a city of the duchy of Smolensko, in the Russian empire, situated upon the river Ugra, in E. Long. 37°. O. N. Lat. 53°. 20'.

DEMETERIUS, a son of Antigonus and Stratonice, surnamed Poliorcetes, "Delftroyer of towns." At the age of 22, he was sent by his father against Ptolemy, who invaded Syria. He was defeated near Gaza; but he soon repaired his losses by a victory over one of the generals of the enemy. He afterwards sailed with a fleet of 250 ships to Athens, and restored the Athenians to liberty, by freeing them from the power of Cassander and Ptolemy, and expelling the garrison, which was stationed there under Demetrius Phalereus. After this successful expedition, he besieged and took Munychia, and defeated Cassander at Thermopylae. His reception at Athens after these victories was attended with the greatest fervour, and the Athenians were not ashamed to raise altars to him as to a god, and consult his oracles. This uncommon success raised the jealousy of the successors of Alexander and Seleucus Cassander, and Lysimachus united to destroy Antigonus and his son. Their hostile armies met at Ipsus, 299 years before the Augustan age. Antigonus was killed in the battle; and Demetrius, after a severe loss, retired to Ephesus. His ill success raised him many enemies; and the Athenians, who had lately adored him as a god, refused to admit him into their city. He soon after ravaged the territory of Lysimachus, and reconciled himself to Seleucus, to whom he gave his daughter Stratonice in marriage. Athens now laboured under tyranny, and Demetrius relieved it and pardoned the inhabitants. The loss of his possessions in Asia recalled him from Greece, and he established himself on the throne of Macedonia by the murder of Alexander the son of Cassander. Here he was continually at war with the neighbouring states, and the superior power of his adversaries obliged him to leave Macedonia, after he had sat on the throne for seven years. He passed into Asia, and attacked some of the provinces of Lysimachus with various success; but famine and pestilence destroyed the greatest part of his army, and he retired to the court of Seleucus for support and assistance. He met with a kind reception; but hostilities were soon begun; and after he had gained some advantages over his son-in-law, Demetrius was totally forsaken by his troops in the field of battle, and became an easy prey to the enemy. Though he was kept in confinement by his son-in-law, yet he maintained himself like a prince, and passed his time in hunting and in every laborious exercise. His son Antigonus offered Seleucus all his possessions, and even his person, to procure his father's liberty; but all proved unavailing, and Demetrius died in the 54th year of his age, after a confinement of three years, 286 years before Christ. His remains were given to Antigonus, and honoured with a splendid funeral pomp at Corinth, and thence conveyed to Demetrias. His posterity remained in possession of the Macedonian throne till the age of Perseus, who was conquered by the Romans. Demetrius has rendered himself famous for his fondness of dissipation when among the dissolute, and for his love of virtue and military glory in the field of battle. He has been commended as a great warrior; and his ingenious inventions, his warlike engines, and stupendous machines in his war with the Rhodians, justify his claims to that character. He has been blamed for his voluptuous indulgences; and his biographer observes that no Grecian prince had more wives and concubines than Poliorcetes. His obedience and reverence to his father has been justly admired; and it has been observed, that Antigonus ordered the ambassadors of a foreign prince, particularly to remark the cordiality Demetrius ty and friendship which subsisted between him and his son.

Demetrius, surnamed Gonatas, succeeded his father Antigonus on the throne of Macedonia. He reigned 12 years, and was succeeded by his son Philip.