And although this story does not belong to the murders associated with political conspiracies to seize power, but is a murder "on domestic grounds", the tsar was still killed, which means that the topic is political.
Philip II of Macedon
Φίλιππος Β Μακεδόνας
382-336 BC e.
Philip II of Macedon
Macedonian king who ruled from 359 BC. e.
Philip II went down in history, first of all, as the father of Alexander the Great (Macedonian), although it was he who carried out the most difficult task of strengthening the Macedonian state and actually united Greece within the framework of the Corinthian Union.
In 337 B.C. e. under the auspices of the Corinthian League, Philip began preparations for an invasion of Persia. The historian Justin wrote: “In the beginning of spring, he sent forward to Asia, subject to the Persians, three commanders: Parmenion, Aminta and Attalus ...”.
However, the plan for new conquests was disrupted by the new marriage of the king. Philip's inconstancy and the jealousy of his wife Olympias have long led to a cooling of their feelings. In the same year 337 BC. e. Philip unexpectedly marries a noble young Macedonian Cleopatra (Κλεοπατρα, c. 355 - 336 BC). And this brought her relatives, led by Uncle Attalus, closer to the throne. Philip had taken other wives before, but those, due to their social status, could not influence the position of the power-hungry Epirus Olympias. Cleopatra became the fifth wife of Philip, and a new marriage threatened the succession to the throne of his eldest son, Alexander.
As a result, the abandoned and insulted Olympias left for Epirus to her brother, Tsar Alexander of Molos. Olympias was the daughter of the king of Epirus (modern Albania) Neoptolemus, who considered himself a descendant of the semi-mythical Achilles.
Born with the name Polyxena, she bore the name Myrtala as a girl. She later changed her name to Olympias, most likely to commemorate her husband Philip's victory in the Olympic Games in 356 BC, and towards the end of her life she changed her name again and became Stratonika.
There was a legend that Alexander's father was not Philip, who was repelled by Olympias' love for snakes, but Zeus, who took possession of Olympias during a thunderstorm. Alexander himself also supported the existence of this legend for political purposes, but considered Philip to be his father.
Giulio Romano Fresco of Giove seduce Olimpiade (Seduction of Olympias by Zeus). 1526-1534 Palazzo Te a Mantova
Philip's son, Alexander, also left his father's house, first following his mother, and then to the Illyrians. Plutarch describes a strong quarrel that occurred through the fault of Attalus at the wedding of his father and Cleopatra. Attalus, drunk at the wedding, began to call on the Macedonians to pray to the gods that Philip and Cleopatra would have a legitimate heir to the throne. Enraged by this, Alexander exclaimed: “So, scoundrel, do you think I’m illegitimate, or what?” - and threw a bowl at Attalus. Philip rushed at his son, drawing his sword, but fortunately for both anger and wine did their job: the king stumbled and fell. However, soon Philip managed to return his son Alexander to his parental home.
Bust of Alexander the Great in the British Museum.
Aibek Begalin Youth of Alexander the Great. Education of the will. 2002
Philip smoothed out the resentment of the king of Epirus for his sister by giving him his daughter - also Cleopatra. As you can see, Cleopatra was a popular name in those days.
In the spring of 336 BC. e. Philip decided to start the conquest of Persia and sent a 10,000-strong advance detachment to Asia under the command of Parmenion and Attalus. He himself was going to go on a campaign after the wedding celebrations of his daughter. However, it was during these celebrations that he was killed. Looking ahead, I will inform you that Philip's daughter Cleopatra (Κλεοπατρα, 354 - 308 BC) was widowed five years later. Later, the commanders of her brother, Alexander the Great, claimed her hand, but she soon died under mysterious circumstances.
The death of King Philip himself was described in detail by Diodorus in his World History.
Philip II started spectacular performances about the wedding of Cleopatra with the king of Epirus Alexander. In the theater, the king staged a huge performance, which began with a procession with 12 statues of the gods (the 13th statue depicted Philip himself).
Bust of Philip II of Macedon.
