Cleitus (son of Bardylis)
| Cleitus | |
|---|---|
| Reign | c. 356 – 335 BC |
| Predecessor | Bardylis |
| Successor | Bardylis II |
| Dynasty | Bardylis dynasty[1][2] |
| Father | Bardylis |
Cleitus (
Cleitus was the mastermind behind the well structured Illyrian Revolt of 335 BC. Cleitus entered into an agreement with the Taulantii State under Glaucias and the Autariatae State under Pleurias. Cleitus had captured and garrisoned the city of Pelion and waited for Glaucias' troops to arrive. However, Alexander arrived on the scene first and blockaded Cleitus within the city walls. Glaucias came to Cleitus' aid, and the Macedonians were forced to retreat. Alexander came back with more equipment and supplies and skillfully drove Glaucias' army from the surrounding heights, preventing Cleitus from engaging with Glaucias.
After a three-day truce, Alexander found the Taulantii camp unguarded and defeated the
Biography
Cleitus was attested as the son of Bardylis by
Rulership
Alliances for the Illyrian revolt
Cleitus was one of the three Illyrian kings who attempted to gain lost territory and thwart Macedonian power in a revolt. During
Battle of Pelion
In 335 BC, Alexander's ally Langarus promised to deal with the Autariatae while Alexander headed towards Cleitus. Langarus invaded their territory and defeated them. Alexander thus foiled Cleitus' plan of blockading the Macedonian army. Glaucias and his army had not yet reached Cleitus, and Alexander pushed hard to reach the Cleitus' fortress city of Pelion before Glaucias did. Alexander drove through Paeonia and Lynkestis,[5] finally arriving at Pelion before Glaucias. The ancient historian Arrian states that Cleitus sacrificed three boys, three girls, and three black rams on an altar just before the Battle of Pelion with Alexander. The Illyrian advance detachments, after some brief skirmishing, retreated within the walls of Pelion. The Macedonians decided to blockade Pelion, bringing up their siege equipment. The Macedonians had no time in starving Cleitus out, and with so small a task force, their chances of taking the strongly guarded city fortress by storm were minimal. Glaucias was on his way to aid Cleitus, and the Macedonians were cut off and short of supplies. This was the first and last bitter taste of failure for Alexander.
A foraging party under the Macedonian general
The Illyrians, realizing the trap, rallied and counter-attacked. Alexander's cavalry and light-armed troops held them off from the knoll long enough for his siege catapults to be carried through the ford and set up on the further bank. The Macedonians withdrew a few miles and gave Cleitus and Glaucias three days to regain their confidence. The Illyrian camp lay wide open because of indiscipline; Glaucias dug no trenches and built no palisades, not even bothering to post sentries. Alexander returned with a specially picked mobile force, and he sent in his archers and the Agrianians to finish the job during the night. Most of the Illyrians were still asleep, and the Macedonian slaughtered them where they lay. In desperation, Cleitus set fire to Pelion, so it would not fall into Macedonian hands.[9]
Aftermath
There was no time to capture Cleitus or to negotiate a treaty with the Illyrians as
See also
- List of rulers of Illyria
References
- ^ Stipčević 1974, p. 48.
- ^ a b c Cabanes 2002, pp. 75–76.
- ISBN 0786419180, page 171,"Pelium which was actually lightly held at the time"
- ISBN 0-14-044253-7, 1971, page 50, "...his way to Pelium, a town which had been occupied by Cleitus as the most defensible in the district..."
- ^ Alexander the Great: man and god by Ian Worthington
- ^ A History of Macedonia: Volume III: 336-167 B.C. by N. G. L. Hammond, F. W. Walbank
- ^ The Genius of Alexander the Great by N. G. L. Hammond
- ^ The Illyrians by John Wilkes
- ^ The Illyrians to the Albanians -Neritan Ceka- 2005 pg. 84
- ^ Alexander of Macedon, 356–323 B.C.: a historical biography, p. 131.
Bibliography
- Cabanes, Pierre (2002) [1988]. Dinko Čutura; Bruna Kuntić-Makvić (eds.). Iliri od Bardileja do Gencia (IV. – II. stoljeće prije Krista) [The Illyrians from Bardylis to Gentius (4th – 2nd century BC)] (in Croatian). Translated by Vesna Lisičić. Svitava. ISBN 953-98832-0-2.
- Fox, Robin Lane (2011). "Philip of Macedon:accession, ambitions, and self-presentation". In Robin J. Fox; Robin Lane Fox (eds.). Brill's Companion to Ancient Macedon: Studies in the Archaeology and History of Macedon, 650 BC - 300 AD. BRILL. ISBN 978-9004206502.
- Stipčević, Aleksandar (1974). The Illyrians: history and culture (1977 ed.). Noyes Press. ISBN 978-0815550525.
- ISBN 0-631-19807-5.