[[Image:Amyntas III-161113.jpg|thumb|Amyntas III, stater]]

'''Amyntas III''' ([[Greek language|Greek]] ''Αμύντας Γ΄'' ), son of Arrhidaeus, and father of [[Philip II]] and grandfather of [[Alexander the Great]], was king of [[Macedon]] from [[393 BC|393]] (or 389) to [[369 BC]].

He came to the throne after the ten years of confusion which followed the death of [[Archelaus II of Macedon|Archelaus II]], the patron of art and literature. But he had many enemies at home; in [[393 BC|393]] he was driven out by the [[Illyria]]ns, but in the following year, with the aid of the [[Thessalia]]ns, he recovered his kingdom. Medius, head of the house of the Aleuadae of Larissa, is believed to have provided aid to Amyntas in recovering his throne. The mutual relations between the Argeadae and the Aleuadae dates to the time of [[Archelaus]].

To shore up his country against the threat of the Illyrians, Amyntas established an aliance with the Chalcidic cities led by Olynthus. In exchange for this support, Amyntas granted them rights to Macedonian timber, which was sent back to Athens to help fortify their fleet. With money flowing into the Olynthus from these exports, their power grew. In response, Amyntas sought additional allies. He established connections with [[Kotys]], chief of the Odrysians. Kotys had already married his daughter to the Athenian general [[Iphicrates]]. Prevented from marrying into Kotys' family, Amyntas soon adopted Iphicrates as his son.

After the King's Peace [[387 BC]], [[Sparta]] was anxious to reestablish its presence in the north of Greece. In [[385 BC]], Bardylis and his Illyrians attacked Epirus, in an attempt to restore the Molossian king [[Alcetas]] to the throne. When Amyntas sought Spartan aid against the growing threat of Olynthus, the Spartans eagerly responded. That Olynthus was backed by Athens and Thebes, rivals to Sparta for the control of Greece, provided them additional incentive to break up this growing power in the north. Amyntas thus concluded a treaty with the Spartans, who assisted him to reduce [[Olynthus]] ([[379 BC|379]]). He also entered into a league with [[Jason of Pherae]], and assiduously cultivated the friendship of [[Athens]].

With Olynthus defeated, Amyntas was now able to concluded a treaty with Athens and keep the timber revenues for himself. Amyntas shipped the timber to the house of the Athenian [[Timotheus]], in the [[Piraeus]].

By his wife, [[Eurydice II of Macedon|Eurydice]], he had three sons,[[Alexander II of Macedon|Alexander II]],[[Perdiccas III of Macedon|Perdiccas III]] and the youngest of whom was the famous [[Philip II of Macedon]]. Amyntas died at an advanced age, leaving his throne to his eldest son, Alexander.

==References==
*{{1911}}
==External links==
*[http://www.csad.ox.ac.uk/CSAD/Images/200/Image266.html Atheno-Macedonian Alliance during Amyntas III,375/3 BC]-[http://www.lysimachos.com/index.php/Archaeology/Athenian-alliance-with-Amyntas-III-of-Macedon-375/3-BC.html Translation of Epigraphy]
*[http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/greece/macedonia/kings/amyntas_III/i.html Coins of Amyntas III]

{{start box}}
{{succession box |
title=[[Kings of Macedon|King of Macedon]] |
before=[[Argaeus II of Macedon|Argaeus II]] |
after=[[Alexander II of Macedon|Alexander II]] |
years=393 BC–369 BC
}}
{{end box}}
{{MacedonKings}}


[[Category:Macedonian monarchs]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing]]
[[Category:369 BC deaths]]

{{Ancient-Greece-bio-stub}}

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