Orestes II
| Orestes II | |
|---|---|
| Basileus | |
 Basileus Orestes II | |
| Reign | 246 - 199 BCE |
| Coronation | 246 BCE |
| Predecessor | Orestes I |
| Successor | Orestes III |
| Born | 7 July 268 BCE Pella, Makedon |
| Died | 15 March 199 BCE Pella |
| Kreusa | |
| Dynasty | Zelusian Dynasty |
| Religion | Hellenic polytheism |
Orestes II (commonly known as Orestes the Unrivaled) was a king (basileus) of the Makedonian Empire from 246 to 199 BCE. A member of the Kineasan Dynasty, Orestes ascended to the throne at the age of 22 following the death of his father, Orestes I. He inherited a Realm that was largely unchallenged in the wake of a devestating incursion by the Bastarnae, and posessed a well trained and equipped army.
Known for his quiet and reserved nature during childhood, Orestes surprised the Makedonian nobility and aristrocracy by devising a plan for the subjugation of all of Syara under Makedonian rule shortly after he was crowned King. He embarked on his first campaign against the remnants of the Kydonian League in 244 BCE, which he conquered within a year. He then proceeded to conquer the Scitarian tribes before turning his attention to Galania, where he completed his campaign with the decisive Battle of Nemaro, which became a defining moment in Syaran national history. In 238 BCE Orestes turned west and invaded Ruvelka, where he subjugated the numerous mountain kingdoms of the Kurillas and Matra Mountains. He then turned south and dealt a death blow against the Sardaran Empire while absorbing much of Mansuriyyah to his growing empire. In 232 BCE Orestes marched his army across the Kurillas and east into Arkoenn, where he defeated several coalitions of steppe nomads before pivoting south and conquering the remnants of the Erani Empire.
For reasons that are still uncertain, Orestes promptly halted his campaign in 227 BCE and turned his army around back towards Syara while leaving behind a series of vassal states and satrapies that would form the Empire's borders for centuries. Orestes returned home and spent the remainder of his reign on civil maintenance; he reformed Makedon's taxation system, authorized the contruction of new roadways and temples while creating several public works including gardens and bathhouses. He sketched designs for palaces and ships while authoring several works on miltiary affairs, the vast majority of which are lost to history. He died in 199 BCE and passed the throne to his son, Orestes III, who would not embark on a military campaign during his reign.
Never defeated in battle, Orestes is widely regarded as one of the greatest military commanders of all time alongside other famous generals such as Kiều Thạc Nhu, Longinus, Qushbashi Efendi, and Anushka of Matta. He remains one of the must studied generals in history, and is frequently utilized as an icon of military proficiency.