thumb|250px|Map of the Kingdom of Macedon with Lynkestis (Lynkos) located in the western districts of the kingdom.
Lynkestis (also spelled Lyncestis or Lyngistis,  meaning "land of the lynx") or Lyncus (Λύγκος).
was a region located in Upper Macedonia.
In its earlier history, it was an independent polity ruled by a local dynasty which claimed descent from Bacchiadae, the ruling family of ancient Corinth.
The Lynkestian dynasty was situated on the border between Illyrians and Macedonians.
The few existing primary sources show that it maintained connections with the Illyrians to the north and was frequently in hostilities with the Macedonians.
It was conquered by Phillip II and became part of Macedon in 358 BCE after the Battle of Erigon Valley.
The inhabitants of Lynkestis were known as Lyncestae or Lynkestai (Λυγκῆσται) have been described as people of Epirotic origin which were close or similar to Molossians, a northwestern ancient Greek tribe, as were other groups like the Orestae and the Elymiotae.
After Phillip's conquest, the main city of the area in antiquity was founded, Heraclea Lyncestis.
Lynkestis was a small region but strategically situated as it was the entry point for Illyrian movements into central Macedonia.
It roughly corresponds to an area southeast the lakelands of Ohrid and Prespa up to the Pelagonian plain.
History
Due to the archaic features found in the ancient Greek name of the region it appears that Lynkestis was part of the Proto-Greek area before the Late Bronze Age migrations..
The region of Lynchestia was ruled by kings and independent or semi-independent chieftains until the Argead rulers of Macedon (Amyntas IV, Philip II) neutralized Lynchestia's independence with dynastic alliances and the practice of raising tribal chieftains' sons in the palaces of Philip II.
To the north of Lynchestia was the region of Deuriopus, while Paeonia was to the northeast, Pelagonia bordered on the east, Emathia and Almopia to the southeast, and Orestia, Eordaia and the Haliacmon river at some distance to the south.
The wealthy kings of Lynkestis traced their origins to the Bacchiad kings that were expelled from Corinth in the 7th century BC.Strabo, Geography, 7.7.
During the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) Arrhabaeus, the king of Lyncestis, waged war against Perdiccas II of Macedon (r. 451–413 BC) at the Battle of Lyncestis in 423 BC.
According to Strabo, Irra was the daughter of Arrhabaeus, and that his granddaughter was Eurydice, the mother of Philip II.Strabo.
Geography, 7.7: "The Lyncestae were under Arrhabaeus, who was of the race of the Bacchiadae.
Irra was his daughter, and his grand-daughter was Eurydice, the mother of Philip Amyntas."
In Roman times, the Via Egnatia crossed the area and there were several Roman stations in it..
See also
Battle of Lyncestis
Heraclea Lyncestis
Amyntas of Lyncestis
References
Citations
Sources
Further reading
External links
Searchable Greek Inscriptions – Regions: Northern Greece (IG X)
