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The Illyrians started an invasion against the Molossians in Epirus during 385 BC who later started another war against the Macedonians. The Illyrians, led by king Bardylis were supported by Dionysius I of Syracuse who was aiming to expand his influence in the eastern Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, and by Alcetas I of Epirus who was expelled from his land by the Molossian pro-Spartan party and exiled in Syracuse. The Illyrians, after invading the Molossians, invaded the Macedonians, making them close to collapse.

History

In 385 BC, Alcetas of Epirus was a refugee in Syracuse for unknown reasons. The tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius, wanted a friendly monarch in Epirus, so he sent vast number of hoplites and 500 suits of armour to help the Illyrians, who at that time were led by king Bardyllis, for their battles with the Molossians in Epirus. Attackers killed about 15,000 Molossian warriors. Alcetas was restored to the throne, but the Illyrians didn't stop there. Dionysius joined them in an attempt to plunder the temple of Delphi. Then Sparta, supported by Thessaly and Macedonians, intervened under Agesilaus, and expelled the Illyrians and the Syracusan warriors out of some parts of Epirus.

See also

• Illyrian warfare

References

1. Malkin 1998, p. 247; Howe 2017, p. 103
2. The Macedonian Empire: the era of warfare under Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359-323 B.C. Jefferson, N.C. McFarland. 2004. p. 112.
3. Malkin 1998, p. 247
4. Macedonia and Greece in late classical and early Hellenistic times. Washington (D.C.). National Gallery of Art. 1982. p. 83.
5. The Illyrians, J. Wilkes. Wiley-Blackwell. 1996. p. 120.
6. The Macedonian Empire: the era of warfare under Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359-323 B.C. Jefferson, N.C. McFarland. 2004. p. 5, 17, 112.
7. Luttenberger, Mark (2019). Philip II of Macedon: A New Age Begins. Page Publishing. p. 41.
8. The Macedonian Empire: the era of warfare under Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359-323 B.C. Jefferson, N.C. McFarland. 2004. p. 5.
9. A history of Macedonia. Vol.3, 336-167 B.C. Oxford University Press. 1988. p. 411.
10. Malkin 1998, p. 247; Castiglioni 2007, p. 174; Lane Fox 2011, p. 225; King 2017, p. 57 Howe 2017, p. 103.
11. The Macedonian Empire: the era of warfare under Philip II and Alexander the Great, 359-323 B.C. Jefferson, N.C. McFarland. 2004. p. 112.
12. Macedonia, 4000 years of Greek history and civilization. Athens, Greece: Ekdotike Athenon. 1983. p. 77.
13. Diodorus, Siculus. "Fifteenth book".

Bibliography

• Castiglioni, Maria Paola (2007). "Genealogical Myth and Political Propaganda in Antiquity: the Re-Use of Greek Myths from Dionysius to Augustus". In Carvalho, Joaquim (ed.). Religion and Power in Europe: Conflict and Convergence. Edizioni Plus. ISBN 978-88-8492-464-3.
• Howe, T. (2017). "Plain tales from the hills: Illyrian influences on Argead military development". In Müller, S.; Howe, Tim; Bowden, H.; Rollinger, R. (eds.). The History of the Argeads: New Perspectives. Wiesbaden. ISBN 978-3447108515.
• King, Carol J. (2017). Ancient Macedonia. Routledge. ISBN 9780415827287.
• Lane Fox, R. (2011). "399–369 BC". In Lane Fox, R. (ed.). Brill's Companion to Ancient Macedon: Studies in the Archaeology and History of Macedon, 650 BC – 300 AD. Leiden: Brill. pp. 209–234. ISBN 978-90-04-20650-2.
• Malkin, Irad (1998). The Returns of Odysseus: Colonization and Ethnicity. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 9780520920262.

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