Glaukias

Early rulership

In 344 BC, Glaukias' father Pleuratus I engaged in battle with Philip II of Macedon. In a losing effort Pleuratus I, tried to thwart Philip's advances in Illyria and managed to wound Philip himself and fifty of his elite forces on their pursuit. Philip was wounded and lost part of his close group of friends, finally contenting himself with the possession of the Illyrian region of Dassaretia. After this, Isocrates delimits the Taulantii state only to the lands along the Adriatic. It seems that during his early reign, probably before 335 BC, Glaucias and Alexander might have had quite friendly relations, although this is not known for sure. As a royal page Alexander had accompanied his father Philip II on the Illyrian campaigns. In 337 BC he had escorted his mother Olympias to Epirus and gone from there to Illyria where he stayed with one or more kings, perhaps indeed with Glaucias. Alexander might have also had relations living in Illyria at that time and took shelter there when he quarrelled with his father. King Glaukias and the Taulantii had not accepted Macedonian rule, and remained independent. While the Illyrian Cleitus, son of Bardylis, was subject king of Macedonia since at least Philip's suppression of an Illyrian revolt in 349 BC. However in 335 BC Cleitus revolted against Alexander, and before the conflict with Macedon, he assured the support of Glaucias and his Taulantii.