Editing Amyntas III of Macedon (section)

== King of Macedon ==
Shortly after he became king in 393 or 392, he was driven out by the [[Illyria]]ns, but in the following year, with the aid of the [[Thessalia]]ns, he recovered his kingdom. Medius, head of the house of the [[Aleuadae]] of [[Larissa]], is believed to have provided aid to Amyntas in recovering his throne. The mutual relationship between the [[Argead dynasty|Argeadae]] and the Aleuadae dates to the time of Archelaus.

To shore up his country against the threat of the Illyrians, Amyntas established an alliance with the [[Chalcidian League]] led by [[Olynthus]].  In exchange for this support, Amyntas granted them rights to Macedonian timber, which was sent back to Athens to help fortify their fleet.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Antigonus the One-Eyed|last=Champion, Jeff|isbn=978-1-4738-4036-2|location=Barnsley|pages=Chapter I|oclc=894227661}}</ref> With [[money]] flowing into Olynthus from these exports, their power grew. In response, Amyntas sought additional allies. He established connections with [[Cotys I (Odrysian)|Kotys]], chief of the [[Odrysians]]. Kotys had already married his daughter to the Athenian general [[Iphicrates]].  Prevented from marrying into Kotys' family, Amyntas soon adopted Iphicrates as his son.

After the [[Peace of Antalcidas|King's Peace]] of 387 BC, [[History of Sparta|Sparta]] was anxious to re-establish its presence in northern Greece. In 385 BC, [[Bardylis]] and his [[Illyrians]] attacked [[Epirus]] instigated and aided by [[Dionysius I of Syracuse]],<ref>''A History of Greece to 322 B.C.'' by N. G. L. Hammond. {{ISBN|0-19-873095-0}}, 1986, page 479, "Molossi, Alcetas, who was a refugee at his court, Dionysius sent a supply of arms and 2,000 troops to the Illyrians, who burst into Epirus and slaughtered 15,000 Molossians. Sparta intervened as soon as they had learned of the events and expelled the Illyrians, but Alcetas had regained his..."</ref> in an attempt to restore the [[Molossian]] king [[Alcetas I of Epirus]] to the throne. When Amyntas sought Spartan aid against the growing threat of Olynthus, the Spartans eagerly responded.  That Olynthus was backed by Athens and Thebes, rivals to Sparta for the control of Greece, provided them with an additional incentive to break up this growing power in the north. Amyntas thus concluded a treaty with the Spartans, who assisted him in a war against [[Olynthus]].  First Spartan-Macedonian forces suffered two defeats but in 379 BC they managed to destroy Olynthus.<ref name=":0" /> He also entered into a league with [[Jason of Pherae]], and assiduously cultivated the friendship of [[Athens]].<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|wstitle=Amyntas II|inline=y|volume=1|pages=900-901}}</ref> In 371 BC at a Panhellenic congress of the [[Lacedaemonian]] allies, he voted in support of the [[Athenians]]' claim and joined other Greeks in voting to help Athens to recover possession of [[Amphipolis]].<ref>[[Aeschines]] - On the Embassy [http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/aeschines-embassy.html 2.32]</ref><ref>''[https://archive.org/details/historygreeceil03grotgoog/page/n568 <!-- pg=336 quote=371 BC Amyntas Amphipolis. --> A history of Greece]'' by George Grote</ref>

With Olynthus defeated, Amyntas was now able to conclude a treaty with Athens and keep the timber revenues for himself. Amyntas shipped the timber to the house of the Athenian [[Timotheus (general)|Timotheus]], in [[Piraeus]].

Amyntas died aged 50, leaving his throne to his eldest son, Alexander II.