Archelaus

Archelaus, (1) a Greek philosopher of the fifth century B.C. Being a disciple of Anaxagoras, he held most of the physical theories of his master, and is said to have had an idea of the sphericity of the earth. In morals he taught that custom made the only distinction between right and wrong. (2) The natural son of Perdiccas, King of Macedonia. He killed the legitimate heirs and usurped the throne about 413 B.C. In spite of this he is stated to have been a wise and liberal monarch, encouraging the arts of civilisation. Euripides was a guest at his court. He was assassinated by Crataeus in 399. (3) A general, of Mithridates the Great, who was at first successful against the Romans, but being afterwards defeated by Sylla fell into disgrace and fled to Rome B.C. 81. (4) Son of Herod the Great, who disputed the succession with Herod Antipas, and was seated on the throne as ethnarch by Augustus, A.D. 1. His reign was marked by oppression and bloodshed. It is said that he slew three thousand Jews because they remonstrated against his bringing a Roman standard into the temple during the Passover. At the prayer of his subjects he was deposed in 7 A.D. and banished to Vienne in Gaul, where he died.