Phoxidas
（
*Foci/das), a leader of Greek mercenaries in the service of Ptolemy Philopator.
He is called by Polybius, in one passage, an Achaean, in another a Melitaean, by which is probably meant a native of Melitaea, in Phthiotis (Schweigh.
ad Polyh. 5.63). Having had much experience in war under Demetrius II., and Antigonus Doson, he was one of the officers selected by Agathocles and Sosibius, the ministers of the Egyptian king, to levy and discipline an army with which to oppose the progress of Antiochus III.
He appears to have ably discharged the duties entrusted to him, and when the army was at length able to take the field, held the conmmand of a body of 8000 Greek mercenaries, with which he rendered important services at the great battle of Raphia (B. C. 217), and contributed essentially to the victory of the Egyptian monarch on that occasion. (Polvb. 5.63, 65, 85).
[
E.H.B]
