List of kings of Macedonia

Macedonia, also called Macedon, was ruled continuously by kings from its inception around the middle of the seventh century BC until its conquest by the Roman Republic in 168 BC. Kingship in Macedonia, its earliest attested political institution, was hereditary, exclusively male, and characterized by dynastic politics.[2][3][4]

King of Macedonia
The Vergina Sun, as depicted on the larnax of Philip II
Alexander the Great, the most famous Macedonian king
Details
StyleKing of the Macedonians, Basileus[1]
First monarchPerdiccas I
Last monarchPerseus
Formationc. 650 BC
Abolition168 BC
ResidenceAegae, Pella, and Demetrias

Information regarding the origins of the Argeads, Macedonia's founding dynasty, is very scarce and oftentimes contradictory. The Argeads themselves claimed descent from the royal house of Argos, the Temenids, but this story is viewed with skepticism by modern scholarship as a fifth century BC fiction invented by the Argead court to impress the Greeks.[5][6][7][8] It is more likely that the Argeads first surfaced as part of a tribe living near Mount Bermion who, possibly under the authority of Perdiccas, subjugated neighboring lands.[9][10] During their reign, Macedonia would not only come to dominate Greece, but also emerge as one of the most powerful states in the ancient world with the conquest of the Persian Empire under Alexander the Great. However, Alexander's untimely death in 323 BC triggered a series of civil wars and regents for his young son Alexander IV, ultimately leading to the Argaed dynasty's demise.

Cassander, the ostensible regent of Macedonia, murdered Alexander IV in 310 and installed the Antipatrids as the ruling house. His dynasty would be short-lived, however, as his death in 297 triggered a civil war between his sons that further destabilized the kingdom. The following decades saw a rapid and violent succession of Diadochi from various dynasties, each vying for the Macedonian throne. This chaos would continue until the death of Pyrrhus in 272 and the accession of the Antigonids under Antigonus II Gonatas.

Following decades of continuous conflict, the Antigonids would see to the temporary renewal of the Kingdom's fortunes, but would ultimately be destroyed by Rome following Perseus' defeat at the battle of Pydna in 168 BC.

Argead dynasty (c. 650 BC – 310 BC)
Main article: Argead dynasty

Legendary

There are two separate historical traditions relating the foundation of Macedonia and the Argead dynasty. The earlier, documented by Herodotus and Thucydides in the fifth century BC, records Perdiccas as the first king of Macedonia.[11][12] The later tradition first emerged sometime at the beginning of the fourth century BC and claimed that Caranus, rather than Perdiccas, was the founder.[13] Aside from Satyrus, who adds Coenus and Tyrimmas to the list, Marsyas of Pella, Theopompos, and Justin all agree that Caranus was Perdiccas' father.[14] Furthermore, Plutarch claimed in his biography of Alexander the Great that all of his sources agreed that Caranus was the founder.[15] This unhistorical assertion, like the Argive connection, is rejected by modern scholarship as court propaganda, possibly intended to diminish the significance of the name 'Perdiccas' in rival family branches following Amyntas III accession.[13][14][16]

Name Reign Succession Life details
Caranus Unknown According to various ancient authors, either the son, brother, or relative of the Argive king Pheidon[14]
Coenus Unknown Son of Caranus
Tyrimmas Unknown Son of Coenus

Historical

Herodotus mentions the names of the five kings preceding Amyntas I, but provides no other information.[17][18] Consequently, the reign dates and activities of the early Argead kings can only be guessed at. By allowing thirty years for the span of an average generation and counting backwards from the beginning of Archelaus' reign in 413 BC, British historian Nicholas Hammond estimated that the dynasty began around 650 BC.[16] Amyntas I and his son Alexander I are the earliest kings for which we have any reliable historical information, and even then, only in the context of their relationships with Achaemenid Persia and Greeks.[17]

