Amyntas III

Amyntas III (or II ) (in Greek old Ἀμύντας/Amýntas) is king of Macedonia of 393 with 370 - 369.

He is the son of a prince named Arrhidaios, itself grandson of the king Alexandre I {{er}}. The reign of Amyntas puts an end to the agitated period which had followed the death of the king Archélaos in 399. Amyntas succeeds the transitory sovereign named Pausanias (394 - 393), which dies assassinated. However, the start date of its reign is dubious and the date of 389 is also advanced.

The beginning of its reign is marked by the invasions of the Illyrie NS, directed by their chief Bardylis, which plunder the north and the west of the Macedonia. Amyntas receives from assistance only of the Ligue Chalcidienne, directed by the city of Olynthe, and the oligarchy of the Aleuades of Larissa in Thessalie that Archélaos had helped a few years earlier. Still this help is matched humiliating frontier concessions. Moreover it proves insufficient to avoid plunderings and the raids illyriens. Also Amyntas III it quickly is reversed and replaced by Argaios (undoubtedly a son of Archélaos).

It is restored with the assistance of Thessaliens (at the end of the years 390, beginning of the year 380). He undoubtedly marries a princess origin illyrienne, Eurydice in order to guarantee his north-western border. He is opposed then to the Chalcidiens which balk to return the grounds that he had entrusted to them during the invasion illyrienne. Chalcidiens cause disorders which gain even Pella the capital in 383. It is the intervention of Sparte towards 382, called for the aid by other cities of the area which progress of the Chalcidienne League worries, which makes it possible Amyntas III to turn over the situation. A three year old war bursts at the conclusion which (379) Olynthe capitulates, the league is a time dissolved and Macedonia recovers, partly, its former borders.

Amyntas III is combined then in Thessaliens and in particular with the tyrant Jason de Phères. It referee the conflict between Élimiotes and Perrhèbes then approaches Athens after the decline of Sparte. With the congress panhellenic of Sparte (in 371), he recognizes the rights of the Athenians on Amphipolis.

He dies old towards 370 - 369 and leaves various children of a first marriage as three boys of his marriage with Eurydice who will reign:

Alexandre II,
Perdiccas III,
Philippe II.

By this last, Amyntas III is the grandfather of Alexandre Large the. Its personal doctor, Nicomaque, are the father of Aristote.

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