Brachylles
or BRACHYLLAS (
Βραχύλλης,
Βραχύλλας), was the son of Neon, a Boeotian, who studiously courted the favour of the Macedonian king Antigonus Doson; and accordingly, when the latter took Sparta, B. C. 222, he entrusted to Brachyllas the government of the city. (
Plb. 20.5; comp. 2.70, 5.9, 9.36.)
After the death of Antigonus, B. C. 220, Brachyllas continued to attach himself to the interests of Macedonia under Philip V., whom he attended in his conference with Flamininus at Nicaea in Locris, B. C. 198. (
Plb. 17.1;
Liv. 32.32.)
At the battle of Cynoscephalae, B. C. 197, he commanded the Boeotian troops in Philip's army; but, together with the rest of his countrymen who had on that occasion fallen into the Roman power, he was sent home in safety by Flamininus, who wished to conciliate Boeotia. On his return he was elected Boeotarch, through the influence of the Macedonian party at Thebes; in consequence of which Zeuxippus, Peisistratus, and the other leaders of the Roman party, caused him to be assassinated as he was returning home one night from an entertainment, B. C. 196. Polybius tells us, what Livy omits to state, that Flamininus himself was privy to the crime. (
Plb. 18.26;
Liv. 33.27,
28; comp. 35.47, 36.6.)
[
E.E]
