In antiquity, Paeonia or Paionia ( grc, Παιονία, Paionía) was the land and kingdom of the Paeonians or Paionians ( grc, Παίονες, Paíones).
The exact original boundaries of Paeonia, like the early history of its inhabitants, are obscure, but it is known that it roughly corresponds to most of present-day
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
and north-central parts of
Greek Macedonia
Macedonia (; el, Μακεδονία, Makedonía ) is a geographic and former administrative region of Greece, in the southern Balkans. Macedonia is the largest and Greek geographic region, with a population of 2.36 million in 2020. It is ...
(i.e. probably the Greek municipalities of
Paionia xcluding_the_village_of_Evropos.html" ;"title="Evropos.html" ;"title="xcluding the village of Evropos">xcluding the village of Evropos">Evropos.html" ;"title="xcluding the village of Evropos">xcluding the village of Evropos Almopia, Sintiki, Irakleia, Serres, Irakleia, and Serres), and a small part of south-western
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
. Ancient authors placed it south of Kingdom of Dardania, Dardania (an area corresponding to modern-day
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
and northern North Macedonia), west of the Thracian mountains, and east of the southernmost
Illyrians
The Illyrians ( grc, Ἰλλυριοί, ''Illyrioi''; la, Illyrii) were a group of Indo-European-speaking peoples who inhabited the western Balkan Peninsula in ancient times. They constituted one of the three main Paleo-Balkan populations, a ...
. It was separated from Dardania by the mountains through which the Vardar river passes from the field of
Scupi (modern
Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and List of cities in North Macedonia by population, largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Sk ...
) to the valley of
Bylazora (near modern
Sveti Nikole
Sveti Nikole ( mk, Свети Николе ; meaning ''Saint Nicholas''; rup, San Nicole) is a town in North Macedonia. It is the seat of Sveti Nikole Municipality and a center of a plain called Ovče Pole (''Plain of sheep''), famous for sheep ...
).
In the
Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...
, the Paeonians are said to have been allies of the
Trojans. During the
Persian invasion of Greece
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
the conquered Paeonians as far as the Lake Prasias, including the
Paeoplae
Paeoplae (Ancient Greek: Παιόπλαι) were an ancient Paeonian tribe in Thrace
Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now sp ...
and
Siropaiones
Siro-Paeonians or Siropaiones (Ancient Greek: Σιροπαίονες, gr, Σιριοπαίονες, ή Σιρινοπαίονες) were an ancient Paeonian tribe inhabiting the ancient city of Siris (present day Serres) and the Strymon plain. They ...
, were deported from Paeonia to Asia.
In 355–354 BC,
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon ( grc-gre, Φίλιππος ; 382 – 21 October 336 BC) was the king ('' basileus'') of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia from 359 BC until his death in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, founders of the ...
took advantage of the death of King Agis of Paeonia and campaigned against them in order to conquer them. So the southern part of ancient Paeonia was annexed by the ancient
kingdom of Macedon and was named "Macedonian Paeonia"; this section included the cities
Astraion
Strumica ( mk, Струмица, ) is the largest city[2002 census results](_blank)
in English and Macedon ...
(later Stromnitsa),
Stenae Prosek or Prošek may refer to:
Places
* Prosek, North Macedonia, an archaeological site in North Macedonia
* Prosek, Niška Banja, a village in Serbia
* Prosek (Prague), a neighbourhood in Prague
** Prosek (Prague Metro), a Prague Metro station ...
(near modern
Demir Kapija),
Antigoneia (near modern
Negotino
Negotino ( mk, Неготино, ) is a town in North Macedonia, the seat of the Negotino Municipality. Its population is about 13,000.
Geography
Negotino is located on the right side of the river Vardar.
It is about above sea level.
Negotino ...
), etc.
Paeonian people
Tribes
The Paeonian tribes were:
*
Agrianes
The Agrianes (Ancient Greek: Ἀγρίανες, ''Agrianes'' or Ἀγρίαι ''Agriai'') or Agrianians, were a tribe whose country was centered at Upper Strymon, in present-day central Western Bulgaria as well as southeasternmost Serbia, at the ...
[Early symbolic systems for communication in Southeast Europe, Part 2
by Lolita Nikolova, , 2003, page 529, "eastern Paionians (Agrianians and Laeaeans)"] (also, ''Agriani'' and ''Agrii''), it is also claimed that the tribe was
Thracian
The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...
.
*
Almopians (also ''Almopioi'')
*
Laeaeans
The Laeaeans (; grc, Λαιαῖοι) were a Paeonian tribe who in the 4th century BC lived adjacent to the Agrianes, another Paeonian tribe, along the upper course of the Strymon river, at the western edge of Thrace. They were not incorporated ...
(also ''Laeaei'' and ''Laiai'')
*
Derrones
The Derrones (or ''Deroni, Derroni'') were a Thracian or a Paionian tribe. Our knowledge of them comes from coins bearing variations of the legend of DERRONIKON (ΔΕΡΡΟΝΙΚΟΝ) - DERR (ΔΕΡΡ). The letters used in the coins are Greek, alt ...
