A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

2. An officer and friend of Philip V. of Macedon. In B. C. 200, when Philip was compelled by Attalus I. and the Rhodians to winter in Caria. Philocles was with him, and formed a plan, which did not, however, succeed, for gaining possession of the town of Mylasa. In the same year he was sent by Philip into Attica to ravage the country, and made an unsuccessful attempt on Eleusis, and also afterwards, in conjunction with Philip, on Athens and the Peiraeeus. In B. C. 198 he was stationed at Chalcis in Euboea, and failed in an endeavour to succour Eretria, which the combined forces of the Romans, the Rhodians, and Attalus were besieging, and which was taken by them very shortly after the repulse of Philocles. In the same year, however, he compelled L. Quintius Flamininus and Attalus to raise the siege of Corinth, having brought up through Boeotia to the promontory of Juno Acraea, just opposite Sicyon, a reinforcement of 1500 men; and in consequence of this success he was invited to Argos by the Macedonian party in the town, and made himself master of it. In the war between Prusias and Eumenes II. of Pergamus, Philip sided with the former, and sent Philocles to his court to negotiate with him, and also to Rome to explain and defend his conduct. In B. C. 184 Philocles and Apelles

were joined by Philip with his son Demetrius in an embassy to Rome, to plead his cause before the senate, and avert their anger. In B. C. 181 Philocles and Apelles were again sent to Rome, to inquire into the truth of an accusation brought by Perseus against Demetrius, of having formed a design for changing the succession to the throne in his own favour, and of having communicated it to T. Quintius Flamininus and other Romans. The envoys had been chosen by Philip because he thought that they were impartial between his sons. They were however suborned by Perseus, and brought back with them a forged letter, professing to be from Flamininus to Philip, and confirming the charge. [DEMETRIUS]. On the discovery of the fraud, Philip caused Philocles to be arrested and put to death, B. C. 179. According to one account, no confession could be wrung from him even by torture. (Plb. 16.24, 23.14, 24.1, 3; Liv. 31.16, 26, 32.16, 23, 25, 39.35, 46, 40.20, 23, 54, 55; Just. 32.2, 3.)

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