The
Molossians were an ancient
GreekThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
tribe that settled
EpirusEpirus is a geographical and historical region of Greece in southeastern Europe, currently divided between the periphery of Epirus in Greece and the prefectures of Gjirokastër, Vlorë, Berat, and Korçë in southern Albania.-Name & Etymology:...
during
MycenaeanMycenaean Greece is a cultural period of Ancient Greece taking its name from the archaeological site of Mycenae in northeastern Argolis, in the Peloponnese of southern Greece. Athens, Pylos, Thebes, and Tiryns are also important Mycenaean sites...
times. On their northeast frontier they had the
ChaoniansThe Chaonians , were an ancient Greek* Hammond, "Illyrians and North West-Greeks" , p...
and to their southern frontier the kingdom of the
ThesprotiansThe Thesprotians were an ancient Greek tribe of Thesprotis, Epirus, akin to the Molossians. The poet Homer frequently mentions Thesprotia which had friendly relations with Ithaca and Doulichi. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to the north the kingdom of the Molossians...
, to their north were the
IllyriansThe Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited the Western Balkans during classical antiquity. The territory the tribes covered came to be known as Illyria to Greek and Roman authors, corresponding roughly to the area between Adriatic sea in west, Drava river in North, Morava river in east...
. The Molossians were part of the League of Epirus until they were annexed into the
Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
and 150,000 of its inhabitants were enslaved.
According to
Greek mythologyGreek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, the Molossians were the descendants of
MolossusMolossus has several meanings:*Molossus in Greek mythology, the son of Neoptolemus and Andromache. He became the ancestor of the Molossians.*Molossus Athenian commander on Euboea ~ 350 BC*Molossus of bats.*Molossus ....
, one of the three sons of
NeoptolemusNeoptolemus was the son of the warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamia in Greek mythology. Achilles' mother foretold many years before Achilles birth that there would be a great war. She saw that her only son was to die if he fought in the war...
, son of
AchillesIn Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Achilles also has the attributes of being the most handsome of the heroes assembled against Troy....
and Deidamia.
The
Molossians were an ancient
GreekThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
tribe that settled
EpirusEpirus is a geographical and historical region of Greece in southeastern Europe, currently divided between the periphery of Epirus in Greece and the prefectures of Gjirokastër, Vlorë, Berat, and Korçë in southern Albania.-Name & Etymology:...
during
MycenaeanMycenaean Greece is a cultural period of Ancient Greece taking its name from the archaeological site of Mycenae in northeastern Argolis, in the Peloponnese of southern Greece. Athens, Pylos, Thebes, and Tiryns are also important Mycenaean sites...
times. On their northeast frontier they had the
ChaoniansThe Chaonians , were an ancient Greek* Hammond, "Illyrians and North West-Greeks" , p...
and to their southern frontier the kingdom of the
ThesprotiansThe Thesprotians were an ancient Greek tribe of Thesprotis, Epirus, akin to the Molossians. The poet Homer frequently mentions Thesprotia which had friendly relations with Ithaca and Doulichi. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to the north the kingdom of the Molossians...
, to their north were the
IllyriansThe Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited the Western Balkans during classical antiquity. The territory the tribes covered came to be known as Illyria to Greek and Roman authors, corresponding roughly to the area between Adriatic sea in west, Drava river in North, Morava river in east...
. The Molossians were part of the League of Epirus until they were annexed into the
Roman EmpireThe Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor,...
and 150,000 of its inhabitants were enslaved.
Mythology
According to
Greek mythologyGreek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
, the Molossians were the descendants of
MolossusMolossus has several meanings:*Molossus in Greek mythology, the son of Neoptolemus and Andromache. He became the ancestor of the Molossians.*Molossus Athenian commander on Euboea ~ 350 BC*Molossus of bats.*Molossus ....
, one of the three sons of
NeoptolemusNeoptolemus was the son of the warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamia in Greek mythology. Achilles' mother foretold many years before Achilles birth that there would be a great war. She saw that her only son was to die if he fought in the war...
