Amyntas III.

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Amyntas III coin, head of Heracles

Amyntas III. († 370 BC ), son of Arrhidaios , great-grandson of Alexander I of Macedonia , was king of Macedonia in 393 BC. And after an interruption from 392 to 370 BC Under Amyntas III. Macedonia was almost completely without political significance and economically badly hit. He only barely survived several invasions by asking for help from neighboring regents or Greek city-states, each of which had a strong influence on the fate of the country.

War with the Illyrians

Amyntas ascended the throne after ten years of confusion following the death of Archelaus I , the patron of art and literature, and showed the same taste for Greek culture and its representatives as this one. About 393 BC He married Eurydice . Although his long reign of 24 years gives the impression that Macedonia was in a stable phase, he had to contend with a multitude of internal and external problems. At least once during his reign, the Macedonian Empire was overrun by the neighboring Illyrians . Amyntas III. then had to flee and Argaios II took over the government for two years. The ancient author Diodorus reports of two Illyrian invasions in which Amyntas III. had to flee. There is no news of this in any other source, and research has debated whether the second Illyrian attack was a duplicate. The first Illyrian attack is likely to be in 393 BC. The second will have fallen around 383 BC. Assumed. The first time Amyntas was able to use the Thessalians in 392 BC. To get back on the throne.

Power struggle with Olynth

Not only the Illyrians posed a threat to Amyntas III. but also the Chalcidian Confederation on the Macedonian eastern border. This alliance was led by the city of Olynthus and was able to take advantage of the weakened position of the king and the country to negotiate a very advantageous, economically unilateral contract. The basic agreement was a defensive alliance between Olynth and Amyntas III., Who had to pay dearly for this pact.

Late eighties of the 4th century BC BC Olynthus expanded its influence and refused to return areas that existed before the second Illyrian attack of 383 BC. Still belonged to Macedonia. Rather, the Chalcidian League even occupied Pella and the entire Macedonian area up to about the Axios .

Amyntas therefore signed a treaty with Sparta , which subsequently sent him troops. One after the other, the following Spartan generals went into battle for him: Phoibidas , Eudamidas, Teleutias, Agesipolis and Polybiades. An instruction from the Spartan general Teleutias to Amyntas to procure mercenaries for the common fight against Olynth is an indication of the poor condition of the Macedonian infantry at that time.

Only Polybiades could 379 BC. Defeat the Olynthians and restore the supremacy of Macedonia. Amyntas also entered into a contract with Jason of Pherai and maintained friendship with Athens .

Amyntas family

Amyntas had a total of seven children. With his wife Eurydice he had three sons - the eldest was Alexander II , the second Perdiccas III. and the youngest Philip II - and a daughter Eurynoe. With Gygaia, his concubine, he also had three sons, Archelaus, Arrhidaios and Menelaus. His wife Eurydice wanted to murder Amyntas to bring her son-in-law and lover Ptolemy of Aloros to the throne. But Eurynoe revealed the plan to her father and was able to prevent the murder. Amyntas died of old age and his son Alexander succeeded him as king.

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literature

predecessor Office successor
Amyntas II. King of Macedonia
1st term
393 BC Chr. 		Argaios II
Argaios II King of Macedonia
2nd term
392–370 BC Chr. 		Alexander II
personal data
SURNAME Amyntas III.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION King of Macedonia
DATE OF BIRTH before 393 BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 370 BC Chr.