Illyrian expansion Illyrian warfare

military expeditions of bardyllis in epirus

in 385 bc bardyllis raided epirus under molossian rule. time illyrians allied , aided dionysius of syracuse place alcetas, refugee in court, throne. dionysius planned control ionian sea. sparta had intervened events became known , expelled illyrians led bardyllis. despite being aided 2000 greek hoplites , 5 hundred suits of greek armour, illyrians defeated spartans led agesilaus not before ravaging region , killing 15,000 molossians. attempt control epirus failed. in 360 bc, illyrian attack forced molossian king arymbas evacuate non-combatant population aetolia , let illyrians loot freely. stratagem worked , molossians fell upon illyrians encumbered booty , defeated them. in same year arymbas of mollosians defeats illyrians after raided , looted epirus.

in 360 bc southern paeonian tribes launched raids against macedonia in support of illyrian invasion. in 359 bc bardyllis won decisive battle against macedonian king perdiccas iii in king himself killed along 4,000 of soldiers , illyrians occupied cities of upper macedonia. macedonian king s attempt reconquer upper macedonia had failed.

following disastrous defeat of macedonians bardyllis, when king philip took control of macedonian throne in 358 bc, reaffirmed treaty illyrians, marrying illyrian princess audata, daughter or niece of bardyllis. gave philip valuable time gather forces , defeat illyrians, still under bardyllis, in decisive erigon valley battle killing 7,000 , eliminating illyrian menace time. in battle bardyllis himself killed @ age of 90 after philip ii refused peace treaty offered illyrians. in 335 bc southern illyrian states subjected alexander great , @ end of 4th century bc won independence.

in 358 bc phillip of macedon defeated bardyllis, diodorus siculus (1st century bc) writes of event;

and @ first long while battle evenly poised because of exceeding gallantry displayed on both sides, , many slain , still more wounded, fortune of battle vacillated first 1 way other, being swayed valorous deeds of combatants; later horsemen pressed on flank , rear , philip flower of troops fought true heroism, mass of illyrians compelled take hastily flight. when pursuit had been kept considerable distance , many had been slain in flight, philip recalled macedonians trumpet , erecting trophy of victory buried own dead, while illyrians, having sent ambassadors , withdrawn macedonian cities, obtained peace. more 7 thousand illyrians slain in battle.