, son of
AchillesIn Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Achilles also has the attributes of being the most handsome of the heroes assembled against Troy....
and Deidamia. Following the sack of
TroyTroy is a legendary city and center of the Trojan War, as described in the Epic Cycle and especially in the Iliad, one of the two epic poems attributed to Homer...
, Neoptolemus and his armies settled in Epirus where they joined with the local population. Molossus inherited the kingdom of Epirus after the death of
HelenusHelenus was a Trojan soldier and prophet in the Trojan War.In Greek mythology, Helenus was the son of King Priam and Queen Hecuba of Troy, and the twin brother of the prophetess Cassandra. He was also called Scamandrios. According to legend, Cassandra, having been given the power of prophecy by...
, son of
PriamIn Greek mythology, Priam was the king of Troy during the Trojan War and youngest son of Laomedon. Modern scholars derive his name from the Luwian compound Priimuua, which means "exceptionally courageous"....
and
HecubaHecuba was a queen in Greek mythology, the wife of King Priam of Troy, with whom she had 19 children. The most famous of her children was Hector of Troy...
of Troy, who had married his erstwhile sister-in-law
AndromacheIn Greek mythology, Andromache was the wife of Hector and daughter of Eetion, and sister to Podes. She was born and raised in the city of Cilician Thebe, over which her father ruled...
after Neoptolemus' death.
PlutarchPlutarch, born Plutarchos then, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. AD 46 – 120, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
tells us that according to some historians their first king was Phaethon, one of those who came into
EpirusEpirus is a geographical and historical region of Greece in southeastern Europe, currently divided between the periphery of Epirus in Greece and the prefectures of Gjirokastër, Vlorë, Berat, and Korçë in southern Albania.-Name & Etymology:...
with
PelasgusIn Greek mythology, Pelasgus referred to several different people.#One was the first king of Arcadia, the ancestor of the Pelasgians, whom Herodotus claimed were the oldest inhabitants of Greece. He was the son of Zeus and Niobe and the father of Lycaon with Meliboea...
.
PlutarchPlutarch, born Plutarchos then, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. AD 46 – 120, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
also says, that
DeucalionIn Greek mythology, Deucalion was a son of Prometheus and Pronoia. When the anger of Zeus was ignited against the hubris of the Pelasgians, Zeus decided to put an end to the Bronze Age with the Deluge. For Lycaon, the king of Arcadia had sacrificed a boy to Zeus. Zeus was appalled to this cannibal...
and
PyrrhaIn Greek mythology, Pyrrha was the daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora and wife of Deucalion.When Zeus decided to end the Bronze Age with the great deluge, Deucalion and his wife, Pyrrha, were the only survivors...
, having set up the worship of
ZeusIn Greek mythology, Zeus is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky and thunder. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. In addition to his Indo-European inheritance, the classical "cloud-gatherer" also derives certain iconographic traits from the...
at
DodonaDodona in Epirus in northwestern Greece, was a prehistoric oracle devoted to a Mother Goddess identified at other sites with Rhea or Gaia, but here called Dione and later, in historical times also devoted to the Greek god Zeus...
, settled there among the Molossians.
Ancient sources
StraboStrabo was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born in a wealthy family from Amaseia in Pontus , which had recently become part of the Roman Empire.. He studied under various geographers and philosophers; first in Nysa, later in Rome...
tells us that the Molossians, along with the
ChaoniansThe Chaonians , were an ancient Greek* Hammond, "Illyrians and North West-Greeks" , p...
and
ThesprotiansThe Thesprotians were an ancient Greek tribe of Thesprotis, Epirus, akin to the Molossians. The poet Homer frequently mentions Thesprotia which had friendly relations with Ithaca and Doulichi. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to the north the kingdom of the Molossians...
, were the most famous among the fourteen tribes of Epirus, who once ruled over the whole
regionEpirus is a geographical and historical region of Greece in southeastern Europe, currently divided between the periphery of Epirus in Greece and the prefectures of Gjirokastër, Vlorë, Berat, and Korçë in southern Albania.-Name & Etymology:...
