Crateuas ( grc, Κρατεύας, modern '), also called Craterus ( grc, Κρατερός, '), was according to some ancient sources the lover, and killer, of

Archelaus I of Macedon Archelaus I (; grc-gre, Ἀρχέλαος ) was a king of the kingdom of Macedonia from 413 to 399 BC. He was a capable and beneficent ruler, known for the sweeping changes he made in state administration, the military, and commerce. By the t ...

, whom he killed to become a king himself.Pseudo-Plato, ''Alcibiades II''
141d
/ref>Aristotle, ''Politics''
V, 10 (1311b)
According to another version, Crateuas killed the king because Archelaus had promised to give him one of his daughters in marriage, but later gave her to someone else.

Aelian Aelian or Aelianus may refer to: * Aelianus Tacticus, Greek military writer of the 2nd century, who lived in Rome * Casperius Aelianus, Praetorian Prefect, executed by Trajan * Claudius Aelianus, Roman writer, teacher and historian of the 3rd centu ...

, ''Varia historia'', VIII, 9. A third version asserts that Archelaus was unintentionally struck by Crateuas during a hunt.

Diodorus Siculus Diodorus Siculus, or Diodorus of Sicily ( grc-gre, Διόδωρος ; 1st century BC), was an ancient Greek historian. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which su ...

, ''Library''
XIV, 37, 6
Modern historians view the idea that Crateuas actually reigned as king of Macedon to be "obviously absurd".

Notes

{{reflist 399 BC deaths Courtiers of Archelaus I of Macedon Old Macedonian kingdom Year of birth unknown