Lynkestis
Encyclopedia
Lynkestis or Lynchestia was a region (in earlier times, a kingdom) of Upper Macedonia
on the southern borders of Illyria
which was ruled by kings, lords and independent or semi-independent chieftains till the later Argead
rulers of Macedon (Amyntas IV
, Philip II
) neutralized their independence with dynastic alliances and the practice of bringing up tribal chieftains' sons in the palaces of Philip. To the north of Lynchestia was the region of Deuriopus
, while Paionia
was to the north-east, Pelagonia
bordered on the east, Emathia and Almopia
to the south-east, and Orestia
, Eordaia and the Haliacmon
river at some distance to the south.
The rich and turbulent kings of Lyncestis traced their origins to the Bacchiad kings
that were expelled from Corinth
in the seventh century. During the Peloponnesian war Arrhabaeus the king of Lyncestis waged war against Perdiccas II of Macedon
.
The tribes of Lynkestis were known as Lynkestai (Λυγκησταί). Strabo says that Irra was the daughter of Arrhabaeus, and that his granddaughter was Eurydice, the mother of Philip II
.
The Lynkestai were a Northwestern Greek
tribe and belonged to the Molossian
group of the Epirotes.
Upper Macedonia
Upper Macedonia is a geographical and tribal term to describe the regions that became part of the kingdom of Macedon in the early 4th century BC. From that date, its inhabitants were politically equal to Lower Macedonians...
on the southern borders of Illyria
Illyria
In classical antiquity, Illyria was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by the Illyrians....
which was ruled by kings, lords and independent or semi-independent chieftains till the later Argead
Argead dynasty
The Argead dynasty was an ancient Greek royal house. They were the ruling dynasty of Macedonia from about 700 to 310 BC. Their tradition, as described in ancient Greek historiography, traced their origins to Argos, in southern Greece...
rulers of Macedon (Amyntas IV
Amyntas IV of Macedon
Amyntas IV was a titular king of Macedonia in 359 BC and member of the Argead dynasty.- Biography :Amyntas was a son of King Perdiccas III of Macedon. He was born in about 365 BC. After his father's death in 359 BC he became king, but he was only an infant. Philip II of Macedon, Perdiccas'...
, 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:...
) neutralized their independence with dynastic alliances and the practice of bringing up tribal chieftains' sons in the palaces of Philip. To the north of Lynchestia was the region of Deuriopus
Deuriopus
Deuriopus was a subdivision of Paionia, in what is today the Republic of Macedonia. Its exact limits are unclear, but it is known that it contained lands around the river Crna...
, while Paionia
Paionia
In ancient geography, Paeonia or Paionia was the land of the Paeonians . The exact original boundaries of Paeonia, like the early history of its inhabitants, are very obscure, but it is believed that they lay in the region of Thrace...
was to the north-east, Pelagonia
Pelagonia
This is about the geographical plain between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. For the political unit in Macedonia, go to Pelagonia Statistical Region....
bordered on the east, Emathia and Almopia
Almopia
Almopia is a municipality and a former province of the Pella regional unit in Macedonia, Greece. The seat of the municipality is the town Aridaia. One of the regions of ancient Macedon, north-west of Bottiaea, it corresponds roughly to the Moglena region of medieval and modern times. Ancient...
to the south-east, and Orestia
Orestia
Orestia may refer to:* Orestis ancient region of Epirotic Macedonia.* The old name for Edirne* The Oresteia* Orestia , a genus of flea beetles...
, Eordaia and the Haliacmon
Haliacmon
The Haliacmon is the longest river in Greece, with a total length of . Haliacmon is the traditional English name for the river, but many sources cite the formerly official Katharevousa version of the name, Aliákmon...
river at some distance to the south.
The rich and turbulent kings of Lyncestis traced their origins to the Bacchiad kings
Bacchiadae
The Bacchiadae , a tightly-knit Doric clan, were the ruling family of archaic Corinth in the eighth and seventh centuries BCE, a period of Corinthian cultural power. Corinth had been a backwater in eighth-century Greece...
that were expelled from Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
in the seventh century. During the Peloponnesian war Arrhabaeus the king of Lyncestis waged war against Perdiccas II of Macedon
Perdiccas II of Macedon
Perdiccas II was a king of Macedonia from about 454 BC to about 413 BC. He was the son of Alexander I and had two brothers.-Background:After the death of Alexander in 452, Macedon began to fall apart. Macedonian tribes became almost completely autonomous, and were only loosely allied to the king...
.
The tribes of Lynkestis were known as Lynkestai (Λυγκησταί). Strabo says that Irra was the daughter of Arrhabaeus, and that his granddaughter was Eurydice, the mother of 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:...
.
The Lynkestai were a Northwestern Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
tribe and belonged to the Molossian
Molossians
The Molossians were an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region of Epirus since the Mycenaean era. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to their southern frontier the kingdom of the Thesprotians, to their north were the Illyrians. The Molossians were part of the League of...
group of the Epirotes.
Sources
- Errington, Robert Malcolm. History of Macedonia, 1986.
- Strabo. Geography, Book VII (Getae, Macedonia, Black Sea).