. The
ChaoniansThe Chaonians , were an ancient Greek* Hammond, "Illyrians and North West-Greeks" , p...
ruled Epirus at an earlier time and afterwards the
ThesprotiansThe Thesprotians were an ancient Greek tribe of Thesprotis, Epirus, akin to the Molossians. The poet Homer frequently mentions Thesprotia which had friendly relations with Ithaca and Doulichi. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to the north the kingdom of the Molossians...
and Molossians controlled the region.
PlutarchPlutarch, born Plutarchos then, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. AD 46 – 120, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
tells us that the Thesprotians, the
ChaoniansThe Chaonians , were an ancient Greek* Hammond, "Illyrians and North West-Greeks" , p...
and the Molossians were the three principal clusters of Greek-speaking tribes that had emerged from Epirus and were the most powerful among all other tribes.
The Molossians were also renowned for their vicious hounds, which were used by shepherds to guard their flocks. This is where the canine breed
Molossoid-History:This ancient extinct breed of dog is commonly considered to be the ancestor of today's Mastiff-type dogs and of many other modern breeds. Mastiff-type dogs are often referred to as Molossus dogs or Molossers...
, native to Greece, got its name.
VirgilPublius Vergilius Maro was a classical Roman poet, best known for three major works—the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the Aeneid—although several minor poems are also attributed to him.The son of a farmer, Virgil came to be...
tells us that in ancient
GreeceGreece , officially the Hellenic Republic , is a country in southeastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula....
the heavier Molossian dogs were often used by the
GreeksThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
and
RomansAncient Rome was a civilization that grew out of a small agricultural community founded on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 10th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea, it became one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
for hunting (canis venaticus) and to watch over the house and livestock (canis pastoralis).
"Never, with them on guard," says Virgil,
"need you fear for your stalls a midnight thief, or onslaught of wolves, or IberianThe Iberians were a set of peoples that Greek and Roman sources identified with that name in the eastern and southern coasts of the Iberian peninsula at least from the 6th century BC...
brigands at your back."
StraboStrabo was a Greek historian, geographer and philosopher.-Life:Strabo was born in a wealthy family from Amaseia in Pontus , which had recently become part of the Roman Empire.. He studied under various geographers and philosophers; first in Nysa, later in Rome...
records that the Thesprotians, Molossians, and
MacedoniansThe Macedonians were an ancient Greek tribe which inhabited the alluvial plain around the rivers Haliacmon and lower Axius, north of Mount Olympus in Greece. Historians generally agree that the ancient Macedonians, whether they originally spoke a Greek dialect or a distinct language, came to...
referred to old men as
pelioi and old women as
peliai (<
PIEThe Proto-Indo-European language is the unattested, reconstructed common ancestor of the Indo-European languages, spoken by the Proto-Indo-Europeans. The existence of such a language has been accepted by linguists for over a century, and there have been many attempts at reconstruction...
*pel-, 'grey'). Cf.
Ancient GreekAncient Greek is the historical stage in the development of the Greek language spanning across the Archaic , Classical , and Hellenistic periods of ancient Greece and the ancient world. It is predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
peleia, "pigeon", so-called because of its dusky
greyGrey or gray describes the tints and shades ranging from black to white. These, including white and black, are known as achromatic colors or neutral colors. In recent years, "neutral colors" had been reclassified...
color. Ancient Greek
pelos meant "grey".. Their senators were called Peligones, similar to Macedonian
PeliganesPeliganes , called the Ancient Macedonian Senators. The term is attested in Hesychius, Strabo and two inscriptions , one from Dion and one from Laodicea. From the description of Hesychius and the epigraphy,it is evident that Peliganes played a more significant role in Seleucids than Macedon...
.
Royal House of Molossis
The most famed member of the Molossian dynasty was
PyrrhusPyrrhus or Pyrrhos was a Greek general of the Hellenistic era. He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house , and later he became King of Epirus and Macedon . He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome...
, who became famous for his
Pyrrhic victoryA Pyrrhic victory is a victory with devastating cost to the victor.-Origin:The phrase is named after King Pyrrhus of Epirus, whose army suffered irreplaceable casualties in defeating the Romans at Heraclea in 280 BC and Asculum in 279 BC during the Pyrrhic War...
over the
RomansThe Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a republican form of government. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, c...