Name Reign Succession Life details
Perdiccas I c. 650 BC According to various ancient authors, either the son of Caranus or Tyrimmas Conquered Macedonia after settling near Mount Bermion.[19]
Argaeus I c. 623 Son of Perdiccas I Possibly established the cult of Dionysus in Macedonia.[20]
Philip I c. 593 Son of Argaeus I
Aeropus I c. 563 Son of Philip I
Alcetas c. 533 Son of Aeropus I
Amyntas I Unknown – 497 Son of Alcetas Unknown – 497
First king for which we have reliable historical information; vassal of Darius I from 512.[21]
Alexander I "Philhellene" 497 – 454
(43 years)		 Son of Amyntas I Unknown – 454
Intensified Macedon's relationship with Greece following Persian withdrawal in 479.[22]
Perdiccas II 454 – 413/2
(41 years)		 Son of Alexander I Unknown – 413/12
Fought both for and against Athens during the Peloponnesian War; died probably of natural causes.[23]
Archelaus 413/2 – 400/399
(14 years)		 Son of Perdiccas II Unknown – 400/399
Moved center of kingdom from Aegae to Pella; either murdered in a personal revenge plot or killed in a hunting accident by his lover Craterus.[24]
Orestes 400/399 – 398/7
(3 years)		 Son of Archelaus Unknown – 398/7
Minority reign until removal in 398/7; possibly murdered by Aeropus II, his guardian, but facts are uncertain.[25][26]
Aeropus II[lower-alpha 1] 398/7 – July/August 394/3
(3 years)		 Son of Perdiccas II Unknown – July/August 394/3
Died of illness[25]
Amyntas II "the Little" July/August – August/September 394/3
(Several months)[29]		 Son of Menelaus, Alexander I's second son Unknown – August/September 394/3
Probably ruled at the same time as Pausanias; sources for reign are few, but likely murdered by the ruler of Elimiotis, Derdas.[30][31]
Pausanias August/September 394/3 – 393/2

(approx. 1 year)[29]

 Son of Aeropus II Unknown – 393/2
Probably ruled at the same time as Amyntas II; sources for reign are few, but likely murdered by Amyntas III.[30][32]
(1st reign)
Amyntas III		 393/2 – 388/7
(6 years)		 Great grandson of Alexander I through his third son, Amyntas Unknown – 370
Held kingdom together despite multiple Illyrian invasions; died of natural causes.[33]
Argaeus II 388/7 – 387/6
(2 years; disputed)		 Pretender to the throne installed by the Illyrians under Bardylis; possibly the son of Archelaus[lower-alpha 2] Unknown – Unknown
Expelled by Amyntas III with Thesallian help.[37]
(2nd reign)
Amyntas III		 387/6 – 370
(18 years)		 Great grandson of Alexander I through his third son, Amyntas Unknown – 370
Held kingdom together despite multiple Illyrian invasions; died of natural causes.[33]
Alexander II 370 – 368
(2 years)		 Eldest son of Amyntas III c.390 – 368
(aged 22)[38]
Assassinated by Ptolemy of Aloros following Theban military intervention under Pelopidas.[39]
Ptolemy of Aloros 368 – 365
(3 years)		 Possibly the son of Amyntas II; acted as regent for Perdiccas III c.418 – 365
(aged 53)[40]
Assassinated by Perdiccas III[41]
Perdiccas III 365 – 359
(6 years)		 Son of Amyntas III c.383 – 359
(aged 24)[42]
Killed in battle against the Illyrians
Amyntas IV 359
(disputed)		 Son of Perdiccas III c.365 – 335
(aged 30)[43]
Never ruled in his own right; later murdered by Alexander III.
Philip II 359 – 336
(23 years)		 Son of Amyntas III 382 – 336
(aged 47)
Would come to dominate Ancient Greece through a massive expansion of Macedonian power; assassinated by Pausanias of Orestis.[44][45]
Alexander III "the Great" 336 – 323
(13 years)		 Son of Philip II 356 – 10/11 June 323
(aged 33)
Conquered the entirety of the Persian Empire; died of illness at Babylon[46]
Philip III Arrhidaeus 323 – 317
(6 years)		 Son of Philip II; co-ruler with Alexander IV c.358 – 317
(aged 41)[47]
Owing to his diminished mental capacity, Philip never ruled in his own right and instead went through a series of regents; executed by Olympias.[48]
Alexander IV 323 – 310
(13 years)		 Son of Alexander III; co-ruler with Philip III 323 – 310
(aged 13)
Due to his age, Alexander never ruled in his own right. Alexander III's mother, Olympias, guarded him until her execution in 316; murdered by Cassander.[49]