(also ''Derroni''), it is also claimed that the tribe was Thracian.
*
Odomantes
Odomanti or Odomantes ( grc, Ὀδόμαντες) were an ancient tribe. Some regard it as Paeonian, while others claim, that the tribe was with certainty Thracian. The Odomanti are noted by Herodotus, Thucydides, Stephanus of Byzantium and Plin ...
(also ''Odomanti''), it is also claimed that the tribe was Thracian.
*
Paeoplae
Paeoplae (Ancient Greek: Παιόπλαι) were an ancient Paeonian tribe in Thrace
Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now sp ...
*
Doberes
*
Siropaiones
Siro-Paeonians or Siropaiones (Ancient Greek: Σιροπαίονες, gr, Σιριοπαίονες, ή Σιρινοπαίονες) were an ancient Paeonian tribe inhabiting the ancient city of Siris (present day Serres) and the Strymon plain. They ...
Origin
![Map of ancient Epirus and environs (English)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f5/Map_of_ancient_Epirus_and_environs_%28English%29.svg)
There is relatively little mention of the Paeonians in the
works of the ancient Greeks.
Some modern scholars consider the Paeonians to have been of either
Thracian
The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...
, or of mixed
Thraco-Illyrian
The term Thraco-Illyrian refers to a hypothesis according to which the Daco-Thracian and Illyrian languages comprise a distinct branch of Indo-European. Thraco-Illyrian is also used as a term merely implying a Thracian- Illyrian interference, m ...
origins, Some of the personal names of individual Paeonians are, however, definitely
Hellenic (Lycceius, Ariston, Audoleon), although relatively little is known about them; additionally their
coins
A coin is a small, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order t ...
and
toponyms are also Greek, which has led some scholars to believe that the Paeonians were of
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
origin.
[ Radoslav Katičić, (2012) Ancient Languages of the Balkans: n.a. Volume 4 of Trends in Linguistics. Walter de Gruyter, p. 116-120, .] According to
Radoslav Katičić, the possibility that the Paeonians took part in the "
great Greek migration" and remained behind on the route cannot be ruled out. Linguistically, the very small number of surviving words in the
Paeonian language
Paeonian, sometimes spelled Paionian, is a poorly attested, extinct language spoken by the ancient Paeonians until late antiquity.
Paeonia once stretched north of Macedon, into Dardania, and in earlier times into southwestern Thrace.
Classi ...
have been variously connected to its neighboring languages –
Illyrian and
Thracian
The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...
(and every possible
Thraco-Illyrian
The term Thraco-Illyrian refers to a hypothesis according to which the Daco-Thracian and Illyrian languages comprise a distinct branch of Indo-European. Thraco-Illyrian is also used as a term merely implying a Thracian- Illyrian interference, m ...
mix in between), as well as to
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
but with a great deal of Illyrian and Thracian influence as a result of their proximity.
Several eastern Paeonian tribes, including the
Agrianes
The Agrianes (Ancient Greek: Ἀγρίανες, ''Agrianes'' or Ἀγρίαι ''Agriai'') or Agrianians, were a tribe whose country was centered at Upper Strymon, in present-day central Western Bulgaria as well as southeasternmost Serbia, at the ...
, clearly fell within the Thracian sphere of influence. Yet, according to the national legend, they were
Teucrian colonists from
Troy
Troy ( el, Τροία and Latin: Troia, Hittite: 𒋫𒊒𒄿𒊭 ''Truwiša'') or Ilion ( el, Ίλιον and Latin: Ilium, Hittite: 𒃾𒇻𒊭 ''Wiluša'') was an ancient city located at Hisarlik in present-day Turkey, south-west of Ç ...
.
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
speaks of Paeonians from the
Axios Axios commonly refers to:
* Axios (river), a river that runs through Greece and North Macedonia
* ''Axios'' (website), an American news and information website
Axios may also refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Axios, a brand of suspension produ ...
fighting on the side of the
Trojans, but the ''
Iliad
The ''Iliad'' (; grc, Ἰλιάς, Iliás, ; "a poem about Ilium") is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by modern audiences. As with the '' Odys ...
'' does not mention whether the Paeonians were kin to the Trojans, and instead connects them to the
Phrygians.
Herodotus and Thucydides distinguish the Pannonians from the
Thracians
The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied t ...
.
Appian
Appian of Alexandria (; grc-gre, Ἀππιανὸς Ἀλεξανδρεύς ''Appianòs Alexandreús''; la, Appianus Alexandrinus; ) was a Greek historian with Roman citizenship who flourished during the reigns of Emperors of Rome Trajan, Ha ...
wrote of a genealogy in which Paion, the eponym of the Paeonians, is the son of
Autarieus In Greek mythology, Autarieus ( grc, Αὐταριεύς) was one of the sons of Illyrius
Illyrius ( grc, Ἰλλυριός, ''Illyriós'') is the son of Cadmus and Harmonia, who eventually ruled Illyria and became the eponymous ancestor of the ...
