Conflict: | Illyrian invasion of Epirus |
Date: | 385 BC |
Place: | Epirus, Macedonia |
Result: | Initial Illyrian victory over the Molossians and Macedonians.[1] Later Illyrian defeat[2] |
Combatant1: | Illyrians |
Combatant2: | Molossians, Macedonians |
Combatant1a: | Supported by: Syracusans |
Combatant2a: | Supported by: Thessalians Spartans |
Commander1: | Illyrian king Bardylis[3] [4] Dionysius I Alcetas I |
Commander2: | Pro-Spartan Molossian dynast Agesilaus II Alexander II Philip II Perdicas III |
Strength1: | Unknown |
Strength2: | unknown |
Casualties1: | Unknown |
Casualties2: | 15,000 Molossians[5] 4,000[6] -10,000[7] Macedonians |
The Illyrians started an invasion against the Molossians in Epirus during 385 BC who later started another war against the Macedonians. The Illyrians, led by king Bardylis, were supported by Dionysius I of Syracuse who was aiming to expand his influence in the eastern Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, and by Alcetas I of Epirus who was expelled from his land by the Molossian pro-Spartan party and exiled in Syracuse.[8] The Illyrians, after invading the Molossians, invaded the Macedonians, making them close to collapse.[9]
In 385 BC, Alcetas of Epirus was a refugee in Syracuse for unknown reasons. The tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius, wanted a friendly monarch in Epirus, so he sent vast number of hoplites and 500 suits of armour to help the Illyrians, who at that time were led by king Bardyllis, for their battles with the Molossians in Epirus[10] . Attackers killed about 15,000 Molossian warriors. Alcetas was restored to the throne, but the Illyrians didn't stop there. Dionysius joined them in an attempt to plunder the temple of Delphi. Then, Sparta, supported by Thessaly and Macedonians, intervened under Agesilaus, and expelled the Illyrians and the Syracusan warriors out of some parts of Epirus.[11]