Philip II, king of Macedonia. Miniature ivory head. From the excavations of the royal tomb in Vergina.
All the seats in the theater were occupied when Philip himself appeared in a white cloak. By his order, the bodyguards kept aloof, as he wished to show the people that, thanks to good attitude to him the Greeks, he does not need protection. Shouts of welcome thundered in the theater, and it was at this moment that the king was stabbed with a dagger by his bodyguard Pausanias.
Andre Castaigne Pausanius assassinates Philip during the Procession into the Theatre. 1898-99
The Macedonian Pausanias was from Orestida, he was not only the bodyguard of the king, but also his lover, thanks to his beautiful appearance.
Diodorus details the reasons for the regicide:
When Pausanias noticed that the king began to get carried away by another Pausanias (his namesake), he turned to him with abuse, accusing him of hermaphrodism and readiness to lie under anyone. The other Pausanias remained silent, but in one of the battles he proved his love for Tsar Philip. When he fought with the king of the Illyrians Pleurius, Pausanias shielded Philip, taking all the blows, and thus accepted death.
Attalus, whom Pausanias told about the accusations of the rejected namesake shortly before his death, decided to avenge the guy for whom he had friendly feelings. Attalus invited the first Pausanias to dinner, made him drunk with undiluted wine, and then handed him unconscious to the muleteers, who raped him.
After Pausanias came to his senses, he, in a rage from reproach, accused Attalus before King Philip. The king, of course, scolded Attalus for such a barbaric act, but did not punish him, because he needed his services. The thing is that Attalus, let me remind you, was the uncle of Cleopatra, whom the king had recently married, so he was part of his inner circle and had influence on him. In addition, Attalus was well versed in military affairs and therefore was appointed commander of the advanced army sent to Asia.
Pausanias Philip generously endowed and began to distinguish in front of other bodyguards. But the scolded young man swore to take revenge not only on the culprit of his humiliation, but also on the one who did not intercede for him. The opportunity presented itself just during the wedding celebrations of Philip's daughter. Pausanias, leaving his horses at the city gates, appeared at the entrance to the theater with a Celtic dagger under his cloak. Taking advantage of the fact that the bodyguards were kept at a distance, the young man approached the king, hit him through the ribs and, leaving the lifeless body, ran to the gate.
Immediately, some bodyguards rushed to the king, and the rest chased the killer. Pausanias might have managed to get away, but he tripped over a vine root. Philip's bodyguards, who had run up, stabbed him to death with spears.
The death of Philip over time has acquired various versions and conjectures. Despite the fact that Pausanias was guided by personal motives, the murder of Philip is an extremely dark and mysterious matter. Both contemporaries and historians were looking for everything - "who benefited from it."
The Greeks suspected the abandoned wife of Olympias. Olympias returned to Macedonia only after the murder of her ex-husband. Historians write that Olympias had a quick-tempered and imperious character and played an important role in the struggle for the throne, which flared up later, after the death of her son Alexander.
Portrait of Olympias from the collection of biographies Promptuarii Iconum Insigniorum. 1553
By order of Olympias, Philip's young wife, Cleopatra, and her newborn daughter were killed. Cleopatra's daughter Europa, who was born a few days before Philip's death, was killed in front of her mother, and Cleopatra herself was forced to hang herself. The writer Pausanias (another namesake of "our" killer) generally wrote that Olympias cooked Cleopatra with a newborn baby in a bronze vessel.
Olympias was constantly at enmity with Antipater, who was the regent of Macedonia in the early years of the conquest of Alexander the Great in Asia, and in 331 BC. was forced to return to Epirus again to her brother.
On the conscience of Olympias, the death of her son, the feeble-minded Philip III Archideus, the son of her ex-husband Philip from the dancer Philinna from the city of Larissa, and his wife, as well as the son of Antipater, who was the brother of Cassander, who tried to make the feeble-minded Philip the king of Macedonia, as well as hundreds of his followers. In the end, Olympias was killed by the relatives of those whom she herself ordered to be executed. The king's mother was stoned, and Cassander even refused to be buried.
