Philip III of Macedon

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Philip III Arrhidaeus
King of Macedonia
stater of Philip III Arrhidaeus
Reign	traditional: 323–317_BCE
Predecessor	Alexander III
Consort to	Eurydice
Dynasty	Argead dynasty
Father	Philip II
Mother	Philinna of Larissa
Religious beliefs	Ancient Greek religion

Philip III Arrhidaeus (Ancient Greek: Φίλιππος Γ' ὁ Ἀρριδαῖος; ca. 359 BC – December 25, 317 BC) was a Greek king of Macedon from after June 11, 323 BC until his death. He was a son of King Philip II of Macedonia by Philinna of Larissa, allegedly a Thessalian dancer, and a half-brother of Alexander the Great. Named Arrhidaeus at birth, he assumed the name Philip when he ascended to the throne.

As Arrhidaeus grew older it became apparent that he had mild learning difficulties. In Plutarch's report, he became disabled by means of an attempt on his life by Philip II's wife, Queen Olympias - who wanted to eliminate a possible rival to her son Alexander - through the employment of pharmaka (drugs/spells); however, this claim is considered by most modern authorities as unlikely to be true.^[1] Alexander was fond of him and took him on his campaigns^{[citation needed]}, both to protect his life and to ensure he would not be used as a pawn in a challenge for the throne. After Alexander's death in Babylon, Arrhidaeus was proclaimed king by the Macedonian army in Asia; however, he was a mere figurehead, and a pawn of the powerful generals, one after the other. The crater Ariadaeus on the Moon is named after him.

Biography

He appears never to have been a danger as an alternative choice for Alexander's succession to Philip II, notwithstanding their having been of about the same age; nevertheless, when the Persian satrap of Caria, Pixodarus, proposed his daughter in marriage to Philip, the king declined, offering his son Arrhidaeus as husband instead, and Alexander thought it prudent to block the dynastic union (which might have produced a possible future heir to Philip's domain before Alexander himself did), resulting in considerable irritation on the part of his father (337 BC)^{[citation needed]}. Arrhidaeus' whereabouts under the reign of his brother Alexander are unclear from the extant sources; what is certain is that no civil or military command was given him in those thirteen years (336–323 BC).

He was at Babylon at the time of Alexander's death, the 11th of June 323 BC. A succession crisis erupted: Arrhidaeus was the most obvious candidate, but he was mentally unfit to rule. A conflict exploded between Perdiccas, leader of the cavalry, and Meleager, who commanded the phalanx: the first wanted to wait to see if Roxana, Alexander's pregnant wife, would deliver a male baby, while the second objected that Arrhidaeus was the closest relative living and so should be chosen king. Meleager was killed, and a compromise was engineered: Arrhidaeus would become king with the name of Philip, and he would be joined by Roxana's yet-unborn child as co-sovereign should that child prove a male (an eventuality that indeed arose, and resulted in the son, Alexander, being joined with his uncle Phillip III as co-sovereign on the throne of Macedon). It was immediately decided that Philip Arrhidaeus would reign, but not rule: this was to be the prerogative of the new regent, Perdiccas.

When news arrived in Macedonia that Arrhidaeus had been chosen as king, Cynane, a daughter of Philip II, matured a design to travel to Asia and offer the new king her daughter Eurydice for wife. This move was an obvious affront to the regent, whom Cynane had completely bypassed, and to prevent the marriage, Perdiccas sent his brother, Alcetas, to kill Cynane; the reaction among the troops generated by this murder was such that the regent had to give up his opposition to the proposed match and accept the marriage. From that moment on Philip Arrhidaeus was to be under the sway of his bride, a proud and determined woman bent on substantiating her husband's power.

Eurydice's chance came when the first war of the Diadochi sealed the fate of Perdiccas, making a new settlement necessary; a settlement that was made at Triparadisus in Syria in 320 BC. Eurydice moved deftly enough to obtain the removal of the first two designed regents, Peithon and Arrhidaeus, but was powerless to block the aspirations of Antipater, whose position proved too powerful, and the latter was made the new regent; Philip Arrhidaeus and his wife were forced to follow him to Macedonia.

The regent died of natural causes the following year, nominating as his successor not his son Cassander, but his friend and lieutenant, Polyperchon. Cassander's refusal to accept his father's decision sparked the Second War of the Diadochi, in which Eurydice saw once again a chance to free Philip from the control of the regent. An opportunity presented itself in 317 BC, when Cassander expelled Polyperchon from Macedonia: Eurydice immediately allied herself with Cassander and induced her husband to nominate him as the new regent; Cassander reciprocated by leaving her in full control of the country when he left to campaign in Greece.

