Son of Amyntas III and Eurydice, he was a child when in 369 BC his brother Alexander II was killed by their brother-in-law Ptolemy of Aloros, who then ruled as regent.

He was at one time engaged in hostilities with Athens over Amphipolis, and he was distinguished for his patronage of men of letters.

Among these we are told that Euphraeus of Oreus, a disciple of Plato, rose so high in Perdiccas's favour as to completely govern the young king and to exclude from his society all but philosophers and geometers.

[4][5][6] Diodorus Siculus attests that four thousand men had died in the expedition, and that the remainder, panic-stricken, had become exceedingly afraid of the Illyrian armies and had lost heart for continuing the war.

The throne was soon usurped by Perdiccas's younger brother Philip II.