As the alleged "customer" of the murder, the name of the son of Alexander was also called, who, in turn, blamed the death of his father on the Persians. There is also a version that Philip could have been killed at the instigation of Alexander of Molos, who could avenge the death of his two brothers, who were executed, and not by Philip, but by his son Alexander.
Alexander inherited the throne of Macedonia and overshadowed his father with his deeds, it was not for nothing that he went down in history under the name Alexander the Great.
Almost everyone knows about the feats of arms of Alexander the Great. The name of the great commander forever entered the history of civilization. However, what preceded his military and political glory and what served as the foundation for the implementation of Alexander's grandiose plans? Of course, the activities of his father Philip II, who was able to unite the scattered and eternally warring Greek policies within the framework of the Corinthian Union. Later, his son Alexander took advantage of the strong, battle-hardened army formed by Philip for great campaigns and the creation of a vast empire. Let's find out how it all began.
The king of ancient Macedonia, Philip II, took the throne very young - at 23 years old. In 359 BC. e. Macedonia was threatened by the invasion of the Illyrians. After the death of King Perdikka III, the country was left without a ruler, with the exception of the young son of Perdikka III Amyntas. "Compassionate" neighbors - Athens, whose influence extended to the north of the Balkan Peninsula, and the Thracians were ready to subjugate a small and weak state to their influence. However, the brother of the murdered king, Philip, managed to settle the matter by paying off the Thracians with gold, and from Athens - the city of Amphipolis, which they extremely needed. Thanks to this, the people proclaimed Philip the king instead of the young Amyntas.
Conscious of the need to expand the state, Philip began with the army. In his youth, having been a hostage in Thebes, he learned something from one of the best strategists of that time - Epaminondas. It was to Philip II that Macedonia owes the famous phalanx, which only the Roman legion could later surpass. The tsar also paid much attention to the artillery of that time, for the creation of which he invited the best mechanics from Syracuse.
With such a reserve a strong army, Philip II could seriously think about turning little Macedonia into a rich and influential state. Athens bitterly regretted that, seduced by a rich bribe, they left such a quick youth without attention. Philip took Amphipolis from them, taking a number of other cities subject to Athens, and immediately gave some of them to his eastern neighbors - the Chalcis Union led by Olynthus, preventing their intention to support Athens. Then Philip, taking advantage of the dispute between Athens and Thebes over the island of Euboea, captured it, along with the Pangean region and gold mines. Using the wealth that was in his hands, Philip began to build a fleet and, through trade, began to actively influence Greece. As a result of the swift actions of Philip II, the Chalcis Union was completely cut off from Central Greece.
In the IV century. BC e. Greece was weakened by the Peloponnesian War and the beginning of the expansion of the policy. No Greek state could claim to be a unifier or peacemaker. The Greeks made claims to each other with or without reason, each time creating new alliances and new enemies. In 355 BC. e. the Holy War broke out, which lasted until 346 BC. e. The inhabitants of the city of Phocis unexpectedly seized the lands belonging to the temple of Apollo. Thebes tried to curb the blasphemers. However, the Phocians responded by capturing the temple of Apollo at Delphi and using the money they stole, they hired an army of 20,000. Since in Macedonia and Hellas they believed in the same gods, Philip II, at the request of Thebes, immediately acted as an ardent defender of the offended Apollo. Despite a series of failures, Philip defeated the troops of the Phocians in Thessaly (352 BC) and liberated Delphi. 3 thousand captives were drowned in the sea to atone for sacrilege, and the body of their deceased commander Onomarch was crucified on the cross. Now it was time to punish the criminal city of Phocis. However, Athens, quickly realizing that the Macedonians just want to get into Central Greece, defended the only way - the Thermopylae passage.
