Battle of Upper Macedon (360 BC)

Battle of Upper Macedon
	Part of Illyrian invasion of Macedonia
Date	360 or 359 BC
Location	Upper Macedonia
Result	Illyrian victory
Territorial; changes	Upper Macedon conquered by Bardylis
Belligerents
Kingdom of Dardania	Kingdom of Macedon
Commanders and leaders
Bardylis	Perdiccas III of Macedon †
Strength
Unknown	6,000 Infantrymen; 200 Cavalrymen
Casualties and losses
Unknown	4,000 killed

The Battle of Upper Macedon was fought either in October 360 or early spring or summer of 359 BC between Perdiccas III, King of Macedon, and Bardylis, King of the Dardanians.

Background

The Dardanians, under the leadership of Bardylis, frequently launched invasions and raids against Macedonia and neighboring kingdoms.

In 393 BC, Bardylis invaded Macedonia and won a decisive battle against Amyntas III, driving him out and establishing control over lower Macedonia through a puppet ruler named Argaois^[1]^[2] Bardylis' forces advanced as far as the Thermaic Gulf,^[3] bringing key cities like the capital Pella and former capital Aigai under Dardanian control.^[4] Although Amyntas managed to reclaim Macedonia from Dardanian control in 392/1 BC, with support of the Thessalians, the persistent Dardanian raids forced him to begin paying an annual tribute to Bardylis by 382 BC.^[1]

Battle

Bardylis launched an invasion of Macedon either in October 360 BC or in the early spring or summer of 359 BC.^[5] When Perdiccas learned of the incursion, he mobilized an army of six thousand infantry and two hundred cavalry to confront Bardylis. The exact location of the battle remains uncertain, but it is believed to have occurred in Upper Macedonia. Perdiccas's army was almost completely annihilated, with 4,000 soldiers killed, including Perdiccas himself,^[6]^[7]^[8] who was slain by Bardylis in single combat.^[9] The surviving soldiers were panic-stricken, deeply fearful of the Dardanian army, and had lost the morale to continue the war.^[10]^[11]

The death of the third king within a decade was widely perceived as a sign of weakness for the Macedonian monarchy.^[12]

Aftermath

After Perdiccas III's death, his infant son, Amyntas IV, was chosen as the next king.^[13] Philip II was appointed as the child's tutor and regent. However, several months later, Philip II deposed his nephew.^[14] Philip then declared himself king and immediately sought peace with Bardylis.^[15]

Battle of Erigon Valley

In 358 BC, Philip II marched towards Dardanian-occupied Upper Macedon with a newly trained force of ten thousand infantry and six hundred cavalry. Bardylis initially sought peace but refused to return any conquered land. Philip declined the offer, stating he would only accept peace if Bardylis withdrew from Upper Macedon. Unwilling to relinquish his gains without a fight, Bardylis at the age of 90 gathered a similarly sized army of ten thousand infantry and five hundred cavalry to confront Philip. The two forces met in Lynkestis. Despite similar numbers, Philip's reformed phalanx proved better. The Macedonians secured a victory against the Dardanian forces. Bardylis was killed, and his army was forced to withdraw.