. According to
PlutarchPlutarch, born Plutarchos then, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. AD 46 – 120, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
,
PyrrhusPyrrhus or Pyrrhos was a Greek general of the Hellenistic era. He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house , and later he became King of Epirus and Macedon . He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome...
was the son of
Aeacides of EpirusAeacides , king of Epirus , was son of Arymbas and grandson of Alcetas I. He succeeded to the throne of Epirus on the death of his cousin Alexander, who was slain in Italy. Aeacides married Phthia, the daughter of Menon of Pharsalus, by whom he had the celebrated Pyrrhus and two daughters, Deidamia...
and a
GreekThe Greeks , also known as Hellenes, are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighbouring regions, who can also be found in diaspora communities around the world....
woman from
ThessalyThessaly is one of the 13 peripheries of Greece, and is further sub-divided into 4 prefectures. The capital of the periphery and traditional geographical region is Larissa. Together with the regions of Macedonia and Thrace, it is often referred to unofficially as Northern Greece...
named
PhthiaPhthia was a daughter of Menon of Pharsalus, the Thessalian hipparch, and wife of Aeacides, king of Epirus, by whom she became the mother of the celebrated Pyrrhus, as well as of two daughters: Deidamia, the wife of Demetrius Poliorcetes, and Troias, of whom nothing more is known...
, the daughter of a war hero in the
Lamian WarThe “Lamian War”, also referred to as the “Hellenic War” and the “War against Antipater”, was fought by the Athenians and their Aetolian, Locrian, and Phocian allies against the Macedonians in Thessaly during the winter of...
. Pyrrhus was a second cousin of
Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon, popularly known as Alexander the Great , was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history...
. In the 4th century BC, they had adopted the term for office of
prostates (Greek: Προστάτες) literally meaning "protectors" like most Greek tribal states at the time. Other terms for office were
grammateus (Greek: Γραμματέυς) meaning "secretary",
demiourgoi (Greek: Δημιουργοί) literally meaning "creators",
hieromnemones (Greek: Ιερομνήμονες) literally meaning "of the sacred memory" and
synarchontes (Greek: Συνάρχοντες) literally meaning "co-rulers" An inscription from the 4th century stated (referring to
Alexander I of EpirusAlexander I of Epirus , also known as Alexander Molossus , was a king of Epirus of the Aeacid dynasty. As the son of Neoptolemus I and brother of Olympias, he was an uncle of Alexander the Great...
);
DodonaDodona in Epirus in northwestern Greece, was a prehistoric oracle devoted to a Mother Goddess identified at other sites with Rhea or Gaia, but here called Dione and later, in historical times also devoted to the Greek god Zeus...
was used for the display of public decisions. Despite having a monarchy, the Molossians sent princes to Athens to learn of democracy as they did not consider monarchy and certain aspects of democracy as opposite concepts.
OlympiasOlympias was a Greek princess of Epirus, daughter of king Neoptolemus I of Epirus, the fourth wife of the king of Macedonia, Philip II, and mother of Alexander the Great...
, the mother of
Alexander the greatAlexander III of Macedon, popularly known as Alexander the Great , was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history...
, was a member of this celebrated sovereign house.
War
In
385 BC-Greece:* Jason of Pherae becomes tyrant of Thessaly.* Dionysius I of Syracuse attempts to restore Alcetas I of Epirus to the throne.-Education:* Plato forms his Academy, teaching mathematics, astronomy and other sciences as well as philosophy. It is dedicated to the god Academus. Philanthropists...
, the Molossians were attacked by
IllyriansThe Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited the Western Balkans during classical antiquity. The territory the tribes covered came to be known as Illyria to Greek and Roman authors, corresponding roughly to the area between Adriatic sea in west, Drava river in North, Morava river in east...
instigated and aided by
DionysiusDionysius I or Dionysius the Elder was a Greek tyrant of Syracuse, in what is now Sicily, southern Italy. He conquered several cities in Sicily and southern Italy opposed Carthage's influence in Sicily and made Syracuse the most powerful of the Western Greek colonies...