Antipatrid dynasty (310–294 BC)
Main article: Antipatrid dynasty
Name Reign Succession Life details
Cassander 310 – 297
(13 years)		 Son of the regent Antipater and son-in-law of Philip II c.356 – 297
(aged 59)[50]
Died of illness (possibly tuberculosis)[51]
Philip IV 297

(4 months)

 Son of Cassander Unknown – 297
Died of illness (possibly tuberculosis)[51]
Antipater I 297 – 294
(3 years)		 Son of Cassander; co-ruler with his brother Alexander until Antipater had their mother, Thessalonike, murdered. Unknown – 294
Alexander V 297 – 294
(3 years)		 Son of Cassander; co-ruler with his brother Antipater. Unknown – 294
Assassinated by Demetrius I[52]

Dynastic conflicts (294–272 BC)
See also: Wars of the Diadochi
Name Reign Succession Life details
Demetrius I "Poliocretes" 294 – 288
(6 years)		 Proclaimed king by army in Larissa following Alexander V's assassination; son of the diadochos Antigonus and brother-in-law of Cassander through Phila[53] January/February 336 – 282
(aged 54)
Surrendered to Seleucus I Nicator in 285, died of illness in captivity a few years later.[54]
(1st reign)
Pyrrhus of Epirus		 288 – 285
(3 years)		 Usurped throne following joint invasion of Macedonia with Lysimachus and Ptolemy; non-dynastic. c. 319 – 272
(aged 46)
Killed at the Battle of Argos
Lysimachus 287 – 281
(6 years)		 Ruled only the eastern half of the kingdom until 285 when he seized the whole of Macedonia; non-dynastic. c.360 – 281
(aged 79)
Killed at the Battle of Corupedium
Ptolemy "Ceraunus" 281 – 279
(2 years)		 Assassinated Seleucus before he entered Macedon and was proclaimed king at Lysimachia; son of Ptolemy I Soter.[55] c. 319/18 – February 279
(aged approx. 40)[56]
Captured and beheaded by an invading Celtic army[57]
Meleager 279
(2 months)[58]		 Elected king following the death of Ceraunus; son of Ptolemy I Soter. Unknown – Unknown
Deposed by Macedonians after accusations of inadequacy
Antipater II "Etesias" 279
(45 days)[58]		 Elected king following Meleager's removal; nephew of Cassander Unknown – Unknown

Removed by Sosthenes for failing to lead the army

Sosthenes 279 – 277
(2 years)		 Strategos and de facto king of Macedon, but refused royal title despite election; non-dynastic Unknown – 277
Died of natural causes
(1st reign)
Antigonus II "Gonatas"[lower-alpha 3]		 277 – 274
(3 years)		 Seized Macedonia by the middle of 276 in the chaos[lower-alpha 4] that followed the death of Sosthenes; son of Demetrius I and son-in-law of Seleucus I Nicator 319 – 239
(aged 80)
Died of natural causes[60]
(2nd reign)
Pyrrhus of Epirus		 274 – 272
(disputed)[lower-alpha 5]		 Retook Thessaly and the interior of Macedonia, but remained unable to oust Antigonus from the coastal areas c. 319 – 272
(aged 46)
Killed at the Battle of Argos

Antigonid dynasty (272–168 BC)
Main article: Antigonid dynasty
See also: Macedonian Wars and Battle of Pydna
Name Reign Succession Life details
(2nd reign)
Antigonus II "Gonatas"		 272 – 239
(33 years)		 Son of Demetrius I and son-in-law of Seleucus I Nicator 319 – 239
(aged 80)
Died of natural causes[60]
Demetrius II 239 – 229
(10 years)		 Son of Antigonus II c. 275/274 – 229
(aged approx. 45)
Defeated in battle by the Dardanians, died shortly after in unknown circumstances.[62]
Antigonus III "Doson" 229 – 221
(8 years)		 Chosen by "leading Macedonians" to rule first as regent for Philip and, then later, as king; grandson of Demetrius I and cousin of Demetrius II[63] c. 263 – 221
(aged approx. 42)
Suffering from tuberculosis, Antigonus burst a blood vessel following a battle with the Illyrians and died some months later.[64]
Philip V 221 – 179
(42 years)		 Son of Demetrius II 239 – 179
(aged 60)
Died suddenly of natural causes[65]
Perseus 179 – 168
(11 years)		 Son of Philip V 212 – 166
(aged 46)

