List of kings of Macedonia

Macedonia (also known as Macedon) was an ancient kingdom centered on the present-day region of Macedonia and in northern Greece, inhabited by the Ancient Macedonians. At various points in its history the kingdom proper encompassed parts of the present-day Republic of North Macedonia, Albania, Bulgaria and Turkish Thrace. It emerged as the dominant power in Greece during the 4th century BC, when King Philip II successfully united the Greek city-states, such as Athens and Thebes, into the Corinthian League. Philip's son, Alexander the Great, would go on to conquer the Persian Empire a few years later. The Kingdom of Macedonia itself soon lost direct control of Alexander's vast Asian territories during the Wars of the Diadochi, but it broadly retained its rule over Greece itself until defeated by the Roman Republic in the Macedonian Wars (215–148 BC)

Argead Dynasty (808-309 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
c. 808-778 BC Karanos Κάρανος Founder of the Argead dynasty and the first king of Macedon. (Possibly Fictional)
c. 778-750 BC Koinos Κοινός (Possibly Fictional)
c. 750-700 BC Tyrimmas Τυρίμμας (Possibly Fictional)
c. 700-678 BC Perdiccas I Περδίκκας Α'
c. 678-640 BC Argaeus I Ἀργαῖος Αʹ
c. 640-602 BC Philip I Φίλιππος Αʹ
c. 602-576 BC Aeropus I Ἀέροπος Αʹ
576-547 BC Alcetas I Ἀλκέτας Αʹ
547-498 BC Amyntas I Ἀμύντας Αʹ Vassal of the Achaemenid Empire in 512/511 BC. Historians recognize Amyntas as the first Macedonian monarch of historical importance.
498-454 BC Alexander I Ἀλέξανδρος Αʹ Fully subordinate part of the Achaemenid Empire after 492 BC, then full Independence after 479 BC following the withdrawal of the Achaemenid army.
454-448 BC Alcetas II Ἀλκέτας Βʹ
448-413 BC Perdiccas II Περδίκκας Βʹ
413-339 BC Archelaus I Ἀρχέλαος Αʹ
399 BC Craterus Κρατερός
399-396 BC Orestes Ὀρέστης Ruled jointly with Aeropus II, until he was murdered by Aeropus II
399-394/393 BC Aeropus II Ἀέροπος Βʹ Joint rule with Orestes until 396 BC, then sole rule
394-393 BC Archelaus II Ἀρχέλαος Βʹ ? - A possible usurper with a reign of around a year
393 BC Amyntas II Ἀμύντας Βʹ Very brief reign ended with his assassination by an Elimieotan nobleman named Derdas
393 BC Pausanias Παυσανίας Assassinated by, Amyntas III in the year of his accession
393 BC Amyntas III (First Reign) Ἀμύντας Γʹ
393-392 BC Argaeus II Ἀργαῖος Βʹ Usurped throne from Amyntas III for about a year with the aid of the Illyrians
392-370 BC Amyntas III (Second Reign) Ἀμύντας Γʹ Restored to the throne after around one year
370-368 BC Alexander II Ἀλέξανδρος Βʹ Assassinated by his maternal uncle Ptolemy of Aloros
368-359 BC Perdiccas III Περδίκκας Γʹ Ptolemy of Aloros was his regent from 368-365 BC, until he was murdered by Perdiccas III
359 BC Amyntas IV Ἀμύντας Δʹ Young son of Perdiccas III, throne usurped by Philip II
359-336 BC Philip II Φίλιππος Βʹ Expanded Macedonian territory and influence to achieve a dominant position in the Balkans, confederated most of the Greek city-states in the League of Corinth under his hegemony.
336-323 BC Alexander III the Great

Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Μέγας

 The most notable Macedonian king and one of the most celebrated kings and military strategists of all time. By the end of his reign, Alexander was simultaneously King of Macedonia, Pharaoh of Egypt and King of Persia, and had conquered the entire former Achaemenid Empire as well as parts of the western Indus Valley.
323-317 BC Philip III Arrhidaeus[1] Φίλιππος Γʹ Half-Brother of Alexander the Great, Titular figurehead king of the Macedonian Empire, during the early Wars of the Diadochi; was mentally disabled to at least some degree. Executed by Olympias.
323/317-309 BC Alexander IV of Macedon[1] Ἀλέξανδρος Δʹ Son of Alexander the Great and Roxana of Bactria, who was yet unborn at the time of his father's death. A pretender upon his birth, from 317 BC the titular figurehead king of the Macedonian Empire, during the early-middle Wars of the Diadochi. Executed by Cassander.