But all this was to prove exceedingly volatile: that same year (317) Polyperchon and Olympias, allied with her cousin, Aeacides, king of Epirus, invaded Macedonia. The Macedonian troops refused to fight Olympias, the mother of Alexander. Philip and Eurydice had no choice but to escape, only to be captured at Amphipolis and thrown into prison. It soon became clear that Philip was too dangerous to be left alive, as of Olympias' many enemies saw him as a useful tool against her, and so on December 25 317 BC she had him executed, while his wife was forced to commit suicide.

Tomb

Golden Larnax (Chrysi Larnaka) (with the Sun of Vergina on the lid) that contains the remains (bones) from the burial of King Philip II of Macedonia and the royal golden wreath. Formerly located at the Thessaloniki Archaeological Museum, since 1997) displayed in the underground museum of Vergina, inside the Great Tumulus.^[1]

In 1977 important excavations were made near Vergina leading to the discovery of a two-chambered royal tomb, with an almost perfectly conserved male skeleton. Manolis Andronikos, the chief archaeologist on the ground and the majority of archaeologists, decided it was the skeleton of Philip II, but many have disputed this attribution and instead proposed it to be the remains of Philip Arrhidaeus.

Arrhidaeus in fiction

He appears as one of the main characters in the novel Funeral Games by Mary Renault. In Renault's version, the villainous Cassander slows down his advance on Macedonia to give Olympias enough time to kill Arrhidaeus and Eurydice.

Arrhidaeus is also a main character in Annabel Lyon's novel The Golden Mean. In it, the young Arrhidaeus is tutored by Aristotle while he also mentors his younger half-brother, the future Alexander the Great. Alexander, who is initially disgusted with his brother's inferior intellect, learns to love him before he sets out to conquer the world.

References

Smith, William (editor); Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, "Arrhidaeus (1)", "Eurydice (3)", Boston, (1867)

↑ Elizabeth Donnelly Carney (2006). Olympias: mother of Alexander the Great. Taylor & Francis. pp. 24–25. ISBN 978-0-415-33316-0. Retrieved 14 June 2011.

External links

Regnal titles
Philip III of Macedon Argead dynasty Born: 359 BC Died: 317 BC
Preceded by Alexander the Great	King of Macedon 323 BC – 317 BC	Succeeded by Alexander IV

	King of Asia 323 BC – 317 BC
Pharaoh of Egypt 323 BC – 317 BC

v t e Kings of Macedonia

Argeads	Caranus Coenus Tyrimmas Perdiccas I Argaeus I Philip I Aeropus I Alcetas I Amyntas I Alexander I Alcetas II Perdiccas II Archelaus I Craterus Orestes and Aeropus II Archelaus II Amyntas II Pausanias Argaeus II Amyntas III Alexander II Perdiccas III Amyntas IV Philip II Alexander III (the Great) Philip III Alexander IV

Regents	Ptolemy of Aloros Antipater Polyperchon Cassander

Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes

Antigonids	Demetrius I Antigonus II Demetrius II Antigonus III Philip V Perseus Andriscus (Philip VI)

Non-dynastic	Lysimachus Pyrrhus Ptolemy Keraunos Meleager

v t e Hellenistic rulers

Argeads	Alexander III the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV Aegus

Antigonids	Antigonus I Monophthalmus Demetrius I Poliorcetes Antigonus II Gonatas Demetrius II Aetolicus Antigonus III Doson Philip V Perseus Philip VI (pretender)

Ptolemies	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy Keraunos Meleager Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Ptolemy VIII Physcon Ptolemy IX Lathyros Ptolemy X Alexander Berenice III Ptolemy XI Alexander Ptolemy XII Auletes Cleopatra V Cleopatra VI Tryphaena Berenice IV Epiphanea Ptolemy XIII Ptolemy XIV Cleopatra VII Philopator Ptolemy XV Caesarion

Seleucids	Seleucus I Nicator Antiochus I Soter Antiochus II Theos Seleucus II Callinicus Seleucus III Ceraunus Antiochus III the Great Seleucus IV Philopator Antiochus IV Epiphanes Antiochus V Eupator Demetrius I Soter Alexander I Balas Demetrius II Nicator Antiochus VI Dionysus Diodotus Tryphon Antiochus VII Sidetes Alexander II Zabinas Antiochus VIII Grypus Antiochus IX Cyzicenus Seleucus VI Epiphanes Antiochus X Eusebes Antiochus XI Epiphanes Demetrius III Eucaerus Philip I Philadelphus Antiochus XII Dionysus Seleucus VII Philometor Antiochus XIII Asiaticus Philip II Philoromaeus