Surrendered to Aemilius Paullus following defeat at Pydna and imprisoned at Alba Fucens for the remainder of his life.[66][67]

Non-dynastic rebel kings (150–93 BC)
See also: Fourth Macedonian War and Macedonia (Roman province)
Name Reign Succession Life details
Andriscus 150 – 148
(2 years)		 Also known as Pseudo-Philip; claimed to be a son of Perseus Unknown – 146

Executed during the triumph of Caecilius Metellus; last king to rule in Macedonia

Pseudo-Alexander 148 Also known as Alexander VI; claimed to be a son of Perseus Unknown – Unknown

Fled to Dardania following military defeat whereafter his fate is unknown

Pseudo-Philip/Pseudo-Perseus 143 Rose against the Romans with 16,000 men; claimed to be the son of Perseus[68] Unknown – 143

Defeated, and presumably executed, by Lucius Tremellius Scrofa

Euephenes 93 Styled himself as king, but apprehended before uprising began; claimed Antigonid Heritage[68] Unknown – Unknown

Family tree

References

Notes
  1. There is some confusion among the sources about the name of Orestes' successor: Eusebias and Syncellus mention an 'Archelaos' while Diodorus records an 'Aeropus'.[27] However, it is likely that Aeropus simply adopted the name 'Archelaos' after Orestes' death.[28]
  2. Theopompus of Chios wrote that "they call both Argaios and Pausanias Archelaos [sic]" which historian Nicholas Hammond emends to read, "they call both Argaeus and Pausanias the son of Archelaus."[34] However, not all historians are in agreement and the claim remains largely unverifiable.[35][36]
  3. Antigonus' regnal number stems from his grandfather, Antigonus I Monophthalmus
  4. It is unclear who ruled Macedonia in the short time between Sosthenes death and Antigonus's accession. Porphyry mentions a Ptolemy and an Arrhidaeus having some kind of authority.[59]
  5. Pyrrhus's reign, brief and unpopular, is omitted from Porphyry's list of Macedonian kings and is mentioned only in Syncellus's Chronography[61]

