Archelaus I of Macedon
| Archelaus I | |
|---|---|
| King of Macedon | |
Didrachm of Archelaus I
|
|
| Reign | 413–399 BC |
| Predecessor | Perdiccas II |
| Successor | |
| Spouse | unknown |
| Issue |
Orestes Archelaus II several daughters |
| House | (Ancient) Macedon |
| Dynasty | Argead |
| Father | Perdiccas II |
| Mother | unknown slave |
| Religion | Ancient Greek religion |
Archelaus I (/ˌɑːrkᵻˈleɪ.əs/; Greek: Ἀρχέλαος Α΄) was a king of Macedon from 413 to 399 BC. He was a capable and beneficent ruler, known for the sweeping changes he made in state administration, the military, and commerce. By the time that he died, Archelaus had succeeded in converting Macedon into a significantly stronger power. Thucydides credited Archelaus with doing more for his kingdom's military infrastructure than all of his predecessors together.
Archelaus was a son of Perdiccas II by a slave woman. He obtained the throne by murdering his own uncle Alcetas II and cousin Alexander, such that his father became king, and his half-brother, a child of seven years, the legitimate heir.
Almost immediately after he took power, Archelaus was faced with a situation which allowed him to completely reverse Macedon's relationship with Athens, which had been a major threat for the past half century. The Athenians experienced a crushing defeat at Syracuse in late 413 during which most of their ships were destroyed. This left the Athenians in desperate need of a huge amount of timber to build new ships and Archelaus in a position to set the price. Archelaus generously supplied the Athenians with the timber they needed. In recognition of this, the Athenians honored Archelaus and his children with the titles of proxenos and euergetes.
Archelaus went on to institute many internal reforms. He issued an abundance of good quality coinage. He built strongholds, cut straight roads (important for movement of the military), and improved the organization of the military, particularly the cavalry and hoplite infantry.
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