Lysimachids	Lysimachus

Antipatrids	Cassander Philip IV Alexander V Antipater II Antipater Etesias Sosthenes

Attalids	Philetaerus Eumenes I Attalus I Eumenes II Attalus II Attalus III Eumenes III

Greco-Bactrians	Diodotus I Diodotus II Euthydemus I Demetrius I Euthydemus II Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Demetrius II Eucratides I Plato Eucratides II Heliocles I

Indo-Greeks	Demetrius I Antimachus I Pantaleon Agathocles Apollodotus I Demetrius II Antimachus II Menander I Zoilos I Agathokleia Lysias Strato I Antialcidas Heliokles II Polyxenios Demetrius III Philoxenus Diomedes Amyntas Epander Theophilos Peukolaos Thraso Nicias Menander II Artemidoros Hermaeus Archebios Telephos Apollodotus II Hippostratos Dionysios Zoilos II Apollophanes Strato II

Kings of Bithynia	Boteiras Bas Zipoetes I Nicomedes I Zipoetes II Etazeta (regent) Ziaelas Prusias I Prusias II Nicomedes II Nicomedes III Nicomedes IV Socrates Chrestus

Kings of Pontus	Mithridates I Ctistes Ariobarzanes Mithridates II Mithridates III Pharnaces I Mithridates IV Philopator Philadephos Mithridates V Euergetes Mithridates VI Eupator Pharnaces II Darius Arsaces Polemon I Pythodorida Polemon II

Kings of Commagene	Ptolemaeus Sames II Mithridates I Antiochus I Mithridates II Antiochus II Mithridates III Antiochus III Antiochus IV

Kings of Cappadocia	Ariarathes I Ariarathes II Ariamnes II Ariarathes III Ariarathes IV Ariarathes V Orophernes Ariarathes VI Ariarathes VII Ariarathes VIII Ariarathes IX Ariobarzanes I Ariobarzanes II Ariobarzanes III Ariarathes X Archelaus

Kings of the Cimmerian Bosporus	Mithridates I Pharnaces Asander with Dynamis Mithridates II Asander with Dynamis Scribonius’ attempted rule with Dynamis Dynamis with Polemon Polemon with Pythodorida Aspurgus Mithridates III with Gepaepyris Mithridates III Cotys I incorporated as part of the Roman province of Moesia Inferior Rhescuporis I briefly with Eunice Sauromates I Cotys II Rhoemetalces Eupator Sauromates II Rhescuporis II Rhescuporis III Cotys III Sauromates III Rhescuporis IV Ininthimeus Rhescuporis V Pharsanzes Synges Teiranes Sauromates IV Theothorses Rhescuporis VI Rhadamsades

Pharaohs (list)

Dynastic genealogies: 4^th
12^th
18^th
19^th
20^th
21^st
25^th
26^th
27^th
31^st
Ptolemaic

Protodynastic Period
(prior to 3150 BC)

Lower Egypt	Hsekiu Khayu Tiu Thesh Neheb Wazner Mekh Double Falcon

Upper Egypt	Scorpion I Iry-Hor Ka Scorpion II Narmer

Early Dynastic Period
(3150–2686 BC)

Dynasty I	Narmer Hor-Aha Djer Djet Merneith♀ Den Anedjib Semerkhet Qa'a Sneferka Horus Bird

Dynasty II	Hotepsekhemwy Raneb Nynetjer Ba Nubnefer Horus Sa Weneg-Nebty Wadjenes Senedj Seth-Peribsen Sekhemib Neferkara I Neferkasokar Hudjefa I Khasekhemwy

Old Kingdom
(2686–2181 BC)

Dynasty III	Nebka Djoser Sekhemkhet Sanakht Khaba Qahedjet Huni

Dynasty IV	Snefru Khufu Djedefre Khafre Bikheris Menkaure Shepseskaf Thamphthis

Dynasty V	Userkaf Sahure Neferirkare Kakai Shepseskare Neferefre Niuserre Menkauhor Djedkare Unas

Dynasty VI	Teti Userkare Pepi I Merenre Pepi II

1^st Intermediate Period
(2181–2040 BC)

Dynasties VII & VIII	Wadjkare Qakare Iby

Dynasties IX & X	Wakhare Khety I Meryibre Khety Merykare Kaneferre Nebkaure Akhtoy

Middle Kingdom
(2040–1802 BC)

Dynasty XI	Mentuhotep I Intef I Intef II Intef III Mentuhotep II Mentuhotep III Mentuhotep IV