Regents of Macedon(368-365 BC; 334-305 BC)
Dates Regent Name King Comments
368-365 BC Ptolemy of Aloros Πτολεμαῖος Αʹ Perdiccas III Assassinated King Alexander II, to serve as Regent for Perdiccas III, but was murdered by him in 365 BC.
334-323 BC Antipater (First Regency) Ἀντίπατρος Alexander III the Great Governed Macedonia as Alexander the Great campaigned in the east.
323-320 BC Perdiccas Περδίκκας Philip III Arrhidaeus A dying Alexander the Great gave his ring to Perdiccas, who after his death, was appointed "Regent of the Empire" at the Partition of Babylon. Was Murdered by his officers after an ill-fated campaign against Ptolemy, Satrap of Egypt.
320 BC Peithon Πείθων Briefly named interm Co-Regents by Ptolemy, but this didn't become official as the other Diadochi refused to accept them.
Arrhidaeus Ἀρριδαῖoς
320-319 BC Antipater (Second Regency) Ἀντίπατρος Briefly regent of the Empire again before dying in 319 BC at the age of 81.
319-317 BC Polyperchon Πολυπέρχων Was Antipater's appointed successor, but came into conflict with Antipater's son, Cassander, who would triumph over him in a civil war.
317-305 BC Cassander Κάσανδρος Alexander IV Overthrew Polyperchon and his ally Olympias, to become Regent. After having Alexander IV and his mother Roxana executed in 309 BC, he reigned as Regent without a King until 305 BC, when he declared himself King in 305 BC.

Post-Argead Dynasty (309-168 BC, 149-148 BC)

Antipatrid Dynasty (305-294 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
305-297 BC Cassander Κάσανδρος Regent of Macedon from 317-305 BC, son of the Regent Antipater
297 BC Philip IV Φίλιππος Δʹ Died shortly after his father, Cassander
297-294 BC Antipater II Αντίπατρος Β' Ruled jointly, but soon entered a power struggle with each other, involving Pyrrhus of Epirus and the Antigonid, Demetrius I. Both were assassinated, Alexander by Demetrius, and Antipater by Lysimachus after he fled to Thrace.
Alexander V Αλέξανδρος Ε'

Antigonid Dynasty (294-288 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
294-288 BC Demetrius I[2] Δημήτριος ο Πολιορκητής Son of Antigonus I, whose domain had been primarily based in Anatolia.

Alkimachid and Aeacid Dynasties (288-281 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
288-281 BC Lysimachus Λυσίμαχος Lysimachus of Thrace and Pyrrhus of Epirus, backed by Ptolemy I of Egypt, invaded Macedonia and expelled Demetrius. Pyrrhus briefly reigned as sole King of Macedon for seven months, before becoming co-king with Lysimachus, an arrangement which lasted until 285 BC, when Lysimachus expelled Pyrrhus, becoming sole Macedonian king himself.
288-285 BC Pyrrhus (First Reign) Πύρρος της Ηπείρου

Ptolemaic Dynasty (281-279 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
281-279 BC Ptolemy Ceraunus

Πτολεμαίος Κεραυνός

 Son of Ptolemy I of Egypt. Seized control of Macedon after murdering Seleucus, who was preparing to invade Macedon after the fall of Lysimachus. Was killed during an invasion of Gauls led by Bolgios.
279 BC Meleager Μελέαγρος A brother of Ptolemy Ceraunus, ruled for two months until he was pressured by the army to abdicate.

Antipatrid Dynasty (Restored) (279 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
279 BC Antipater Etesias

Ἀντίπατρος Ετησίας

 Reigned for just 45 days during the Gallic Crisis before he was deposed by the military leader, Sosthenes. Eventually took refuge in Ptolemaic Egypt.