, the eponym of the
Autariatae
The Autariatae or Autariatai (alternatively, Autariates; grc, Αὐταριᾶται, ''Autariatai''; la, Autariatae) were an Illyrian people that lived between the valleys of the Lim and the Tara, beyond the Accursed Mountains, and the v ...
, and father of
Skordiskos and
Triballos, the eponyms of two central Balkanic tribes, one
Celtic and the other
Thracian
The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...
. This might connect the Paeonians with the Illyrian complex, although as Katičić suggests, Appian might not refer to the Paeonians but might refer instead to the
Pannonians
This is a list of ancient tribes in the ancient territory of Illyria ( grc-gre, Ἰλλυρία; la, Illyria). The name ''Illyrians'' seems to be the name of a single Illyrian tribe that was the first to come into contact with the ancient Greeks ...
, since Appian uses the Paeonian name to denote that ethnic group as well.
Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to:
*Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium''
*Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC
* Pausanias of Sicily, physician of t ...
tells us of another genealogy, which connects the Paeonians with the Peloponnesian
Epeians
Elis () or Eleia ( el, Ήλιδα, Ilida, grc-att, Ἦλις, Ēlis ; Elean: , ethnonym: ) is an ancient district in Greece that corresponds to the modern regional unit of Elis.
Elis is in southern Greece on the Peloponnese, bounded on th ...
; Paion is said to be the son of
Endymion and brother of
Epeius There were two characters named Epeius (; Ancient Greek: Ἐπειός ''Epeiós'') or Epeus in Greek mythology.
* Epeius, an Elean prince as son of King Endymion. He ran a race at Olympia, against his brothers Aetolus and Paeon, winning his fat ...
and
Aitolus.
This version, indeed, establishes a Greek affiliation for the Paeonians.
Homer
Homer (; grc, Ὅμηρος , ''Hómēros'') (born ) was a Greek poet who is credited as the author of the ''Iliad'' and the ''Odyssey'', two epic poems that are foundational works of ancient Greek literature. Homer is considered one of the ...
calls the Paeonian leader
Pyraechmes In Greek mythology, Pyraechmes (; Ancient Greek: Πυραίχμης ''Puraíkhmēs'') was, along with Asteropaeus, a leader of the Paeonians in the Trojan War.
Mythology
Pyraechmes came from the city of Amydon. Although Homer mentions Pyraech ...
(parentage unknown); later on in the ''Iliad'' (Book 21), Homer mentions a second leader,
Asteropaeus, son of
Pelagon.
Before the reign of
Darius Hystaspes, they had made their way as far east as
Perinthus in
Thrace
Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to ...
on the
Propontis. At one time all
Mygdonia
Mygdonia (; el, Μυγδονία / Μygdonia) was an ancient territory, part of Ancient Thrace, later conquered by Macedon, which comprised the plains around Therma (Thessalonica) together with the valleys of Klisali and Besikia, including the ...
, together with
Crestonia
Crestonia (or Crestonice) ( el, Κρηστωνία) was an ancient region immediately north of Mygdonia. The Echeidorus river, which flowed through Mygdonia into the Thermaic Gulf, had its source in Crestonia. It was partly occupied by a remnant o ...
, was subject to them. When
Xerxes crossed
Chalcidice
Chalkidiki (; el, Χαλκιδική , also spelled Halkidiki, is a peninsula and regional unit of Greece, part of the region of Central Macedonia, in the geographic region of Macedonia in Northern Greece. The autonomous Mount Athos region c ...
on his way to
Therma
Therma or Thermē ( grc, Θέρμα, ) was a Greek city founded by Eretrians or Corinthians in late 7th century BC in ancient Mygdonia (Europe), Mygdonia (which was later incorporated into Macedon), situated at the northeastern extremity of a great ...
(later renamed
Thessalonica
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
), he is said to have marched through Paeonian territory. They occupied the entire valley of the Axios (
Vardar
The Vardar (; mk, , , ) or Axios () is the longest river in North Macedonia and the second longest river in Greece, in which it reaches the Aegean Sea at Thessaloniki. It is long, out of which are in Greece, and drains an area of around . Th ...
) as far inland as
Stobi
Stobi or Stoboi ( grc, Στόβοι, Stóboi; la, Stobi; mk, Стоби, Stobi), was an ancient town of Paeonia, later conquered by Macedon, and finally turned into the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia Salutaris. It is located near ...
, the valleys to the east of it as far as the
Strymon and the country round
Astibus and the river of the same name, with the water of which they anointed their kings.
Emathia
Emathia ( gr, Ἠμαθία) was the name of the plain opposite the Thermaic Gulf when the kingdom of Macedon was formed. The name was used to define the area between the rivers Aliakmon and Loudias, which, because it was the center of the kingd ...