Philip II, deciding not to tempt fate, turned north. For a long time he looked with interest at the rich Olynth, who now found himself surrounded on all sides by Macedonian lands, and said: “Either the Olynthians must leave their city, or I must leave Macedonia.” Having swiftly captured the small cities of the Chalkid Union, the Macedonians laid siege to Olynthus. The siege lasted a year. Thanks to the diplomacy of Philip, the help from Athens, for which the Chalcidians pleaded, was late, the city was taken and destroyed in 348 BC. e.
Now the Athenians, who valued the remnants of their influence in Thrace, agreed to make peace with Macedonia (the Peace of Philocrates - 346 BC) and withdrew the army from Thermopylae. All cunning plans to save Phokis were shattered by the deceit, treachery and gold of the Macedonian. Phocis fell, and their votes in Amphiktion (the union of Greek policies - the guardians of the temple of Apollo in Delphi) went to Philip, who now, as a Hellene, could intervene in Greek affairs on legal grounds. In addition, part of the Greek fortifications on the border of Central Greece and Thermopylae passed to the Macedonian. From now on, the passage to Central Greece was always open to its new owner.
The habitual Hellenic world by the 4th century BC. e. started to crumble. And then, quite unexpectedly, Heraclid appeared - a descendant of Hercules (namely, Philip II counted his family from him), who could take on the role of a unifier or a common enemy, which would also rally the policies. After the victory over Phokis, Philip's popularity in the cities increased.
In all policies there was a struggle between supporters and opponents of the Macedonian king. The best orators of Athens, Isocrates and Aeschines, supported Philip, believing that he was the one great personality, which will revive ancient Hellas if it unites it under its rule. For the sake of the greatness of Greece, they were ready to say goodbye to the independence of their city. Isocrates argued that Philip's hegemony would be a blessing because he himself was a Greek and a descendant of Hercules. Philip II generously gave gold to his supporters, rightly believing that "there is no such high city wall that a donkey loaded with gold could not step over."
Philip's opponent, the leader of the anti-Macedonian party, the Athenian orator Demosthenes called on the Greeks to fight against the aggressive policy of the Macedonian king. He called Philip a treacherous barbarian, seeking to take over Greece. However, it was not for the Greeks, who had long forgotten what honor is, to reproach Philip for treachery, dishonesty, deceit, dishonesty and lust for power. How many loyal allies and opponents who believed false promises were left on their historical path by Athens, striving for power ...
Despite the successes of Philip's supporters, his opponents managed to gain the upper hand. Demosthenes was able to convince Athens, and with them other Greek cities, of the need to repulse the hypocritical and aggressive Macedonian. He achieved the creation of an anti-Macedonian coalition of Greek policies.
The cunning Philip decided to strike at the Thracian and Hellespont Bosporus straits in order to cut off Central Greece from its Black Sea possessions. He laid siege to Byzantium and the Iranian city of Perinth. However, this time, having neutralized the supporters of Macedonia, Athens managed to help Byzantium. Perinf was helped by the indignant Iranian king Darius III. Philip retreated (340 BC). It was a palpable defeat. Middle Greece could rejoice. Philip decided not to stir up this "hornet's nest" for the time being, leaving his supporters, gold and time to act. His patience was not in vain. Greece could not long live in peace. A new Holy War has begun. This time, the inhabitants of the city of Amfissa, supported by Athens, encroached on the lands of the Delphic temple. Amphiktyonia, at the suggestion of Aeschines, a Macedonian supporter, remembering the zealous defender of Delphi, turned to Philip II with a request to intercede for the offended deity. Philip, faster than the wind, rushed to Central Greece, effortlessly punished Amfissa and, unexpectedly for everyone, and even for his Thessalian friends, took possession of the city of Elatea at Cefiss, which was the key to Boeotia and Attica.
Panic broke out in the camp of the allies. Thebes, who were right in front of the army of Philip II, trembled with fear. However, Demosthenes, who was not taken aback, who arrived in the city, managed to raise the morale of the citizens and persuaded them to join the anti-Macedonian alliance, headed by ancient opponents of Thebes - Athens.
