A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

2. Prince or ruler of Paphos, in Cyprus, during the period which followed the death of Alexander. He was at first one of those who took part with Ptolemy, the son of Lagus, against Antigonus (Diod. 19.59; Droysen, Hellenismus, vol. i. p. 339), but at a subsequent period, B. C. 310, after Ptolemy had established his power over the whole island, Nicocles appears to have changed his views, and entered into secret negotiations with Antigonus. Hereupon, the Egyptian monarch, alarmed lest the spirit of disaffection should spread to the other cities, immediately despatched two of his friends, Argaeus and Callicrates, to Cyprus, who surrounded the palace of the unhappy prince with an armed force, and commanded him to put an end to his own life, an order with which, after a vain attempt at explanation, he was obliged to comply. His example was followed by his wife Axiothea, as well as by his brothers and their wives, so that the whole family of the princes of Paphos perished in this catastrophe (Diod. 20.21; Polyaen. 8.48). Wesseling (ad Diod. l.c.) has erroneously identified this Nicocles with Nicocreon, king of Salamis [NICOCREON], from whom he is certainly distinct. (See Droysen, vol. i. p. 404, not.) A coin of this prince, bearing the inscription ΝΙΚΟΚΛΕΟΥΣ

ΠΑΦΙΟΝ, has been mentioned by Eckhel (vol. iii. p. 87).