Argaeus II of Macedon
Encyclopedia
Argaeus II of Macedon
(Greek
: Ἀργαῖος Βʹ ὁ Μακεδών), was a pretender
to the Macedonian crown, who, with the assistance of the Illyrians
, expelled King Amyntas III from his dominions in 393 BC and kept possession of the throne for about a year. With the aid of the Thessalians, Amyntas III later succeeded in expelling Argaeus II and recovering a part of his kingdom.
It is probably the same Argaeus who thirty five years later in 359 BC again appears as a pretender to the throne. He had persuaded the Athenians
to support his claim to the Macedonian throne, but Philip II
, who had just succeeded to the regency of the kingdom, persuaded the Athenians to remain inactive.
With a force of mercenaries, some Macedonian exiles and a number of Athenian troops (who were permitted to join the Macedonians by their general, Manlias), Argaeus made an attempt to take Aegae
, but was repulsed. On his retreat to Methone
, he was intercepted by Philip, and defeated. Argaeus was either killed in the battle or executed afterward.
Macedon
Macedonia or Macedon was an ancient kingdom, centered in the northeastern part of the Greek peninsula, bordered by Epirus to the west, Paeonia to the north, the region of Thrace to the east and Thessaly to the south....
(Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
: Ἀργαῖος Βʹ ὁ Μακεδών), was a pretender
Pretender
A pretender is one who claims entitlement to an unavailable position of honour or rank. Most often it refers to a former monarch, or descendant thereof, whose throne is occupied or claimed by a rival, or has been abolished....
to the Macedonian crown, who, with the assistance of the Illyrians
Illyrians
The Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited part of the western Balkans in antiquity and the south-eastern coasts of the Italian peninsula...
, expelled King Amyntas III from his dominions in 393 BC and kept possession of the throne for about a year. With the aid of the Thessalians, Amyntas III later succeeded in expelling Argaeus II and recovering a part of his kingdom.
It is probably the same Argaeus who thirty five years later in 359 BC again appears as a pretender to the throne. He had persuaded the Athenians
Classical Athens
The city of Athens during the classical period of Ancient Greece was a notable polis of Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC under Cleisthenes following the tyranny of Hippias...
to support his claim to the Macedonian throne, but Philip II
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon "friend" + ἵππος "horse" — transliterated ; 382 – 336 BC), was a king of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.-Biography:...
, who had just succeeded to the regency of the kingdom, persuaded the Athenians to remain inactive.
With a force of mercenaries, some Macedonian exiles and a number of Athenian troops (who were permitted to join the Macedonians by their general, Manlias), Argaeus made an attempt to take Aegae
Vergina
Vergina is a small town in northern Greece, located in the peripheral unit of Imathia, Central Macedonia. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Veroia, of which it is a municipal unit...
, but was repulsed. On his retreat to Methone
Methoni, Pieria
Methoni is a village and a former municipality in Pieria regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pydna-Kolindros, of which it is a municipal unit...
, he was intercepted by Philip, and defeated. Argaeus was either killed in the battle or executed afterward.