The united army moved against the Macedonian king. Philip II defined his tactics even earlier: "I retreated like a ram in order to hit harder with my horns." The opportunity to strike after two unsuccessful battles presented itself to him on August 2, 338 BC. e. at Chaeronea. Alexander, the future Tsar Alexander the Great, participated in this battle for the first time.
The Battle of Chaeronea ended the Macedonian conquest of Greece. All the Greeks, and above all the Athenians, expected a massacre and mourned their ancient cities in advance. But Philip dealt with the vanquished with surprising gentleness. He did not demand surrender and offered them an alliance. Greece looked at such a diplomatic, educated and generous Philip with admiration. The offensive nickname "barbarian" was forgotten, and everyone immediately remembered that he was Heraclid.
In 337 BC. e. on the initiative of Philip II, a pan-Greek “congress” was convened in Corinth (the dream of Pericles came true!), which formed the Pan-Hellenic Union - only Sparta did not enter it - and declared Philip the hegemon of Greece. And in vain did Demosthenes frighten the Athenians at one time: “He (Philip) hates our free institutions most of all ... because he knows very well that if he subjugates all peoples to his power, he will not firmly own anything until you have there is democracy." Political system Philip left the city-states unchanged, and the proclaimed Holy Peace (finally peace!) forbade them to interfere in each other's affairs. Moreover, for the triumph of the common Greek idea and the rallying of the Greeks, the Pan-Hellenic Union declared war on the Iranian state, appointing Philip II as an autocratic strategist.
But he did not have time to start a new campaign. In 336 BC. e. Philip was killed. Alexander, who looked so little like his father, was supposed to continue his work. If Philip was a genius of diplomacy, then Alexander became the deity of war.
According to the encyclopedia.
Views: 1299Started to rule as a guardian Aminty , young son Perdiccas III , Philip he soon won the trust of the army and, having removed the heir, became the king of Macedonia at the age of 23 at a difficult moment for the country. Illyrians, peons, various contenders for the throne of Macedonia - chances to retain power from Philip there were none.
Philip II strengthened the Macedonian state, created and tempered the most powerful army in battles, united the Greek ancient world, but went down in history more like a father Alexander III the Great . His son had only to correctly use his achievements to create his vast empire. What Alexander III brilliantly performed and is rightfully considered the greatest of the generals. However Philip II no less significant figure in world history.
Philip left behind the contradictory opinions of his contemporaries. In some, he aroused hatred as a strangler of freedom, others saw in him a messiah sent to unite the fragmented Hellas. Insidious and generous at the same time. He won victories, but also suffered defeats. He invited philosophers to the court, while he himself indulged in unrestrained drunkenness. He had many children, but none of them died of age.
Philip II of Macedon
382 BC e. - October 336 BC e.
other -Greek. Φίλιππος Β΄ της Μακεδονίας, lat. Philip II
22nd (25th) king of Ancient Macedonia |
|
359 BC e. - October 336 BC e. |
|
| Predecessor | Amyntas IV of Macedon |
| Successor | Alexander III the Great |
| Place of Birth | Pella, Ancient Macedonia |
| A place of death | Aegi, Ancient Macedonia |
| Religion | ancient greek religion |
| Burial place | tomb, near the village of Vergina |
| Father | Amyntas III of Macedon |
| Mother | Eurydice II Wild |
| Genus | Argueads |
| Wife | 1. Audata |
| Daughter | Kinana |
| Wife | 2. Phil I |
| Wife | Maria Benedetta |
| Wife | 3. Fillina |
| Son | Philip III Arrhidaeus |
| Wife | 4. Olympiad I |
| Children | Alexander III Great |
| Cleopatra IV | |
| Wife | 5. Nikesipolis |
| Daughter | Thessalonica I |
| Wife | 6. Meda of Edessa |
| Wife | 7. Cleopatra III |
| Children | Europe |
| Karan | |
Macedonia at the beginning of Philip's reign and Macedonia left to Alexander III the Great
Armor of Philip II: iron, decorated with gold. Six rings, fixed in the mouths of lions, served to fasten equipment parts.
