Arybbas of Epirus

For the bodyguard of Alexander the Great, see Arybbas (somatophylax).

Arybbas (Greek: Ἀρύββας)^[1] (373–343 BC) was a king of the Molossians.

Family

Arybbas was a son of Alcetas I, brother of Neoptolemus I and grandfather of Pyrrhus. He married his niece Troas (sister of Olympias).

Arybbas's son was Alcetas II, who reigned as a king of Epirus from 313 BC to 303 BC. It is very probable that the Aryptaeus, king of the Molossians mentioned by Diodorus 18.11.1, who joined the Hellenic cause during the Lamian War, is Arybbas.

Biography

In ca. 360 BC, against an Illyrian attack, Arybbas evacuated his non-combatant population to Aetolia and let the Illyrians loot freely. The stratagem was successful, and the Molossians amassed upon the Illyrians and defeated them.^[2] Arybbas ruled Epirus until 342/1 BC, when he was driven into exile by Philip II, who placed Alexander I on the throne.

He was also an Olympic and Pythian victor in tethrippon (chariot race).

References

• Arybbas Who's Who in the Age of Alexander the Great by Waldemar Heckel ISBN 978-1-4051-1210-9 (2005)
• Arybbas Sport in the ancient world from A to Z By Mark Golden ISBN 0-415-24881-7 (2004)
• IG II² 226 Attica ca. 343/2 BC. Heskel, Julia, 'The Political Background of the Arybbas Decree', GRBS 29 (1988)