, roughly the district between the
Haliacmon
The Haliacmon ( el, Αλιάκμονας, ''Aliákmonas''; formerly: , ''Aliákmon'' or ''Haliákmōn'') is the longest river flowing entirely in Greece, with a total length of . In Greece there are three rivers longer than Haliakmon, Maritsa ( e ...
and Axios, was once called Paeonia; and
Pieria and
Pelagonia were inhabited by Paeonians. As a consequence of the growth of Macedonian power, and under pressure from their Thracian neighbors, their territory was considerably diminished, and in historical times was limited to the north of Macedonia from Illyria to the Strymon.
In
Greek mythology
A major branch of classical mythology, Greek mythology is the body of myths originally told by the Ancient Greece, ancient Greeks, and a genre of Ancient Greek folklore. These stories concern the Cosmogony, origin and Cosmology#Metaphysical co ...
, the Paeonians were said to have derived their name from
Paeon the son of
Endymion.
Paeonian Kingdom
In early times, the chief town and seat of the Paeonian kings was
Bylazora (now
Veles in
North Macedonia
North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Yugoslavia. It ...
) on the Vardar; later, the seat of the kings was moved to
Stobi
Stobi or Stoboi ( grc, Στόβοι, Stóboi; la, Stobi; mk, Стоби, Stobi), was an ancient town of Paeonia, later conquered by Macedon, and finally turned into the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia Salutaris. It is located near ...
(near modern
Gradsko).
Subjugation of the Paeonians happened as a part of Persian military operations initiated by
Darius the Great
Darius I ( peo, 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 ; grc-gre, Δαρεῖος ; – 486 BCE), commonly known as Darius the Great, was a Persian ruler who served as the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BCE until his d ...
(521–486) in 513 – after immense preparations – a huge Achaemenid army invaded the
Balkans
The Balkans ( ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the who ...
and tried
to defeat the European
Scythians
The Scythians or Scyths, and sometimes also referred to as the Classical Scythians and the Pontic Scythians, were an Ancient Iranian peoples, ancient Eastern Iranian languages, Eastern
* : "In modern scholarship the name 'Sakas' is reserved f ...
roaming to the north of the
Danube
The Danube ( ; ) is a river that was once a long-standing frontier of the Roman Empire and today connects 10 European countries, running through their territories or being a border. Originating in Germany, the Danube flows southeast for , pa ...
river.
Darius' army subjugated several Thracian peoples, and virtually all other regions that touch the European part of the
Black Sea
The Black Sea is a marginal mediterranean sea of the Atlantic Ocean lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bounded by Bulgaria, Georgia, Roma ...
, such as parts of nowadays
Bulgaria
Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
,
Romania
Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...
,
Ukraine
Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...
, and
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
, before it returned to
Asia Minor
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...
.
Darius left in Europe one of his commanders named
Megabazus
Megabazus (Old Persian: ''Bagavazdā'' or ''Bagabāzu'', grc, Μεγαβάζος), son of Megabates, was a highly regarded Persian general under Darius, to whom he was a first-degree cousin. Most of the information about Megabazus comes from ' ...
whose task was to accomplish conquests in the Balkans.
The Persian troops subjugated gold-rich
Thrace
Thrace (; el, Θράκη, Thráki; bg, Тракия, Trakiya; tr, Trakya) or Thrake is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe, now split among Bulgaria, Greece, and Turkey, which is bounded by the Balkan Mountains to ...
, the coastal Greek cities, as well as defeating and conquering the powerful
Paeonians
Paeonians were an ancient Indo-European people that dwelt in Paeonia. Paeonia was an old country whose location was to the north of Ancient Macedonia, to the south of Dardania, to the west of Thrace and to the east of Illyria, most of their lan ...
.
At some point after the
Greco-Persian Wars
The Greco-Persian Wars (also often called the Persian Wars) were a series of conflicts between the Achaemenid Empire and Greek city-states that started in 499 BC and lasted until 449 BC. The collision between the fractious political world of the ...
, the Paeonian princedoms coalesced into a kingdom centred in the central and upper reaches of the
Axios Axios commonly refers to:
* Axios (river), a river that runs through Greece and North Macedonia
* ''Axios'' (website), an American news and information website
Axios may also refer to:
Brands and enterprises
* Axios, a brand of suspension produ ...
and
Strymon rivers, corresponding with today's northern part of North Macedonia and western Bulgaria. They joined with the Illyrians to attack the northern areas of the
kingdom of Macedonia
Macedonia (; grc-gre, Μακεδονία), also called Macedon (), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by ...
. The Illyrians, who had a culture of piracy, would have been cut off from some trade routes if movement through this land had been blocked. They unsuccessfully attacked the northern defences of Macedonian territory in an attempt to occupy the region. In 360–359 BC, southern Paeonian tribes were launching raids into Macedon, (
Diodorus
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 ...
XVI. 2.5) in support of an Illyrian invasion.
The Macedonian Royal House was thrown into a state of uncertainty by the death of
Perdiccas III
Perdiccas III (Greek: Περδίκκας Γ΄) was king of the Greek kingdom of Macedonia from 365 BC to 360 BC, succeeding his brother Alexander II.