Tomb of Philip II
Philip II was born in 382 BC. e. in the city of Pella, the capital of ancient Macedonia. His father was a king, his mother Eurydice came from a noble family Linkestid who ruled independently for a long time in northwestern Macedonia. After death, Macedonia slowly disintegrated under the onslaught of the Thracian and Illyrian neighbors, the Greeks also did not miss the opportunity to seize the weakening kingdom.
At the beginning of his reign, the Macedonian king, elder brother Philip, paid off the war with the Illyrians, agreeing with them on the exchange and ransom and giving them hostages Philip. Installed a year later friendly relations and peace with the Thebans (in 369 BC), giving them hostages Philip. The Theban commander led away then Philip, and with him thirty more boys from the most noble families in Thebes, to show the Greeks how far the influence of the Thebans extends thanks to the glory of their power and faith in their justice. Philip lived in Thebes for ten years and on this basis was considered an ardent follower. It is possible that Philip and indeed learned something, seeing his indefatigability in matters of war and command (which was only a small part of the virtues of this commander and politician), but not his temperance, nor justice, nor generosity, nor mercy, - qualities in which he was really great Philip and by nature did not possess, and did not try to imitate. Bye Philip lived in Thebes, his older brothers succeeded each other on the throne. During the years of life in Thebes Philip got acquainted with the structure of the public life of Ancient Greece, learned the basics of military strategy and joined the great achievements of Hellenic culture.
Philip, despite the years spent in Thebes in his youth, did not in any way resemble an enlightened sovereign, but was similar in manners and way of life to the barbarian kings of neighboring Thrace. Theopompus , who personally observed the life of the Macedonian court under Philippa left this comment:
“If there was anyone in all Greece or among the barbarians, whose character was distinguished by shamelessness, he was inevitably attracted to the court of the king Philip in Macedonia and received the title of "comrade of the king." For in the custom Philip it was to glorify and promote those who spent their lives in drinking and gambling ... Some of them, being men, even shaved their bodies cleanly; and even bearded men did not shy away from mutual filth. They took with them two or three slaves for lust, while at the same time betraying themselves for the same shameful service, so it would be fair to call them not soldiers, but prostitutes.
Athenaeus repeats this quote Theopompa and adds that although the number of associates did not exceed 800, they owned more land than any 10 thousand rich Greeks.
Drunkenness at Court Philip hit the Greeks. He himself often went drunk into battle, received Athenian ambassadors. The violent feasts of the kings were characteristic of the era of the decay of tribal relations, and the refined Greeks, who severely condemned drunkenness and debauchery, also spent time in feasts and wars in their heroic era, which has come down to us in legends. Homer . Polybius cites the inscription on the sarcophagus Philip: "He appreciated the joys of life."
Philip he loved a merry feast with immoderate consumption of undiluted wine, appreciated the jokes of his companions and, for his wit, brought not only the Macedonians, but also the Greeks closer. He also appreciated education, for training and education, the heir to the throne, invited Aristotle . justin noted oratory Philip:
“In conversations he was both flattering and cunning, in words he promised more than he fulfilled ... As a speaker, he was eloquently resourceful and witty; the sophistication of his speech was combined with ease, and this very ease was sophisticated.
He respected his friends and generously rewarded him, treated his enemies with indulgence. He was not cruel to the vanquished, he easily released the captives and granted freedom to the slaves. In everyday life and communication, he was simple and accessible, although conceited. As writes justin , Philip wanted to be loved by his subjects and tried to judge fairly.
Athenaeus based on biography Philip written Satyr in the 3rd century BC e., writes:
« Philip always took a new wife in each of his wars. In Illyria he took Audatu and had a daughter by her Keenan . He also married Fillet , sister Derdy And Mahata . Wishing to make claims to Thessaly, he adopted children from Thessalian women, one of them Nikesipolis from Fer, who bore him Thessalonica , the other was filinna from Larissa, from whom he had Arridea . Further, he acquired the kingdom of the Molossians [Epirus] by marrying Olympics , from which he had Cleopatra . When he subjugated Thrace, there the Thracian king passed to him Coffeelay who gave him a daughter medu and a large dowry. By marrying her, he thus brought home a second wife after Olympics . After all these women he married Cleopatra with whom he fell in love, niece Attala . Cleopatra gave birth Philip daughter Europe .»
