Illyrians, led by king Bardylis,[3] were supported by Dionysius I of Syracuse who was aiming to expand his influence in the eastern Adriatic Sea and Ionian Sea, and by Alcetas I of Epirus who was expelled from his land by the Molossian pro-Spartan party and exiled in Syracuse.
[4] In 385 BC, Alcetas of Epirus was a refugee in Syracuse for unknown reasons.
The tyrant of Syracuse, Dionysius, wanted a friendly monarch in Epirus, so he sent 2,000 Greek hoplites and 500 suits of Greek armour to help the Illyrians, who at that time were led by king Bardylis, for their battles with the Molossians in Epirus.
Dionysius joined them in an attempt to plunder the temple of Delphi.
Then, Sparta, supported by Thessaly and Macedonians, intervened under Agesilaus, and expelled the Illyrians and the Syracusan warriors.