Son of Amyntas III and Eurydice, he was a child when in 369 BCE his brother Alexander II was k ...
, but his brother
Philip II Philip II may refer to:
* Philip II of Macedon (382–336 BC)
* Philip II (emperor) (238–249), Roman emperor
* Philip II, Prince of Taranto (1329–1374)
* Philip II, Duke of Burgundy (1342–1404)
* Philip II, Duke of Savoy (1438-1497)
* Philip ...
assumed the throne, reformed the army (providing
phalanxes
The phalanx ( grc, φάλαγξ; plural phalanxes or phalanges, , ) was a rectangular mass military formation, usually composed entirely of heavy infantry armed with spears, pikes, sarissas, or similar pole weapons. The term is particularly ...
), and proceeded to stop both the Illyrian invasion and the Paeonian raids through the boundary of the "Macedonian Frontier", which was the northern perimeter which he intended to defend as an area of his domain. He followed Perdiccas's success in 358 BC with a campaign deep into the north, into Paeonia itself. This reduced the Paeonian kingdom (then ruled by
Agis Agis or AGIS may refer to:
People
* Agis I (died 900 BC), Spartan king
* Agis II (died 401 BC), Spartan king
* Agis III (died 331 BC), Spartan king
* Agis IV (265–241 BC), Spartan king
* Agis (Paeonian) (died 358 BC), King of the Paeonians
* Ag ...
) to a semi-autonomous, subordinate status, which led to a process of gradual and formal
Hellenization
Hellenization (other British spelling Hellenisation) or Hellenism is the adoption of Greek culture, religion, language and identity by non-Greeks. In the ancient period, colonization often led to the Hellenization of indigenous peoples; in the ...
of the Paeonians, who, during the reign of Philip II, began to issue coins with Greek legends like the Macedonian ones. A Paeonian contingent, led by
Ariston, was attached to Alexander the Great's army.
At the time of the
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
invasion, the Paeonians on the lower Strymon had lost, while those in the north maintained, their territorial integrity. The daughter of
Audoleon
Audoleon (Greek: Αὐδολέων or Αὐδωλέων; ''gen''.: Αὐδολέοντος/Αὐδωλέωντος; 315–285 BC) was an ancient Paeonian king son of Patraus, Agis or Ariston, the general of Alexander the Great.Heckel 2006, p. ...
, a king of Paeonia, was the wife of
Pyrrhus, king of
Epirus
sq, Epiri rup, Epiru
, native_name_lang =
, settlement_type = Historical region
, image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinrich ...
, and
Alexander the Great
Alexander III of Macedon ( grc, wikt:Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Maced ...
wished to bestow the hand of his sister
Cynane
Cynane ( el, Kυνάνη, ''Kynane'' or , ''Kyna''; killed 323 BC) was half-sister to Alexander the Great, and daughter of Philip II by Audata, an Illyrian princess. She is estimated to have been born in 357 BC.
Biography
According to Polyaenus ...
upon
Langarus Langarus ( el, Λάγγαρος; died 335 BC), king of the Agrianians, was a contemporary of Alexander the Great (336–323 BC), with whom he ingratiated himself even before the death of Philip II, previous king of Macedon. Langarus rendered A ...
, king of the Agrianians, who had shown himself loyal to Philip II.
Kings
![Genealogical tree of the Paeonian royal house (English)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Genealogical_tree_of_the_Paeonian_royal_house_%28English%29.png)
*
Agis Agis or AGIS may refer to:
People
* Agis I (died 900 BC), Spartan king
* Agis II (died 401 BC), Spartan king
* Agis III (died 331 BC), Spartan king
* Agis IV (265–241 BC), Spartan king
* Agis (Paeonian) (died 358 BC), King of the Paeonians
* Ag ...
(died 358 BC)
*
Lycceius
Lycceios, Lycpeios or Lyppeios (Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek l ...
(356–340 BC)
*
Patraus
Patraus (Greek Πατράος; 340 BC – 315 BC) was an ancient Paeonian king preceded by Lycceius and succeeded by Audoleon. It has been proposed that Ariston, who notably served as a cavalry general to Alexander the Great
A ...
(340–315 BC)
*
Audoleon
Audoleon (Greek: Αὐδολέων or Αὐδωλέων; ''gen''.: Αὐδολέοντος/Αὐδωλέωντος; 315–285 BC) was an ancient Paeonian king son of Patraus, Agis or Ariston, the general of Alexander the Great.Heckel 2006, p. ...
(315–285 BC), son of Patraus
*
Ariston (286–285 BC),
[Polyaenus, Stratagems of War, 4.12.3](_blank)
"Lysimachus conducted Ariston, son of Autoleon, to his father's kingdom in Paeonia; under pretence that the royal youth might be acknowledged by his subjects, and treated with due respect. But as soon as he had bathed in the royal baths in the river Arisbus, and they had set before him an elegant banquet, according to the custom of his country, Lysimachus ordered his guards to arm. Ariston instantly mounted his horse and escaped to the land of the Dardani; and Lysimachus was left in possession of Paeonia." son of Audoleon
*
Leon
Leon, Léon (French) or León (Spanish) may refer to:
Places
Europe
* León, Spain, capital city of the Province of León
* Province of León, Spain
* Kingdom of León, an independent state in the Iberian Peninsula from 910 to 1230 and again f ...
