Where did Perdikkas III die?

[karen]

Hi all:Novel research: Philip II's elder brother was killed, along with 4,000 other Makedones, in battle against the Illyrians led by Bardylis. My question: what was the name of the place where this happened?Thx in advance,
Karen

[Paralus]

G'day Karen.I think you're destined to be disappointed. An educated guess is probably the best you will achieve.To my knowledge, the only source on this is Diodorus, book 16. I can't remember the exact reference. Either way, if memory serves, he does not mention a location only that Perdiccas marched into upper Macedonia and Illyria whereupon he died in battle along with 4,000 of his troops.The fact that Philip about a year later GÇô most likely with Parmenio planning and executing the battle plan for the young "Regent" GÇô marched in the same direction and engaged and defeated the same army somewhere along the Erigon valley is most likely as good an indicator as any. Whilst not necessarily taking place at the same spot, Philip most likely went looking in the same or similar area for the settle-up. Take a punt: Heraklea??Paralus.

[karen]

Alas, since no one else is coming forth with an answer either, Paralus, I fear you are right. Thanks anyway!-K

[amyntoros]

According to Lindsay Winthrop Adams (yes, him again!) the battle took place "somewhere in the central Pindus". It looks like the exact location isn't known.Best regards,Amyntoros

[Paralus]

Now, that's intriguing Amyntoros. Did the good fellow have a source?I can't find anything that gives a defined area let alone locality. Ditto for Philip's settling of accounts a year or so later other than a plain in the Erigon valley.I believe both on this and the names issue, Karen's best advice is: "literary licence".Paralus

[amyntoros]

Hi Paralus and Karen. No, no source GÇô the info is from the book that I mentioned before, Alexander the Great: Legacy of a Conqueror, and the series publishers, Pearson Longman, did not allow for footnotes. I am understandably reticent to question Winthrop Lindsay Adams about a further reference given how embarrassed I felt after inquiring about the Agamemnon quote! Btw, it was pointed out to me, after the fact, that the reference to Agamemnon is also in John Maxwell OGÇÖBrienGÇÖs book, Alexander the Great: The invisible Enemy. I canGÇÖt believe I was so dumb as not to look there first, especially as AlexanderGÇÖs connection to Homer plays such an important role in the book. If there is any reference in the histories to the Iliad then it will surely be found in OGÇÖBrienGÇÖs work! A man who took two years to write his bibliography alone (because he read every single book and article that he included) would hardly be likely to miss a quote. Duh!Anyway, IGÇÖve digressed (as usual). IGÇÖm further disinclined to doubt AdamsGÇÖ claim because this is his field of expertise. I think I wrote before that his best work can be found in Archaia Makedonia, the papers of the International Congresses on Ancient Macedonia that is held every five years at Thessaloniki, so ancient Macedonia, in general, is his chosen area of study (although his next book will be on Cassander!). In fact, Adams is part of the coterie that has been dubbed GÇ£Macedoniasts.GÇ¥ Far be it for me to say we should never question a scholarGÇÖs work; IGÇÖm guilty of doing that all the time, even of challenging Heckel on occasion (his chapter on Hephaistion in Marshals, for instance.) But I do think that Adams knows a heck of a lot more about early ancient Macedonian history than myself, and where certain periods are concerned he likely knows more than some of the writers who are more familiar to us. IGÇÖm willing to give him benefit of doubt on this one GÇô although that doesnGÇÖt mean you have to as well. :-)Best regards,Amyntoros

[karen]

Thanks Amyntoros -- thorough and well-thought-out as usual.ATB,
Karen