Argaeus
(Ἀργαῖος), king of Macedonia was the son and successor of Perdiccas I., who according to Herodotus and Thucydides, was the founder of the dynasty. Thirty-four years are given as the length of his reign by Dexippus (apud Syncell. p. 494, Dind.), but apparently without any authority. (Hdt. 8.139; Justin, 7.2.)
There was a pretender to the Macedonian crown of this name, who, with the assistance of the Illyrians, expelled Amyntas II. from his dominions (B. C. 393), and kept possession of the throne for two years. Amyntas then, with the aid of the Thessalians, succeeded in expelling Argaeus and recovering at least a part of his dominions. It is probably the same Argaeus who in B. C. 359 again appears as a pretender to the throne. He had induced the Athenians to support his pretensions, but Philip, who had just succeeded to the regency of the kingdom, by his intrigues and promises induced them to remain inactive. Argaeus upon this collected a body of mercenaries, and being accompanied by some Macedonian exiles and some Athenian troops, who were permitted by their general, Manlias, to join him, he made an attempt upon Aegae, but was repulsed. On his retreat to Methone, he was intercepted by Philip, and defeated. What became of him we are not informed. (Diod. 14.92, 16.2, 3; Dem. c. Aristocr. p. 660; Thirlwall, vol. v. pp. 161, 173.) [C.P.M]
ARGAEUS (Ἀργαῖος: Argish, or Erjish Dagh), a lofty mountain in Cappadocia, at the foot of which was Mazaca. It is, says Strabo (p. 538), always covered with snow on the summit, and those who ascend it (and they are few) say that on a clear day they can see from the top both the Euxine and the hay of Issus. Cappadocia, he adds, is a woodless country, but there are forests round the base of Argaeus. It is mentioned by Claudian. (In Ruf. 2.30.) It has been doubted if the summit of the mountain can be reached; but Hamilton (Researches, 2.274) reached the highest attainable point, above which is a mass of rock with steep perpendicular sides,rising to a height of 20 or 25 feet above the ridge,o n which he stood. The state of the weather did not enable him to verify Strabo's remark about the two seas, but he doubts if they can be seen, on account of the high mountains which intervene to the N. and the S. He estimates the height above the sea-level at about 13,000 feet. Argaeus is a volcanic mountain. It is the culminating point in Asia Minor of the range of Taurus, or rather of that part which is called Antitaurus.
[G.L]- son of Perdiccas: Hdt. 8.139
- Paus. 2.28.3
- Paus. 1.7.1