ARCHELAUS

archelaus, king of macedonia (413-399 b.c.), was the son of perdiccas and a slave mother. he obtained the throne by murdering his uncle, his cousin and his half-brother, the legitimate heir, but proved a capable and beneficent ruler. he fortified cities, constructed roads and organized the army. he endeavoured to spread among his people the refinements of greek civilization, and invited to his court, which he removed from aegae to pella, many celebrated men, amongst them zeuxis, timotheus, euripides and agathon. in 399 he was killed by one of his favourites while hunting; according to another account he was the victim of a conspiracy. diodorus siculus xiii. 49, xiv. 37; thucydides ii. 100. see macedonia.