. of
SyracuseSyracuse is a historic city in southern Italy, the capital of the province of Syracuse. The city is famous for its rich Greek history, culture, amphitheatres, architecture and association to Archimedes, playing an important role in ancient times as one of the top powers of the Mediterranean world;...
to place Alcetas that was a refugee in his court to the throne.
DionysiusDionysius I or Dionysius the Elder was a Greek tyrant of Syracuse, in what is now Sicily, southern Italy. He conquered several cities in Sicily and southern Italy opposed Carthage's influence in Sicily and made Syracuse the most powerful of the Western Greek colonies...
planned to control all the Ionian Sea.
SpartaSparta was a city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the River Eurotas in the southern part of the Peloponnese. From c. 650 BC it rose to become the dominant military power in the region and as such was recognized as the overall leader of the combined Greek forces during the Greco-Persian Wars...
had intervened as soon as the events became known and expelled the Illyrians who were led by
BardyllisBardyllis of the Illyrians was an Illyrian king who ruled from 385 to 358 BC and founded the Bardyllis Dynasty. He was by profession a collier. Coal was sought for its carbon-based energy...
. Despite being aided by 2000 Greek hoplites and five hundred suits of Greek
armourArmour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat...
the
IllyriansThe Illyrians were a group of tribes who inhabited the Western Balkans during classical antiquity. The territory the tribes covered came to be known as Illyria to Greek and Roman authors, corresponding roughly to the area between Adriatic sea in west, Drava river in North, Morava river in east...
were defeated by the
SpartansSparta was a city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the River Eurotas in the southern part of the Peloponnese. From c. 650 BC it rose to become the dominant military power in the region and as such was recognized as the overall leader of the combined Greek forces during the Greco-Persian Wars...
led by
AgesilausAgesilaus II, or Agesilaos II was a king of Sparta, of the Eurypontid dynasty, ruling from approximately 400 BC to 360 BC, during most of which time he was, in Plutarch's words, "as good as thought commander and king of all Greece," and was for the whole of it greatly identified with his...
but not before ravaging the region and killing 15,000 Molossians.
In
360 BC-Egypt:* With the help of King Agesilaus II of Sparta, Nectanebo II deposes Teos and becomes king of Egypt. Teos flees to Susa and makes peace with the Persians. Nectanebo II pays the Spartans 230 talents for their help.-Greece:...
, in another Illyrian attack the Molossian king
ArymbasArymbas was the king of Epirus, succeeding his brother Neoptolemos in the year 360 BC. Both Arymbas and Neoptolemos claimed to be descendants of another Neoptolemos, the son of Achilles. Arymbas was the son of Alcetas I of Epirus, the father of Aeacides of Epirus by Troas, and the grandfather of...
evacuated his non-combatant population to
AetoliaAetolia is a mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania.-Geography:...
and let the Illyrians loot freely.The
stratagemStratagem may refer to:* Thirty-Six Stratagems was originally a Chinese essay used to illustrate a series of stratagems used in politics, war, as well as in civil interaction.* HMS Stratagem , an S class submarine...
worked and the Molossians fell upon the Illyrians now encumbered with booty and defeated them.
List of Molossians
- Neoptolemus
Neoptolemus was the son of the warrior Achilles and the princess Deidamia in Greek mythology. Achilles' mother foretold many years before Achilles birth that there would be a great war. She saw that her only son was to die if he fought in the war...
son of AchillesIn Greek mythology, Achilles was a Greek hero of the Trojan War, the central character and the greatest warrior of Homer's Iliad.Achilles also has the attributes of being the most handsome of the heroes assembled against Troy....
and Deidamia (List of Ancient Epirotes#Aeacid dynasty till 231 BC)
- Molossus
Molossus has several meanings:*Molossus in Greek mythology, the son of Neoptolemus and Andromache. He became the ancestor of the Molossians.*Molossus Athenian commander on Euboea ~ 350 BC*Molossus of bats.*Molossus ....
son of Neoptolemus and AndromacheIn Greek mythology, Andromache was the wife of Hector and daughter of Eetion, and sister to Podes. She was born and raised in the city of Cilician Thebe, over which her father ruled...