The fate of the children Philip turned out tragic. became a Macedonian king under the name and died of illness at the age of 33. After him nominally reigned the imbecile Arrhidaeus under the name Philippa Arridea until he was killed by order of his stepmother Olympics . She did kill Europe , daughter Philip from Cleopatra of Macedon shortly after her birth. Kinana died in the war of the diadochi, Cleopatra , having been the queen of Epirus, was killed by order of the diadochus Antigone . Thessalonica married Cassandra and continued royal dynasty but was killed by her own son. Karan was killed as an unwanted claimant to the throne.
In 359 BC. e. the invading Illyrians captured part of Macedonia and defeated the Macedonian army, killing the king, brother Philip, and another 4 thousand Macedonians. Son, was enthroned, but due to his infancy, he became a guardian over him Philip. Started to rule as a guardian, Philip he soon won the trust of the army and, having removed the heir, became the king of Macedonia at the age of 23 at a difficult moment for the country.
Macedonia was at that time in an extremely difficult position. IN last war 4000 Macedonians fell. The survivors trembled before the Illyrians and did not want to fight. At the same time, the peons went to war against the country and devastated it. On top of all the troubles, a relative Philip Pausanias put forward his claims to the throne and was going to take control of Macedonia with the help of the Thracians. Another contender for kingship was Argey . He found support from the Athenians, who agreed to send 3,000 hoplites and a fleet with him.
Taking power Philip began to vigorously strengthen the army. He introduced a new type of formation, called the Macedonian phalanx, and then, through hard training and continuous exercises, instilled in the Macedonians the ability to stay in close formation. Shepherds and hunters he turned into first-class warriors. In addition, with gifts and affection, he managed to inspire love and trust in himself.
Demonstrating outstanding diplomatic talent, Philip quickly dealt with the enemies. He bribed the Thracian king and persuaded him to execute Pausanias one of the contenders for the throne. Then crushed another pretender Argea supported by Athens. Philip understood that the Athenians started a war with him only because they dreamed of keeping Amphipolis. After the victory, he sent an embassy to Athens, declaring that he had no claims to Amphipolis, and made peace with the Athenians. Thus, Philip delivered Macedonia from internal unrest.
Having strengthened and strengthened, he soon took possession of Amphipolis, managed to establish control over the gold mines and start minting a gold coin. Having created, thanks to these funds, a large standing army, the basis of which was the famous Macedonian phalanx, Philip at the same time, he began to build a fleet, one of the first to widely use siege and throwing machines, and also skillfully resorted to bribery (his expression is known: “A donkey loaded with gold will take any fortress”).
It gave Philip great advantages: its neighbors at that time were, on the one hand, unorganized barbarian tribes, on the other, the Greek polis world, which was in deep crisis, as well as the Persian Empire of the Achaemenids, which at that time was already in the process of disintegration.
In 359 BC. e. Philip went on a campaign against the Peonians. The Paeonians were defeated and recognized dependence on Macedonia.
In 358 BC. e. Philip went on a campaign against the Illyrians with an army of 11 thousand soldiers. The Illyrians put up about equal forces. In a stubborn battle, the leader fell Bardil and 7 thousand of his fellow tribesmen. After the defeat, the Illyrians ceded the previously captured lands of Upper Macedonia.
In 357 BC. e. army Philip besieged Amphipolis and brought battering rams under the walls and began to produce incessant attacks. When part of the wall was destroyed by battering rams, the Macedonians broke into the city and took possession of this large trading center on the Thracian coast. From Amphipolis Philip led an army to Halkidiki and immediately took Pydna. He sent the Athenian garrison stationed here to Athens. After that, wanting to attract Olynthes to his side, he gave him Pydna.
