Lynkestis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lynkestis was a region (in earlier times, a small kingdom) of Upper Macedonia which was ruled by kings, barons and independent or semi-independent chieftains till the later Argead rulers of Macedon (Amyntas IV, Philip II) neutralized their independence. Pelagonia and Paionia and Almopia were to the north of Lynkestis, Eordaia to the southwest, Bottiaia to the east, and the Haliacmon river at some distance to the south.
The names of Upper Macedonian rulers are often not apparently Greek (Arrhabaios, Sirrhas), and scholars such as Eugene Borza have used this to argue that the Macedonians of Upper Macedonia retained many of the supposedly non-Hellenic original Macedonian names later lost among the Macedonians to the south. Others argue these names may be in fact Hellenic although many do not yet have clear Hellenic etymologies, while others argue that the names were borrowed from Illyrians or Paionians or Thracians.
The Macedonian tribes of Lynkestis (Greek: the Land of the Lynx) were known as Lynkestai.
In Book VII. Chapter VII. 8. Getae, Macedonia, Black Sea, Strabo says the rulers of Lyncestis, under Arrhabaeus, claimed descent of the race of the Bacchiadae of Corinth. Strabo goes on to say Irra was the daughter Arrhabaeus, and his grand-daughter was Eurydice, the mother of Philip Amyntas.
