a favourite of ALEXANDER Balas, king of Syria, to whom Alexander entrusted the entire management of public affairs. Ammonius was avaricious and cruel; he put to death numerous friends of the king, the queen Laodice, and Antigonus, the son of Demetrius. Being detected in plotting against the life of Ptolemy Philometor, about B. C. 147, the latter required Alexander to surrender Ammonius to him; but though Alexander refused to do this, Ammonius was put to death by the inhabitants of Antioch, whom Ptolemy had induced to espouse his cause. (Liv. Epit. 50; J. AJ 13.4.5; Diod. Exc. 29, p. 628, ed. Wess.)