Reign of Sosthenes (279-277 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
279-277 BC Sosthenes Σωσθένης Was a Macedonian General, who had served as Governor of Asia Minor for Lysimachus. Non-royal, elected King by his soldiers. Defeated the Gallic invasion of Bolgios, defeated the Gallic Army of Brennus in 279, and held off an invasion by Antigonus II in 278. Died in 277.

Antigonid Dynasty (Restored) (277-274 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
277-274 BC Antigonus II Gonatas (First Reign)[3]

Αντίγονος Β' Γονατάς

 After the death of Sosthenes, led Greek armies to victory against Cerethrius at the Battle of Lysimachia, and took possession of his claimed Macedonian throne. Was driv

Aeacid Dynasty (Restored) (274-272 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
274-272 BC Pyrrhus (Second Reign)

Πύρρος της Ηπείρου

 Briefly usurped the throne from Antigonus II, but refrained from finishing off his forces, as his attention was drawn south towards the Peloponnese. Pyrrhus died at the Battle of Argos after being defeated by a group of allies that included Antigonus II and soldiers loyal to him, among others.

Antigonid Dynasty (Restored) (272-167 BC)
Image Reign Monarch Name Comments
272-239 BC Antigonus II Gonatas (Second Reign)

Αντίγονος Β' Γονατάς

 After the defeat and death of Pyrrhus, re-took the throne.
239-229 BC Demetrius II Aetolicus

Δημήτριος Β' Αιτωλικός
229-221 BC Antigonus III Doson

Αντίγονος Γ'

 While Demetrius II's young son Philip V was originally meant to rule after him, with Antigonus III as a regent, after defeating the Dardani and putting down a Thessalian rebellion, his soldiers declared him King, which he reluctantly accepted, but kept the young Philip V as his heir and acted as a sort of father-figure and mentor to him. Became sick and died during a battle with the Illyrians.
221-179 BC Philip V Φίλιππος Ε' First Macedonian War, Second Macedonian War, Roman-Seleucid War
179-168 BC Perseus Περσέας Third Macedonian War, Deposed by the Romans, who organized Macedonia into four Rome-aligned republics.

Andriskos's Revolt (149-148 BC)

After Perseus's defeat at the Battle of Pydna in 167 BC, Macedon was divided into four republics under Roman domination. In 150 BC, a man named Andriscus claimed to be the son of Perseus, and claimed the throne of Macedon as Philip VI. This led to the Fourth Macedonian War, in which Andriscus was defeated by the Romans, and Macedon was annexed as a Roman province in 148 BC.

Image Dates Name Comments
149-148 BC Philip VI Andriskos (Pseudo-Philip)

Φίλιππος ΣΤ΄

 Commoner from Aeolis who had a strong resemblance to the deposed King Perseus, and claimed to be his son. He captured Rome's Macedonian client-republics with the backing of Thracian soldiers, and re-established the Macedonian Kingdom. Lost the Fourth Macedonian War to the Roman Republic, and was executed, Macedonia becoming a Roman province.

Notes
  1. As part of the compromise in Babylon after Alexander the Great’s death, it was agreed that Philip would be joint king with Roxanne’s unborn child, should it prove to be male. Hence Philip was sole king for several months until Alexander IV was born, and Alexander too was sole king from Philip’s murder in 317 BC to his own death. Neither had any effective power during this period; Philip was mentally infirm and Alexander was under age.
  2. Demetrius was proclaimed King in 306 BC with his father, but his reign in Macedonia only became effective after he ousted the Antipatrids in 294, and his power there ended after he was in turn expelled by Pyrrhus and Lysimachus in 286. His death in 283 is often given as marking the end of his reign.
  3. Antigonus claimed the kingship upon his father's death in 283, but it was only effective after 276.

See also
  • List of ancient Macedonians
  • Duane A. March, "The Kings of Makedon: 399-369 BC," Historia (Franz Steiner Verlag) vol. 44, No. 3 (1995), 257-282.
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