Herodotus first recorded the myth of the traditional story of Argos being the origin of the ancient Macedonian royal house of the Argead dynasty (Greek: Ἀργεάδαι, Argeádai) of Philip II and Alexander the Great.Herodotus, The Histories, 8.137–139 As a strategic location on the fertile plain of Argolis, Argos was a major stronghold during the Mycenaean era. In classical times, Argos was a powerful rival of Sparta for dominance over the Peloponnese, but was eventually shunned by other Greek city-states after remaining neutral during the Greco-Persian Wars. thumb|left|The Heraion of Argos thumb|Ancient Peloponnese thumb|Ancient regions of Peloponnese (southern mainland Greece).
Herodotus first recorded the myth of the traditional story of Argos being the origin of t,he ancient Macedonian royal house of the Argead dynasty (Greek: Ἀργεάδαι, Argeádai) of Philip II and Alexander the Great.Herodotus, The Histories, 8.137–139 As a strategic location on the fertile plain of Argolis Argos was a major stronghold during the Mycenaean era. In classical times, Argos was a powerful rival of Sparta for dominance over the Peloponnese, but was eventually shunned by other Greek city-states after remaining neutral during the Greco-Persian Wars. thumb|left|The Heraion of Argos thumb|Ancient Peloponnese thumb|Ancient regions of Peloponnese (southern mainland Greece).