and having raised a great number of mercenaries among them, he attacked Alexander, who was besieging Cyllene, and compelled him to raise the siege. lHe then restored several other places, such as Patrae in Achaia and Dymae in Aetolia, to what was then called freedom. After this, B. C. 306, Aristodemus occurs once more in history. (Diod. 19.57-66; Plut. Demetr. 16, 17.)