Extract

Son of *Philip (1) II and Philinna of Larissa. Mentally impaired, he left no trace in the tradition of Philip (1) II's and Alexander (3) the Great's reigns and came unexpectedly to prominence in June 323 when the Macedonian phalanx troops found him at Babylon and proclaimed him Alexander's successor. Joint ruler with the infant *Alexander (4) IV, he assumed the regnal name Philip (III) and became a cipher in the hands successively of *Perdiccas (3), who had him marry his cousin Adea (*Eurydice, 2), *Antipater (1) and *Polyperchon. He came to grief in 317, when his wife usurped his authority against the regent Polyperchon and was defeated and captured. *Olympias had him murdered (October 317); but his memory was honoured by *Cassander, who reinterred his and his wife's remains. Some have identified their burial place as the controversial Tomb II at Vergina (see aegae).