References

^ ^a ^b Gabriel, Richard A. (2010). Philip II of Macedonia : greater than Alexander. Internet Archive. Washington, D.C. : Potomac Books. ISBN 978-1-59797-519-3.
^ Albanien : Schätze aus dem Land der Skipetaren. Internet Archive. Mainz am Rhein : P. von Zabern. 1988. ISBN 978-3-8053-0978-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^ Heckel, Waldemar; Heinrichs, Johannes; Müller, Sabine; Pownall, Frances (2020-05-28). Lexicon of Argead Makedonia. Frank & Timme GmbH. ISBN 978-3-7329-0405-1.
^ Grainger, John D. (February 2008). Alexander the Great Failure. Internet Archive. Hambledon & London. ISBN 978-1-84725-188-6.
^ Winnifrith, Tom (2002). Badlands, borderlands : a history of Northern Epirus/Southern Albania. Internet Archive. London : Duckworth. ISBN 978-0-7156-3201-7.
^ Heckel, Waldemar (2020-01-29). In the Path of Conquest: Resistance to Alexander the Great. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-007670-2.
^ Clinton, Henry Fynes (1851). An Epitome of the Civil and Literary Chronology of Greece: From the Earliest Accounts to the Death of Augustus. University Press.
^ Anson, Edward M. (2020-10-01). Philip II, the Father of Alexander the Great: Themes and Issues. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-10396-2.
^ Esposito, Gabriele (2022-07-20). The Macedonian Army of Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359–323 BC: History, Organization and Equipment. Pen and Sword Military. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-5267-8738-5. according to ancient sources, Bardylis had killed the Macedonian king with his own hands.
^ Wilkes, John. The Illyrians.
^ Ashley, James R. (1998). The Macedonian Empire : the era of warfare under Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359-323 B.C. Internet Archive. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-0407-0.
^ Errington, R. M. (Robert Malcolm) (1990). A history of Macedonia. unknown library. New York.
^ Hammond, N. G. L. (Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière) (1989). The Macedonian State : origins, institutions, and history. Internet Archive. Oxford [England] : Clarendon Press : New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-814883-8.
^ Esposito, Gabriele (2022-07-20). The Macedonian Army of Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359–323 BC: History, Organization and Equipment. Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-5267-8738-5.
^ Heckel, Waldemar; Heinrichs, Johannes; Müller, Sabine; Pownall, Frances (2020-05-28). Lexicon of Argead Makedonia. Frank & Timme GmbH. ISBN 978-3-7329-0405-1.

[:0-1] Gabriel, Richard A. (2010). Philip II of Macedonia : greater than Alexander. Internet Archive. Washington, D.C. : Potomac Books. ISBN 978-1-59797-519-3.

[2] Albanien : Schätze aus dem Land der Skipetaren. Internet Archive. Mainz am Rhein : P. von Zabern. 1988. ISBN 978-3-8053-0978-3.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)

[3] Heckel, Waldemar; Heinrichs, Johannes; Müller, Sabine; Pownall, Frances (2020-05-28). Lexicon of Argead Makedonia. Frank & Timme GmbH. ISBN 978-3-7329-0405-1.

[4] Grainger, John D. (February 2008). Alexander the Great Failure. Internet Archive. Hambledon & London. ISBN 978-1-84725-188-6.

[5] Winnifrith, Tom (2002). Badlands, borderlands : a history of Northern Epirus/Southern Albania. Internet Archive. London : Duckworth. ISBN 978-0-7156-3201-7.

[6] Heckel, Waldemar (2020-01-29). In the Path of Conquest: Resistance to Alexander the Great. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-007670-2.

[7] Clinton, Henry Fynes (1851). An Epitome of the Civil and Literary Chronology of Greece: From the Earliest Accounts to the Death of Augustus. University Press.

[8] Anson, Edward M. (2020-10-01). Philip II, the Father of Alexander the Great: Themes and Issues. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-10396-2.

[9] Esposito, Gabriele (2022-07-20). The Macedonian Army of Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359–323 BC: History, Organization and Equipment. Pen and Sword Military. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-5267-8738-5. according to ancient sources, Bardylis had killed the Macedonian king with his own hands.

[10] Wilkes, John. The Illyrians.

[11] Ashley, James R. (1998). The Macedonian Empire : the era of warfare under Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359-323 B.C. Internet Archive. Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-0407-0.

[12] Errington, R. M. (Robert Malcolm) (1990). A history of Macedonia. unknown library. New York.

[13] Hammond, N. G. L. (Nicholas Geoffrey Lemprière) (1989). The Macedonian State : origins, institutions, and history. Internet Archive. Oxford [England] : Clarendon Press : New York : Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-814883-8.

[14] Esposito, Gabriele (2022-07-20). The Macedonian Army of Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359–323 BC: History, Organization and Equipment. Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-5267-8738-5.

[15] Heckel, Waldemar; Heinrichs, Johannes; Müller, Sabine; Pownall, Frances (2020-05-28). Lexicon of Argead Makedonia. Frank & Timme GmbH. ISBN 978-3-7329-0405-1.

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