Dynasty XII	Amenemhet I Senusret I Amenemhet II Senusret II Senusret III Amenemhet III Amenemhet IV Sobeknefru♀

2^nd Intermediate Period
(1802–1550 BC)

Dynasty XIII	Sekhemre Khutawy Sobekhotep Sonbef Nerikare Sekhemkare Amenemhat V Ameny Qemau Hotepibre Iufni Ameny Antef Amenemhet VI Semenkare Nebnuni Sehetepibre Sewadjkare Nedjemibre Khaankhre Sobekhotep Renseneb Hor Sekhemrekhutawy Khabaw Sebkay Sedjefakare Wegaf Khendjer Imyremeshaw Sehetepkare Intef Seth Meribre Sobekhotep III Neferhotep I Sihathor Sobekhotep IV Merhotepre Sobekhotep Khahotepre Sobekhotep Wahibre Ibiau Merneferre Ay Merhotepre Ini Sankhenre Sewadjtu Mersekhemre Ined Sewadjkare Hori Merkawre Sobekhotep Mershepsesre Ini II Sewahenre Senebmiu Sewadjare Mentuhotep Seheqenre Sankhptahi

Dynasty XIV	Qareh Khawoserre 'Ammu Ahotepre Maaibre Sheshi Nehesy Wazad Merdjefare Yaqub-Har

Dynasty XV	Sakir-Har Khyan Apepi I Khamudi

Dynasty XVI	Djehuti Sobekhotep VIII Neferhotep III Mentuhotepi Nebiryraw I Nebiriau II Semenre Bebiankh Sekhemre Shedwast Dedumose I Dedumose II Montuemsaf Merankhre Mentuhotep Senusret IV Pepi III

Abydos Dynasty	Senebkay Wepwawetemsaf Pantjeny Snaaib

Dynasty XVII	Rahotep Nebmaatre Sobekemsaf I Sobekemsaf II Intef V Intef VII Senakhtenre Tao Kamose

New Kingdom
(1550–1070 BC)

Dynasty XVIII	Ahmose I Amenhotep I Tuthmosis I Tuthmosis II Tuthmosis III Hatshepsut♀ Amenhotep II Tuthmosis IV Amenhotep III Akhenaten Smenkhkare Neferneferuaten♀ Tutankhamun Ay Horemheb

Dynasty XIX	Ramesses I Seti I Ramesses II Merneptah Amenmesses Seti II Siptah Twosret♀

Dynasty XX	Setnakhte Ramesses III Ramesses IV Ramesses V Ramesses VI Ramesses VII Ramesses VIII Ramesses IX Ramesses X Ramesses XI

3^rd Intermediate Period
(1069–664 BC)

Dynasty XXI	Smendes I Amenemnisu Psusennes I Amenemope Osorkon the Elder Siamun Psusennes II

Dynasty XXII	Sheshonq I Osorkon I Sheshonq II Takelot I Osorkon II Sheshonq III Pami Sheshonq V Osorkon IV

Dynasty XXIII	Harsiese A Takelot II Pedibastet Sheshonq IV Osorkon III Takelot III Rudamon Menkheperre Ini

Dynasty XXIV	Tefnakht Bakenrenef

Dynasty XXV	Piankhi Shabaka Shebitku Taharqa Tanutamun

Late Period
(664–332 BC)

Dynasty XXVI	Psamtik I Nekau Psamtik II Wahibre Ahmose II Psamtik III

Dynasty XXVII	Cambyses II Darius I Xerxes Artaxerxes I Darius II

Dynasty XXVIII	Amyrtaeus

Dynasty XXIX	Nefaarud I Hakor

Dynasty XXX	Nectanebo I Teos Nectanebo II

Dynasty XXXI	Artaxerxes III Arses Darius III

Hellenistic Period
(332–30 BC)

Argead Dynasty (XXXII)	Alexander the Great Philip III Arrhidaeus Alexander IV

Ptolemaic Dynasty	Ptolemy I Soter Ptolemy II Philadelphus Ptolemy III Euergetes Ptolemy IV Philopator Ptolemy V Epiphanes Ptolemy VI Philometor Ptolemy VII Neos Philopator Ptolemy VIII Euergetes Ptolemy IX Soter Ptolemy X Alexander I Ptolemy XI Alexander II Ptolemy XII Neos Dionysos Berenice IV♀ Cleopatra♀ Ptolemy XV Caesarion

♀ indicates female pharaoh

Persondata
Name	Philip III of Macedon
Alternative names
Short description	King of Macedonia
Date of birth	359 BC
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death

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