Alexander, name of seven men

(1) ALEXANDER THE GREAT

King of Macedon, 336-323 B.C. He is mentioned in 1 Mach., i, 1-10; vi, 2. He is also supposed to be spoken of in Dan., ii,39; vii, 6; viii,5-7; xi 3,4.

(2) ALEXANDER BALAS

Eleventh King of Syria, 150-145 B. C. His struggle for the throne, his promises to Jonathan, his pro- Jewish policy may be learned from I Mach., x, 1-89. He was vanquished by his father-in-law, Ptolemy Philometor of Egypt, and Syria thus passed into the hands of Demetrius II ( 1 Maccabees 11:1-19 ).

(3) ALEXANDER

A son of Simon of Cyrene mentioned by St. Mark ( 15:21 ) who carried the Cross after Jesus.

(4) ALEXANDER

A member of the court that tried Peter and John ( Acts 4:6 ); some identify him with Alexander Lysimachus the brother of Philo and friend of Claudius before he ascended the throne.

(5) ALEXANDER

A Jew or a Jewish Christian ( Acts 19:33-34 ) who attempted to defend St. Paul in his Ephesian difficulty -- some identify him with the son of Simon of Cyrene.

(6) ALEXANDER

An Ephesian Christian who apostatized ( 1 Timothy 1:20 ), and who together vith Hymeneus was delivered up to Satan by the Apostles.

(7) ALEXANDER

A coppersmith of Ephesus ( 2 Timothy 4:14-15 ), who did much evil to St. Paul . Some identify him with the Alexander mentioned under the preceding number.