(278–250 BC)
[Pausanias, Description of Greece Phocis and Ozolian Locri, 10.13.1, "A bronze head of the Paeonian bull called the bison was sent to Delphi by the Paeonian king Dropion, son of Leon."]
*
Dropion
Dropion (Greek: Δροπίων), (250 BC – 230 BC) was an ancient Paeonian
In antiquity, Paeonia or Paionia ( grc, Παιονία, Paionía) was the land and kingdom of the Paeonians or Paionians ( grc, Παίονες, Paíones).
The exa ...
(250–230 BC),
son of Leon
*
Bastareus (?–? BC)
; Main line
*
Agis Agis or AGIS may refer to:
People
* Agis I (died 900 BC), Spartan king
* Agis II (died 401 BC), Spartan king
* Agis III (died 331 BC), Spartan king
* Agis IV (265–241 BC), Spartan king
* Agis (Paeonian) (died 358 BC), King of the Paeonians
* Ag ...
: founded the Paeonian kingdom; pretender to the Macedonian throne in a time of instability.
*
Lycceius
Lycceios, Lycpeios or Lyppeios (Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek l ...
: joined anti-Macedonian coalition with
Grabos II
Grabus (also Grabos; grc-gre, Γράβος; ruled c. 358 – 356 BC) was an Illyrian king who reigned in southern Illyria in the 4th century BC.
Biography
According to a historical reconstruction, Grabus belonged to the Grabaei, an Illyrian ...
and Thrace in 356 BC.
*
Patraus
Patraus (Greek Πατράος; 340 BC – 315 BC) was an ancient Paeonian king preceded by Lycceius and succeeded by Audoleon. It has been proposed that Ariston, who notably served as a cavalry general to Alexander the Great
A ...
*
Audoleon
Audoleon (Greek: Αὐδολέων or Αὐδωλέων; ''gen''.: Αὐδολέοντος/Αὐδωλέωντος; 315–285 BC) was an ancient Paeonian king son of Patraus, Agis or Ariston, the general of Alexander the Great.Heckel 2006, p. ...
: reduced to great straits by the Autariatae, but was succoured by Cassander.
*
Ariston
*
Leon of Paeonia: consolidated and restored lost lands after the Gallic Invasions in 280/279 BC.
*
Dropion
Dropion (Greek: Δροπίων), (250 BC – 230 BC) was an ancient Paeonian
In antiquity, Paeonia or Paionia ( grc, Παιονία, Paionía) was the land and kingdom of the Paeonians or Paionians ( grc, Παίονες, Paíones).
The exa ...
: last known Paeonian king in 230 BC, of a dwindling kingdom.
;Others
*
Pigres: one of the two tyrant brothers which in 511 BC persuaded Darius I to deport the coastal Paeonians to Asia.
*
Mantyes: one of the two tyrant brothers which in 511 BC persuaded Darius I to deport the coastal Paeonians to Asia.
*
Dokidan: of the Derrones; reigned during the 6th century BC.
[ :bg:Пеония]
*
Dokim: of the Derrones; reigned during the 6th century BC.
*
Euergetes ( grc, Εὐεργέτης, ), meaning "the Benefactor" (from , "good", + , "doer, worker"), was an epithet, an honoring title, given to various benefactors. Euergetism (literally "doing good deeds") was the practice of high-status and wealthy in ...
: of the Derrones; reigned c. 480–465 BC, known only from his coinage.
*
Teutaos: reigned from c. 450–435 BC; known only from his coinage.
*
Bastareus: reigned from c. 400–380/78 BC, known only from his coinage.
*
Teutamado: reigned from 378 to 359 BC, known only from his coinage.
*
Symnon: great ally of
Phillip II from 348 to 336 BC.
*
Nicharchos: reigned from 335 to 323 BC; son of Symon.
*
Langarus Langarus ( el, Λάγγαρος; died 335 BC), king of the Agrianians, was a contemporary of Alexander the Great (336–323 BC), with whom he ingratiated himself even before the death of Philip II, previous king of Macedon. Langarus rendered A ...
: of the Agrianes; invaded the territory of the Autariatae in 335 BC in coalition with Alexander the Great.
*
Dyplaios: of the Agrianes; reigned around 330 BC.
*
Didas: allied Philip V of Macedon with 4,000 warriors from 215 to 197 BC.
Foreign rulers
; Persian
*
Darius I
Darius I ( peo, 𐎭𐎠𐎼𐎹𐎺𐎢𐏁 ; grc-gre, Δαρεῖος ; – 486 BCE), commonly known as Darius the Great, was a Persian ruler who served as the third King of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, reigning from 522 BCE until his ...