- Alcon (6th c.BC) suitor of Agariste of Sicyon
Agariste was the daughter, and possibly the heiress, of the tyrant of Sicyon, Cleisthenes. Her father wanted to marry her to the best of the Hellenes and, subsequently, he organized a competition, whose prize was his own daughter...
- Admetus, who gave asylum to Themistocles
Themistocles ; c. 524–459 BC, was an Athenian politician and general. He was one of a new breed of politicians who rose to prominence in the early years of the Athenian democracy, along with his great rival Aristides...
- Eidymmas prostates, secretary Amphikorios gave citizenship το Philista, wife of Antimachos from Arrhonos, under King Neoptolemos I
Neoptolemus I of Epirus king of Epirus was son of Alcetas I, and father of Alexander I of Epirus and Olympias, the mother of Alexander the Great...
370-368 BC
- Tharyps theorodokos in Epidauros 365 BC
- Myrtale Olympias
Olympias was a Greek princess of Epirus, daughter of king Neoptolemus I of Epirus, the fourth wife of the king of Macedonia, Philip II, and mother of Alexander the Great...
mother of Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon, popularly known as Alexander the Great , was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history...
ca. 376–316 BC List of Ancient Epirotes#In Macedonian Kingdom
- Arybbas winner in Tethrippon Olympics
The Olympic Games were a series of athletic competitions held for representatives of various city-states of Ancient Greece. Records indicate that they began in 776 BC in Olympia, Greece. They were celebrated until 393 AD. The Games were usually held every four years, or olympiad, as...
344 BC
- Aristomachos prostates , Menedamos secretary gave citizenship to Simias of Apollonia
A city of the ancient world , known as Apollonia , was located on the right bank of the Aous; its ruins are situated in the Fier region, near the village of Pojan...
,resident at Theptinon, under King Alexander IAlexander I of Epirus , also known as Alexander Molossus , was a king of Epirus of the Aeacid dynasty. As the son of Neoptolemus I and brother of Olympias, he was an uncle of Alexander the Great...
342-330/329 BC
- Pyrrhus of Epirus
Pyrrhus or Pyrrhos was a Greek general of the Hellenistic era. He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house , and later he became King of Epirus and Macedon . He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome...
(318-272 BC) most prominenent Epirote King.
- Deidamia II of Epirus
Deidamia , daughter of Pyrrhus II of Epirus, king of Epirus, after the death of her father and that of her uncle Ptolemy, was the last surviving representative of the royal Aeacid dynasty. She threw herself into Ambracia, but was induced by the offer of an honourable capitulation to surrender...
(died c. 233 BC) last surviving representative of the royal Aeacid dynasty
- Kephalos, Antinoos sided with Perseus against the Romans (Third Macedonian War
The Third Macedonian War was a war fought between Rome and King Perseus of Macedon. In 179 BC King Philip V of Macedon died and his talented and ambitious son, Perseus, took his throne. Perseus married Laodike, daughter of King Seleucus IV Keraunos of Asia, and increased the size of his army...
) ~ 170 BC
See also
- Chaonians
The Chaonians , were an ancient Greek* Hammond, "Illyrians and North West-Greeks" , p...
- Chaonia
Chaonia or Chaon was the name of the northwestern part of Epirus, the homeland of the Epirot tribe of the Chaonians. Its main town was called Phoenice...
- Thesprotians
The Thesprotians were an ancient Greek tribe of Thesprotis, Epirus, akin to the Molossians. The poet Homer frequently mentions Thesprotia which had friendly relations with Ithaca and Doulichi. On their northeast frontier they had the Chaonians and to the north the kingdom of the Molossians...
- Olympias
Olympias was a Greek princess of Epirus, daughter of king Neoptolemus I of Epirus, the fourth wife of the king of Macedonia, Philip II, and mother of Alexander the Great...
- Pyrrhus
Pyrrhus or Pyrrhos was a Greek general of the Hellenistic era. He was king of the Greek tribe of Molossians, of the royal Aeacid house , and later he became King of Epirus and Macedon . He was one of the strongest opponents of early Rome...