24 Facts About Scerdilaidas

Scerdilaidas or Skerdilaid was an Illyrian ruler of the Illyrian kingdom under the Labeatan dynasty.

Scerdilaidas was one of the youngest brothers of Agron and father of Pleuratus III and grandfather of Gentius.

Scerdilaidas took part in many expeditions in the Ionian and Aegean with Demetrius and his brother-in-law Amynas of Athamania.

In 217 BC Scerdilaidas later adopted Roman rule and became an enemy of Macedonia for parleying with Rome.

Unlike most other Illyrian kings of which there is only sparse data, Scerdilaidas is mentioned in the writings of the historian Appian, Livy and Polybius, and in their chronicles of the Roman and Greek wars.

Long before he became king, Scerdilaidas was a leader who helped determine Illyrian policy.

Scerdilaidas was the commander of the Illyrian army during the reign of his brother, Agron.

Scerdilaidas was one of the leading supporters of Queen Teuta when she took on the regency of Pinnes.

Scerdilaidas played a determining role in the plans of Teuta to create an Adriatic front against Rome.

Under the reign of Teuta, Scerdilaidas was the commander of a large land force of 5,000 during the Invasion of Epirus in 230 BC.

News that Scerdilaidas was on his way caused the Epirotes to send part of their forces north to secure the city.

Scerdilaidas chose a good position and prepared the army for battle against the Leagues the next day which he believed he would win.

Scerdilaidas was forced to return and secure the Ardiaean State's northern borders from Longarus.

In 220 BC Demetrius and Scerdilaidas made a joint expedition down the Ionian coast to the Peloponnese with 90 lembi, and thus Demetrius violated the treaty with Rome by sailing south of the coastal city of Lissus.

On putting in at Naupactus, Scerdilaidas was encouraged by his brother-in-law Amynas, king of the Athamanes, to join them in the planned invasion of Achaea.

Pinnes was not favoured among the Illyrians and in 218 BC Scerdilaidas took over his nephew's role and became king.

In 220 BC Scerdilaidas entered into an alliance with Philip V of Macedon.

Scerdilaidas had aided Philip during the Social War against the Spartans but this produced little profit for him.

In 217 BC, Scerdilaidas ceased his support for Philip V, maintaining that a promised subsidy was unpaid and long overdue.

Scerdilaidas dispatched 15 ships, ostensibly to collect and escort the payment, but at the island of Leucas south of Corcyra his forces killed two of Philip's Corinthian allies and seized their four ships.

Scerdilaidas looted Pissaeum in Pelagonia and overran some frontier districts of Macedon.

Scerdilaidas led his fleet around the Peloponnese into the Adriatic, gambling that Rome, deeply involved in the Hannibal crisis, would not intervene.

Scerdilaidas appealed for help and the Romans sent ten heavy quinqueremes from Sicily.

Scerdilaidas died sometime before the treaty in 205 BC as only his son Pleuratus III is listed among those present at Phoenice.