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[[File: Argead_Dynasty.png|300px|thumbnail|left|Gealogical Table of the Argead Dynasty]]
[[File: Ancient_Macedonian_soldiers,_from_the_tomb_of_Agios_Athanasios,_Greece.jpg|300px|thumbnail|right|Tomb Fresco Depicting Macedonian Soldiers]]
While the Greeks of the city-states were forming republics and democracies, the Macedonians were establishing their state based on a traditional monarchy/dynasty system. The first Macedonian dynasty, the Argead Dynasty, formed in the town of Orestis around the year 650 BC, but not long after the capital was established in Aegae (modern Vergina). <ref> King, p. 12</ref> Little is known about the early Argead kings, other than they claimed descent from the Greek city of Argos. The early Argead kings’ large tumulus style tombs indicate they possessed considerable resources and access to labor, but details are lacking. Herodotus and the first century BC Greek historian Diodorus both included Macedonian king-lists in their works, although Herodotus’s list was written before the later Argead rulers came to power.
“From the Peridiccas of this story Alexander was descended: he was the son of Amyntas, Amyntas of Alcetas; the father of Alcetas was Aeropus; of Aeropus, Philippus; of Philippus, Argaeus; and of Argeaus, Perdiccas – who first won the sovereign power.” <ref> Herodotus, Book VIII, 139</ref>
