Galaurus () was an

Illyria In classical and late antiquity, Illyria (; , ''Illyría'' or , ''Illyrís''; , ''Illyricum'') was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by numerous tribes of people collectively known as the Illyrians. The Ancient Gree ...

n king of the

Taulantii Taulantii or Taulantians ('swallow-men'; Ancient Greek: , or , ; ) were an Illyrians, Illyrian people that lived on the Adriatic coast of southern Illyria (modern Albania). They dominated at various times much of the plain between the rivers Dri ...

State who reigned in the middle of the 7th century BC. After the first Illyrian invasion of

Macedon Macedonia ( ; , ), also called Macedon ( ), was an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Archaic and Classical Greece, which later became the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece. The kingdom was founded and initially ruled by the royal ...

ia in 691 BC because of the interruption of friendly relations, the Illyrians did considerable damage by their ravages. Galaurus invaded Macedonia somewhere between 678–640 BC during the reign of

Argaeus I Argaeus (; ) was king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He was a member of the Argead dynasty and son of Perdiccas I. By allowing thirty years for the span of an average generation from the beginning of Archelaus' reign in 413 BC, British ...

. However the invasion was unsuccessful because Argaeus cut off great numbers and forced the remaining

Illyrians The Illyrians (, ; ) were a group of Indo-European languages, Indo-European-speaking people who inhabited the western Balkan Peninsula in ancient times. They constituted one of the three main Paleo-Balkan languages, Paleo-Balkan populations, alon ...

to leave, although further invasions continued right to the time of Philip II. The historian

Polyaenus Polyaenus or Polyenus ( ; see ae (æ) vs. e; , "much-praised") was a 2nd-century Roman Macedonian author and rhetorician, known best for his ''Stratagems in War'' (), which has been preserved. He was born in Bithynia, Asia Minor. The ''Suda'' c ...

relates this battle:

"In the reign of Argaeus, the
Illyria In classical and late antiquity, Illyria (; , ''Illyría'' or , ''Illyrís''; , ''Illyricum'') was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by numerous tribes of people collectively known as the Illyrians. The Ancient Gree ...
n
Taulantii Taulantii or Taulantians ('swallow-men'; Ancient Greek: , or , ; ) were an Illyrians, Illyrian people that lived on the Adriatic coast of southern Illyria (modern Albania). They dominated at various times much of the plain between the rivers Dri ...
under Galaurus invaded Macedonia. Argaeus, whose force was very small, directed the Macedonian virgins (parthenoi), as the enemy advanced, to show themselves from mount Ereboea (Ἐρέβοια). They accordingly did so; and in a numerous body they poured down, covered by wreaths, and brandishing their thyrsi instead of spears. Galaurus, intimidated by the numbers of those, whom instead of women he supposed to be men, sounded a retreat; whereupon the Taulantii, throwing away their weapons, and whatever else might retard their escape, abandoned themselves to a precipitate flight. Argaeus, having thus obtained a victory without the hazard of a battle, erected a temple to Dionysus Pseudanor; and ordered the priestesses of the god, who were before called ''Klοdones'' by the Macedonians, to ever afterwards be distinguished by the title of ''Mimallones''."Μιμαλλόνες
"imitators of men" Etym. Mag. (587.53) see Hesychius "''mimelazein''. mimeisthai" "''mimelon''. homoion"

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Bibliography

* * {{Illyrians Illyrian kings 7th-century BC monarchs Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown

See also

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Bibliography