Citations
  1. Fox, Robin Lane (2011). "PHILIP OF MACEDON: ACCESSION, AMBITIONS, AND SELF-PRESENTATION". In Fox, Robin Lane (ed.). Brill’s Companion to Ancient Macedon: Studies in the Archaeology and History of Macedon, 650 BC–300 AD. Boston: Brill. pp. 359–360.
  2. Errington, R. Malcolm (1990). A History of Macedonia. University of California Press. p. 218.
  3. King, Carol J. (2010). "Macedonian Kingship and Other Political Institutions". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 373.
  4. N.G.L., Hammond; Griffith, G.T. (1979). A History of Macedonia Volume II: 550-336 B.C. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 152.
  5. Eder, Walter; Renger, Johannes, eds. (2006). Chronologies of the Ancient World: Names, Dates, and Dynasties. Boston: Brill. pp. 188–190.
  6. Borza, Eugene (1990). In the Shadow of Olympus: The Emergence of Macedon. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press. p. 82. ISBN 0-691-05549-1
  7. Errington 1990, p. 2-3.
  8. Asirvatham, Sulochana R. (2010). "Perspectives on the Macedonians from Greece, Rome, and Beyond". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 101.
  9. Sprawski, Sławomir (2010). "The Early Temenid Kings to Alexander I". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Wiley-Blackwell. pp. 132–133.
  10. Hammond 1979, p. 27-28.
  11. Herodotus. "The Histories". Translated by Godley, A. D. (1920) Harvard University Press, 8.137.
  12. Thucydides. "The Peloponnesian War". Translated by Crawley, Richard (1910) J. M. Dent & E. P. Dutton, 2.100.2.
  13. Greenwalt, William (1985). "The Introduction of Caranus into the Argead King List". Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies. 26 (1): 43–49.
  14. Sprawski (2010), p. 128-129.
  15. Plutarch. "Alexander". Translated by Perrin, Bernadotte (1919) Harvard University Press, 2.1.
  16. Hammond 1979, p. 4-5.
  17. Sprawski 2010, p. 130–131.
  18. Borza (1990), p. 98.
  19. Herodotus (1920). The Histories. Translated by Godley, A.D. Harvard University Press. pp. 8.138.3.
  20. Christesen, Paul; Murray, Sarah (2010). "Macedonian Religion". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 432.
  21. Sprawski 2010, p. 135.
  22. Sprawski 2010, p.142.
  23. Roisman, Joseph (2010). "Classical Macedonia to Perdiccas III". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 154.
  24. Roisman 2010, p. 156-157.
  25. Errington, R. Malcolm (1990). A History of Macedonia. University of California Press. p. 28.
  26. Diodorus Siculus. "14.37.6". Diodorus of Sicily in Twelve Volumes. Vol. 4–8. Translated by Oldfather, C.H. Harvard University Press.
  27. March, Duane (1995). "The Kings of Makedon: 399-369 B.C". Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte: 275-276.
  28. March 1995, p. 280.
  29. March 1995, p. 280.
  30. Errington 1990, p. 29.
  31. Aristotle. "Pol. 5.1311b". Aristotle in 23 Volumes. Vol. 21. Translated by Rackham, H. Harvard University Press.
  32. "Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XIV, Chapter 89". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  33. Hammond 1979, p. 179.
  34. Hammond 1979, p. 175.
  35. Roisman 2010, p. 158.
  36. Carney, Elizabeth (2000). Women and Monarchy in Macedonia. University of Oklahoma Press, p.250.
  37. Roisman 2010, p. 159.
  38. Errington 1990, p. 35.
  39. Roisman 2010, p. 162.
  40. Hammond 1979, p. 182
  41. "Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XVI, Chapter 2". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  42. Hammond 1979, p. 185.
  43. Müller, Sabine (2010). "Philip II". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 166.
  44. Müller 2010, p. 182.
  45. "Diodorus Siculus, Library, Book XVI, Chapter 94, Line 4". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2023-02-21.
  46. Gilley, Dawn L.; Worthington, Ian (2010). "Alexander the Great, Macedonia and Asia". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 198.
  47. Errington 1990, p. 60.
  48. Adams, Winthrop Lindsay (2010). "Alexander's Successors to 221 BC". In Roisman, Joseph; Worthington, Ian (eds.). A Companion to Ancient Macedonia. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 216.
  49. Adams 2010, p.216.
  50. Errington 1990, p. 147.
  51. Adams 2010, p.218.
  52. Errington 1990, p. 150.
  53. Hammond, N. G. L. (1988). A History of Macedonia Volume III: 336-167 B.C. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 217.
  54. Wheatley, Pat; Dunn, Charlotte (2020). Demetrius the Besieger. Oxford University Press. p. 449.
  55. Hammond 1988, p. 242-243
  56. "Ptolemaic Dynasty -- Ptolemy Ceraunus". instonebrewer.com. Retrieved 2023-02-24.
  57. Errington 1990, 159-160.
  58. Hammond 1988, p. 253
  59. Hammond 1988, p. 256.
  60. Gabbert, Janice J. (1997). Antigonus II Gonatas: A Political Biography. Routledge.
  61. Hammond 1988, p. 262.
  62. Kuzmin, Yuri (2019). "KING DEMETRIUS II OF MACEDON: IN THE SHADOW OF FATHER AND SON". Živa antika/Antiquité vivante. 69: 78.
  63. Plutarch. "8.2". Aemilius Paulus. Plutarch's Lives. Translated by Bernadotte, Perrin (1918). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
  64. Errington 1990, p. 183-184.
  65. Errington 1990, p. 212.
  66. Plutarch Aem. 37
  67. Livy. "45.42.4". The History of Rome. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press (1951).
  68. Pandelis Nigdelis "Roman Macedonia (168 BC - AD 284)"

Partial bibliography
  • Eder, Walter; Renger, Johannes, eds. (2006). Chronologies of the Ancient World: Names, Dates, and Dynasties. Boston: Brill.
  • Morby, John (1989). Dynasties of the World: A Chronological and Genealogical Handbook. Oxford University Press.

See also
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