: subjugated Paeonia in 511/2 BC.
*
Xerxes: included Paeonians in vast Persian army of 481 BC, for the Invasion of Greece.
; Thracian
*
Sitalces
Sitalces (Sitalkes) (; Ancient Greek: Σιτάλκης, reigned 431–424 BC) was one of the great kings of the Thracian Odrysian state. The Suda called him Sitalcus (Σίταλκος).
He was the son of Teres I, and on the sudden death o ...
: included Agrianes and Laeaeans in his Macedonian campaign in 429 BC.
Culture
The Paeonians included several independent tribes, all later united under the rule of a single king. Little is known of their manners and customs. They adopted the cult of
Dionysus
In ancient Greek religion and myth, Dionysus (; grc, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, festivity, and theatre. The Romans ...
, known amongst them as ''Dyalus'' or ''Dryalus'', and Herodotus mentions that the
Thracian
The Thracians (; grc, Θρᾷκες ''Thrāikes''; la, Thraci) were an Indo-European speaking people who inhabited large parts of Eastern and Southeastern Europe in ancient history.. "The Thracians were an Indo-European people who occupied ...
and Paeonian women offered sacrifice to Queen
Artemis
In ancient Greek mythology and religion, Artemis (; grc-gre, Ἄρτεμις) is the goddess of the hunt, the wilderness, wild animals, nature, vegetation, childbirth, care of children, and chastity. She was heavily identified wit ...
(probably
Bendis
Bendis ( grc, Βένδις) was a Thracian goddess associated with hunting and the moon. Goddess worship seems to have been introduced into Attica around 430 BC. Some writers identified Bendis in Attica with the goddess Artemis, but the temple ...
). They worshipped the sun in the form of a small round disk fixed on the top of a pole. A passage in
Athenaeus
Athenaeus of Naucratis (; grc, Ἀθήναιος ὁ Nαυκρατίτης or Nαυκράτιος, ''Athēnaios Naukratitēs'' or ''Naukratios''; la, Athenaeus Naucratita) was a Greek rhetorician and grammarian, flourishing about the end of th ...
seems to indicate the affinity of their
language
Language is a structured system of communication. The structure of a language is its grammar and the free components are its vocabulary. Languages are the primary means by which humans communicate, and may be conveyed through a variety of met ...
with
Mysian
Mysians ( la, Mysi; grc, Μυσοί, ''Mysoí'') were the inhabitants of Mysia, a region in northwestern Asia Minor.
Origins according to ancient authors
Their first mention is by Homer, in his list of Trojans allies in the Iliad, and accordin ...
. They drank barley beer and various decoctions made from plants and herbs. The country was rich in gold and a
bituminous
Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...
kind of wood (or stone, which burst into a blaze when in contact with water) called (or ).
The scanty remains of the
Paeonian language
Paeonian, sometimes spelled Paionian, is a poorly attested, extinct language spoken by the ancient Paeonians until late antiquity.
Paeonia once stretched north of Macedon, into Dardania, and in earlier times into southwestern Thrace.
Classi ...
do not allow a firm judgement to be made. On one side are Wilhelm Tomaschek and Paul Kretschmer, who claim it belonged to the Illyrian family, and on the other side is Dimitar Dečev, who claims affinities with Thracian. On the other hand, the Paeonian kings issued coins from the time of Philip II of Macedon onwards, bearing their names written in straightforward Greek. All the names of the Paeonian Kings that have come down to us are, in fact, explainable with and clearly related to Greek (Agis, Ariston, Audoleon, Lycceius, etc.), a fact that, according to
Irwin L. Merker Irwin may refer to:
Places
;United States
* Irwin, California
* Irwin, Idaho
* Irwin, Illinois
* Irwin, Iowa
* Irwin, Nebraska
* Irwin, Ohio
* Irwin, Pennsylvania
* Irwin, South Carolina
* Irwin County, Georgia
* Irwin Township, Venango County, Pe ...
, puts into question the theories of Illyrian and Thracian connections.
The women were famous for their industry. In this connection Herodotus tells the story that
Darius, having seen at
Sardis
Sardis () or Sardes (; Lydian: 𐤳𐤱𐤠𐤭𐤣 ''Sfard''; el, Σάρδεις ''Sardeis''; peo, Sparda; hbo, ספרד ''Sfarad'') was an ancient city at the location of modern ''Sart'' (Sartmahmut before 19 October 2005), near Salihli, ...
a beautiful Paeonian woman carrying a pitcher on her head, leading a horse to drink, and spinning
flax
Flax, also known as common flax or linseed, is a flowering plant, ''Linum usitatissimum'', in the family Linaceae. It is cultivated as a food and fiber crop in regions of the world with temperate climates. Textiles made from flax are known in ...
, all at the same time, inquired who she was. Having been informed that she was a Paeonian, he sent instructions to
Megabazus
Megabazus (Old Persian: ''Bagavazdā'' or ''Bagabāzu'', grc, Μεγαβάζος), son of Megabates, was a highly regarded Persian general under Darius, to whom he was a first-degree cousin. Most of the information about Megabazus comes from ' ...
