Lynkestis

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Lynkestis (or Lynchestia meaning "land of the lynx") was a region (in earlier times, a kingdom) of Upper Macedonia 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. 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 names of Upper Macedonian rulers are often not apparently Greek (Arrhabaios, Sirrhas), and some scholars such as Eugene N. Borza argue that the inhabitants of Upper Macedonia retained many of the supposedly non-Hellenic original Macedonian names later lost among the Macedonians to the south.^{[citation needed]} Others argue these names may be Hellenic although many do not yet have clear Hellenic etymologies, while others argue that the names were borrowed from Thracians and/or Illyrians. The tribes of Lynkestis were known as Lynkestai or Lynchestii. Strabo states that the rulers of Lyncestis, under Arrhabaeus, claimed descent of the race of the Bacchiadae of Corinth. Strabo goes on to say that Irra was the daughter of Arrhabaeus, and that his granddaughter was Eurydice, the mother of Philip II.^[1]