History of the Peloponnesian War

Amphilochus son of Amphiaraus, when he returned home after the Trojan war, was dissatisfied with the state of affairs at Argos,[*](Alcmaeon, the elder brother of Amphilochus, had slain their mother Eriphyle (cf. Thuc. 2.102.5). The foundation of Amphilochian Argos is ascribed by other authors (Strabo, vii. 326 c; Apollod. 3. 7) to Alcmaeon or to his son Amphilochus.) and therefore founded Amphilochian Argos on the Ambracian gulf, and occupied the country of Amphilochia, calling the town Argos after the name of his own fatherland.

And this city was the largest in Amphilochia and had the wealthiest inhabitants.

But many generations later the Amphilochians, under the stress of misfortunes, invited in the Ambraciots, who bordered on Amphilochia, to share the place with them, and these first became Hellenes and adopted their present dialect in consequence of their union with the Ambraciots;

but the rest of the Amphilochians are still barbarians. Now in course of time the Ambraciots expelled the Argives and themselves seized the city.

But the Amphilochians, when this happened, placed themselves under the protection of the Acarnanians, and together they called in the Athenians, who sent to them Phormio as general with thirty ships. On the arrival of Phormio they took Argos by storm and reduced the Ambraciots to slavery, and Amphilochians and Acarnanians settled there together.