, commander in Thrace, to deport two tribes of the nation without delay to Asia. An inscription, discovered in 1877 at
Olympia
The name Olympia may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Film
* ''Olympia'' (1938 film), by Leni Riefenstahl, documenting the Berlin-hosted Olympic Games
* ''Olympia'' (1998 film), about a Mexican soap opera star who pursues a career as an athlet ...
on the base of a statue, states that it was set up by the community of the Paeonians in honor of their king and founder
Dropion
Dropion (Greek: Δροπίων), (250 BC – 230 BC) was an ancient Paeonian
In antiquity, Paeonia or Paionia ( grc, Παιονία, Paionía) was the land and kingdom of the Paeonians or Paionians ( grc, Παίονες, Paíones).
The exa ...
. Another king, whose name appears as
Lyppeius on a fragment of an inscription found at
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
relating to a treaty of alliance, is no doubt identical with the
Lycceius
Lycceios, Lycpeios or Lyppeios (Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek l ...
or Lycpeius of Paeonian coins.
Decline
In 280 BC, the
Gallic invaders under
Brennus
Brennus or Brennos is the name of two Gaulish chieftains, famous in ancient history:
* Brennus, chieftain of the Senones, a Gallic tribe originating from the modern areas of France known as Seine-et-Marne, Loiret, and Yonne; in 387 BC, in t ...
ravaged the land of the Paeonians, who, being further hard pressed by the
Dardani
The Dardani (; grc, Δαρδάνιοι, Δάρδανοι; la, Dardani) or Dardanians were a Paleo-Balkan people, who lived in a region that was named Dardania after their settlement there. They were among the oldest Balkan peoples, and their ...
, had no alternative but to join the Macedonians. Despite their combined efforts, however, the Paeonians and Macedonians were defeated. Paeonia consolidated again but, in 217 BC, the Macedonian king
Philip V of Macedon
Philip V ( grc-gre, Φίλιππος ; 238–179 BC) was king ( Basileus) of Macedonia from 221 to 179 BC. Philip's reign was principally marked by an unsuccessful struggle with the emerging power of the Roman Republic. He would lead Macedon ag ...
(220–179 BC), the son of Demetrius II, succeeded in uniting and incorporating into
his empire the separate regions of Dassaretia and Paeonia. A mere 70 years later (in 168 BC),
Roman legions
The Roman legion ( la, legiō, ) was the largest military unit of the Roman army, composed of 5,200 infantry and 300 equites (cavalry) in the period of the Roman Republic (509 BC–27 BC) and of 5,600 infantry and 200 auxilia in the period of ...
conquered Macedon in turn, and a new and much larger Roman province bearing this name was formed. Paeonia around the Axios formed the second and third districts respectively of the newly constituted
Roman province of Macedonia
Macedonia ( grc-gre, Μακεδονία) was a province of the Roman Empire, encompassing the territory of the former Antigonid Kingdom of Macedonia, which had been conquered by Rome in 168 BC at the conclusion of the Third Macedonian War. The pr ...
.
[Livy xiv. 29.] Centuries later under
Diocletian
Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...
, Paeonia and
Pelagonia formed a province called
Macedonia Secunda or
Macedonia Salutaris
Macedonia ( grc-gre, Μακεδονία) was a province of the Roman Empire, encompassing the territory of the former Antigonid Kingdom of Macedonia, which had been conquered by Rome in 168 BC at the conclusion of the Third Macedonian War. The p ...
, belonging to the
Praetorian prefecture of Illyricum
The praetorian prefecture of Illyricum ( la, praefectura praetorio per Illyricum; el, ἐπαρχότης/ὑπαρχία ῶν πραιτωρίωντοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ, also termed simply the Prefecture of Illyricum) was one of four ...
.
See also
*
List of ancient Illyrian peoples and tribes
This is a list of ancient tribes in the ancient territory of Illyria ( grc-gre, Ἰλλυρία; la, Illyria). The name ''Illyrians'' seems to be the name of a single Illyrian tribe that was the first to come into contact with the ancient Greeks ...
*
List of ancient tribes in Thrace
References
Bibliography
*
*
Pausanias Pausanias ( el, Παυσανίας) may refer to:
*Pausanias of Athens, lover of the poet Agathon and a character in Plato's ''Symposium''
*Pausanias the Regent, Spartan general and regent of the 5th century BC
* Pausanias of Sicily, physician of t ...
, ''Description of Greece''. W. H. S. Jones (translator).
Loeb Classical Library
The Loeb Classical Library (LCL; named after James Loeb; , ) is a series of books originally published by Heinemann in London, but is currently published by Harvard University Press. The library contains important works of ancient Greek and L ...
. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. (1918). Vol. 1. Books I–II: .
*
Smith, William,
''A dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology''. London
Online at Perseus*
*
{{Authority control
Macedonia (ancient kingdom)
Achaemenid Empire