Arrhidaeus
(Ἀρριδαῖος) or Aridaeus (Ἀριδαῖος).
1. A half-brother of Alexander the Great, son of Philip and a female dancer, Philinna of Larissa, was of imbecile understanding, which was said to have been occasioned by a potion administered to him when a boy by the jealous Olympias. Alexander had removed Arrhidaeus from Macedonia, perhaps through fear of his mother Olympias, but had not entrusted him with any civil or military command. He was at Babylon at the time of Alexander's death, B. C. 323, and was elected king under the name of Philip. The young Alexander, the infant son of Roxana, who was born shortly afterwards, was associated with him in the government. [Alexander IV., p. 122b.] In the following year, B. C. 322, Arrhidaeus married Eurydice [Eurydice], and was from this time completely under the direction of his wife. On their return to Macedonia, Eurydice attempted to obtain the supreme power in opposition to Polysperchon. Roxana and her infant son fled to Epeirus, and Olympias induced Aeacides, king of Epeirus, to invade Macedonia in order to support Polysperchon. Aeacides was successful in his undertaking : Arrhidaeus and Eurydice were taken prisoners, and put to death by order of Olympias, B. C. 317. In the following year, Cassander conquered Olympias, and interred the bodies of Arrhidaeus and Eurydice with royal pomp at Aegae, and celebrated funeral games to their honour. (Plut. Alex. 77; Dexippus, apud Phot. Cod. 82; Arrian, apud Phot. Cod. 92; Justin, 9.8, 13.2, 14.5; Diod. 18.2, 19.11, 52; Paus. 1.6.3, 25. §§ 3, 5, 8.7.5; Athen. 4.155.)
2. One of Alexander's generals, was entrusted with the conduct of Alexander's funeral to Egypt. On the murder of Perdiccas in Egypt, B. C. 321, he and Pithon were appointed regents, but through the intrigues of Eurydice, were obliged soon afterwards to resign their office at Triparadisus in Upper Syria. On the division of the provinces which was made at this place, Arrhidaeus obtained the Hellespontine Phrygia. In B. C. 319, after the death of Antipater, Arrhidaeus made an unsuccessful attack upon Cyzicus; and Antigonus gladly seized this pretext to require him to resign his satrapy. Arrhidaeus, however, refused, and shut himself up in Cius. (Justin, 13.4; Arrian, apud Phot. Cod. 92, p. 71a, 28, &c., ed. Bekker; Diod. 18.36, 39, 51, 52, 72.)
3. One of the kings of Macedonia during the time of the anarchy, B. C. 279. (Porphyr. apud Euscb. Arm. 1.38, p. 171.)
(Ἀρριδαῖος). The son of Philip of Macedon and a female dancer, Philinna of Larissa. He was of imbecile understanding. On the death of Alexander, B.C. 323, he was elected king under the name of Philip, and in 322 he married Eurydicé. On their return to Macedonia he and his wife were made prisoners and put to death by order of Olympias, in the year 317.