Demetrius of Pharos Demetrius of Pharos ( also Pharus ) ( ) was a ruler of Pharos involved in the First Illyrian War , after which he ruled a portion of the Illyrian Adriatic coast on behalf of the Romans , as a client king . Demetrius was a regent ruler to Pinnes , the son of Agron who was too young to rule as king . When the Romans were occupied with their own problems , he had grown stronger as an ally of Macedonia and also by conquering Dimallum of Dalmatia , on the shore facing Issa . Together with Scerdilaidas , he sailed south of Lissus and broke the Roman treaty , attacking Roman allies in the Adriatic and by devastating and plundering many cities in the Cyclades and the Peloponnese . He was expelled from Illyria by Rome after the Second Illyrian War and became a trusted councilor at the court of Philip V of Macedon . He became a strong political influence to Philip V and encouraged him to clash with Rome . Demetrius remained there until his death at Messene in 214 BC while attempting to take the city . Early career . Demetrius , described as Illyrian or Greek , was from the Greek colony on the island of Pharos ( modern Hvar , founded in 385 BC , in Croatia ) , in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Dalmatia . Under the Illyrian king Agron , he ruled Pharos , from his stronghold ( Stari Grad ) , overlooking a sheltered harbor . After Agron ' s death in 230 BC , Demetrius continued as ruler of Pharos under the regency of Queen Teuta , Agron ' s second wife and stepmother of Agron ' s son Pinnes , who was too young to rule . First Illyrian War . In 229 BC , continuing the expansion of Illyrian power that Agron had begun , Teuta systematically attacked Issa , the polis of Korkyra and Epidamnus . Lissus , Apollonia and Corcyra Nigra were all threatened as Teuta annexed Epirus in the south . After a naval battle of the island of Paxos , the island of Korkyra surrendered , and Demetrius was placed in charge by Teuta as one of her philio ' s . When the Romans were on their way towards Corcyra in the first engagement of the First Illyrian War , Demetrius betrayed Teuta . Demetrius was slandered by Teuta and feared her , and gave up Corcyra to the Romans , and went over to the Roman side , acting as their guide for their campaign in Illyria . Rome was quickly victorious while Teuta fled to Rhizon in Dalmatia ( modern Risan , Montenegro ) , and Demetrius was placed in charge of most of the rest of Ardiaean Kingdom , as a client of Rome . Demetrius was rewarded with the rule of his birthplace , the island of Pharos , and a part of the land next to it , but this was only temporary . The Romans annexed the southern conquests of Teuta and also one of the conditions imposed by Rome , following the war , expressly prohibited Illyrian warships south of Lissus . Revival of power . The decade after 229 BC witnessed a revival of Illyrian power under Demetrius who succeeded Teuta . Following the war , Demetrius married Triteuta in or around 222 BC , Agron ' s first wife and mother of Pinnes which consolidated his position . His marriage to Triteuta mean that Demetrius formally took over the regency of the Ardiaean Kingdom . Demetrius ' own influence was thereby greatly extended , and the fundamental weakness of the Ardiaean Kingdom after 229 BC , that there was no competent regent for Pinnes was relieved . The king began to renew traditional Illyrian ties with Macedonia . In 222 BC an Illyrian corps of 1600 fought with distinction under the command of Demetrius at Sellasia , where the Macedonians won a conclusive victory over the Spartans . After Sellasia , Demetrius began attempting to extend his control over Illyria at the expense of Rome . Before then , when Rome was preoccupied with a war against the Celtic peoples of the Po valley in northern Italy from 225 - 222 BC , Demetrius detached the Illyrian Atintani from their Roman alliance . In addition , he sailed south of Lissus , Lezhë in present day Albania , and engaged in piracy in contravention of the settlement in 228 BC . In 221 BC Demetrius also created an alliance with the Illyrian Histri at the head of the Adriatic , who were interfering with Roman supply ships . A Roman fleet soon attacked the Histri . Early in the summer of 221 BC , when tension was rising in Greece as Macedonia made an alliance with the Achaean League against the Aetolian League , the Illyrian attacked in their traditional manner . In 220 BC Demetrius and the Illyrian commander , Scerdilaidas sailed south of Lissus with ninety lembi . After an assault on Pylos in the western Peloponnese had failed they separated their forces , Demetrius taking his chances in plundering the Cyclades while Scerdilaidas returned north . On putting in at Naupactus with forty ships Scerdilaidas was encouraged by his broth - in - law Amynas , king of the Athamanes , to join the Aetolians in their planned invasion of Achaea . With help from Cynaethan traitors , they attacked , seized and burned Cynaetha , a town in the north of Arcadia , located on the northern slope of the Aroanian Mountains . They also attacked but failed to take Cleitor . Meanwhile Demetrius continued on into the Aegean with 50 ships . He sailed to the Cyclades , where he extorted tribute from some of the islands and plundered the others . Chased by Rhodian warships , Demetrius put into Cenchreae , the Aegean port of Corinth . At the same time the Macedonian commander in Corinth , Taurion , learned of Scerdilaidas ' and the Aetolians ' invasion . Taking his cue from the Aetolians , Taurion agreed to drag Demetrius ' ships across the Isthmus to bring them into play in the Gulf of Corinth , in return for Demetrius ' assistance against the Aetolians . Although Demetrius conducted a few raids on the Aetolian coast , he was too late to hinder the Aetolians ' return from Achaea . After returning to the Ardiaean Kingdom , Demetrius continued operations during the following winter , attacking and seizing Roman allied cities and communities in southern Illyria . The Romans who hithero ignored the activities of their former ally , decided that the harbors on the coast of the Ardiaean Kingdom had now to be made secure , in view of the threat of another war with Carthage . These events precipitated the Second Illyrian War . The Second Illyrian War . Unlike Teuta in 229 BC , Demetrius was well prepared for the Roman invasion . He first placed a garrison in Dimallum , an Illyrian city - fortress from Apollonia . He eliminated his opponents in other places , those Illyrians who opposed his rule , and stationed 6 , 000 of his best forces on his home island Pharos . As before , both consuls of the year accompanied the Roman expedition , but the leading role was placed by Aemilius Paullus , who was to be killed in the great Roman disaster at Cannae three years later . The Adriatic took on particular importance in Romes preparations for the Second Punic War from 218 to 201 BC . Anticipating a long and difficult war far away from Rome , the Roman Senate decided first to set matters right in Illyria . In 219 BC , having decided that Dimallum was crucial to Demetrius ' power in the region , the consul prepared to besiege the city but was able to take it by direct assault within seven days . and went to Pharos As a result all the Illyrian towns and cities of the area submitted to Roman protection , each receiving the appropriate terms and conditions . Next the Romans moved against Demetrius on the island of Pharos , who awaited the attack with good troops , ample provisions an war materials behind strong fortifications , that of the city of Issa at modern Stari Grad . In order to avoid a long siege Aemilius decided to risk another frontal attack . The Roman army moved from the mainland to a wooded area of the island . Meanwhile the nest day , a small force of ships was sent out to tempt Demetrius from behind his fortifications . Demetrius marched down to the harbor to oppose the Roman landing . The strategy worked , and when the main Roman army appeared from another direction on the island , the Illyrian army was forced to give battle cut off from their city . Attacked on two sides , and cut off from the protection of the city walls , the battle was lost . in 218 BC , the Illyrian forces soon surrendered while Demetrius deserted the island and fled to Macedonia making his way to the court of Philip V of Macedon , who was now the Macedonian king following the death of Antigonus . Aftermath . The Romans destroyed the fortifications of Pharos and before the summer was over Aemilius was back in Rome receiving congratulations for a job well done . Any threat to the Roman hold in Illyria had been eliminated , all the gains of the First Illyrian War had been secured , and the old restrictions of movement imposed on Illyrian kings . Demetrius may have returned to the Ardeaian State and have been attacked by another Roman force , although the regime of Pinnes , now confirmed as king , was left intact . Rome supported a small Ardeaian State ruled by Pinnes and his successors . The Roman republic called for the extradition of Demetrius but Phillip refused . Pinnes was ordered to pay the arrears of tribute , reparations imposed after the war . The weak Ardaeai State soon fell prey to Macedonia while the partial destruction brought onto the scene the urban koina of the Parthini , Byllines , Amanatini and others . Court counselor of Macedonia . Demetrius was received warmly by the young king whose father was also called Demetrius , becoming one of Philip ' s most trusted advisors . According to Polybius , Demetrius was instrumental in turning Philip ' s ambitions toward Illyria and Rome . In 217 BC when Philip learned of the victory of Hannibal , the Carthaginian general , over the Romans , at Lake Trasimene , Philip at first showed the letter only to Demetrius . Perhaps seeing a chance to recover his possessions in Illyria and exact a measure of revenge on Rome , Demetrius immediately advised the young king to make peace with the Aetolians , with whom Philip was currently at war , and turn his attentions westward . In a summary of the strategy the situation called for , Polybius makes Demetrius say : Philip was easily convinced and followed Demetrius ' advice . Evidence of Demetrius ' influence can be seen in the treaty of alliance between Philip and Hannibal of 215 BC . One of its articles specified that any peace made with Rome would include as terms that the Romans would relinquish control of Corcyra , Apollonia , Epidamnus , Pharos , Dimale , Parthini , and Atintania and to restore to Demetrius of Pharos all those of his friends now in the dominion of Rome . In 217 BC Philip made war against Scerdilaidas , to recover some territory recently lost and to expand his control westward . Polybius gives as Philip ' s ( and Demetrius ' ) motives that : Such " dreams " eventually led to war with Rome , the First Macedonian War , and Second Macedonian War . Polybius also blamed Demetrius ' influence for Philip ' s tyrannical behavior . One incident involved Philip ' s apparent role in a massacre carried out by the people against their leaders that occurred at Messene in 215 BC . Arriving on the scene the day after the massacre and wanting to seize the acropolis , Philip asked his advisors whether the entrails of a sacrifice which had been made indicated that he should quit the citadel or hold it . Demetrius responded by saying that , if you have the heart of an augur , to quit it as quick as you can : but if of a gallant and wise king , to keep it , lest if you quit it now you may never have so good an opportunity again , for it is by thus holding the two horns that you can alone keep the ox under your control . However , in this instance Philip took the more moderate advice of Aratus , who advised him to leave . Nevertheless , the incident at Messene marked , the beginning of Philip ' s deterioration of character , as well as his loss of popularity . Comparing Demetrius to Aratus , Polybius says thatthe life of Aratus sufficiently proved that he would not have committed such an act of wickedness , but that such principles exactly suited Demetrius of Pharos . The moderating influence of Aratus had caused the Greeks to regard Philipwith favour , owing to the greatness of character which he displays , while under Demetrius ' guidance , Philiplost the goodwill of the allies and his credit with the rest of Greece Demetrius was killed the following year attempting to take Messene . After having rejected Demetrius ' advice the previous year , Philip had returned in 214 BC , resolved to follow it .