This year Philip took to wife Olympics , daughter of the king of the Molossians. This marriage was arranged by the girl's guardian, her uncle and paternal cousin, the king of the Molossians, married to his sister Olympics - Troad . Born with a name Polyxena she was maiden name Mirtala and after marriage Philip gave her a name Olympics , in honor of a sporting event; towards the end of her life, she changed her name again to Stratonic .
Plutarch reports that Philip was initiated into the Samothracian mysteries at the same time as Olympics when he himself was still a boy, and she was a girl who had lost her parents. Philip fell in love with her and married her, having achieved consent. For this was the cause of his fall and all his misfortunes. expected that due to the property with Philip he will increase his state, but by this very Philip he was deprived of his own kingdom and grew old in exile.
In 356 BC. e. after the siege, the city of Potidea on the Chalkidiki Peninsula was occupied and transferred to the city of Olynthus, the inhabitants were sold into slavery. Conquered from the Thracian dynast Ketripora region of Krenida, where the fortress of Philippi was founded. Philip took possession of the gold mines of Pangea, and arranged the business in such a way that he had from them an annual income of 1,000 talents. Gaining great wealth Philip began to mint a gold coin, and from that time Macedonia began to enjoy such fame and influence as it had never had before. The gold mines of Mount Pangei in the occupied area allowed Philip increase the army.
Then Philip, called alevadas , invaded Thessaly, overthrew the tyrants of Ther and restored the Thessalians to their liberty. From that time on, he always had reliable allies in the Thessalians.
In July 356 BC. e. offended Ketripor concluded an alliance against Macedonia with the Paeonian dynast Lipeem and Illyrian - hornbeam . The allies were supported by Athens. Philip II defeated them in Thrace, while his general Parmenion defeated the Illyrians and the peonies.
In 355 BC. e. Philip captured the Greek policies of Abdera and Maroney on the Thracian coast of the Aegean Sea.
In 354 BC. e. after the siege, the Greek city of Methon surrendered. During a siege, an arrow fired Asterom injured right eye Philip. All residents were evicted, the city was razed, and Aster crucified.
Having established his power on the Macedonian coast, Philip in 353 BC e. first intervened in Greek affairs, speaking on the side of the Delphic coalition (the main members of which were Thebans and Thessalians) against the "blasphemers" of the Phocians and the Athenians who supported them in the "Holy War". The result was the subjugation of Thessaly, entry into the Delphic Amphictyony and the acquisition of the de facto role of arbiter in Greek affairs. This paved the way for the future conquest of Greece.
In 353 - 352 years. BC e. Philip took part in the Holy War on the side of the Delphic Amphictyony. At the request of the Thessalians, he got involved in the Holy War, which by this time had engulfed all of Hellas. In an extremely fierce battle with the Phocaean commander Onomarch the Macedonians won (largely thanks to the Thessalian cavalry). 6,000 Phocians died on the battlefield, and another 4,000 were taken prisoner. Onomarch Philip ordered to be hanged, and all the prisoners to be drowned in the sea as blasphemers.
In 352 - 351 years. BC e. a trip to Thrace. As a result, the Thracians ceded the disputed territories to Macedonia.
In 350 - 349 years. BC e. a successful campaign took place in Illyria and against the Paeonians. Fearing the rapid growth of his power, Olynthes concluded an agreement with Athens. Philip II immediately approached the city and demanded the termination of the agreement; the war began. Despite the help of the Athenian strategist Haridema , the Chalcidians were defeated.
In 349 - 348 years. BC e. Olynthos and other cities of Halkidiki were captured. Philip, wanting to take possession of the Hellespont, occupied Thorona. In the autumn of 348, Olynthus was taken by storm and destroyed, the inhabitants were sold into slavery. The reason for the war was that the Olynthians, out of compassion, gave shelter to two brothers Philip born of his stepmother. Philip, who had killed another of his brothers before, wanted to kill these two as well, since they could become contenders for royal power. Having defeated the Olynthians in two battles, Philip besieged them in the city. Thanks to the betrayal, the Macedonians broke into the fortifications, plundered the city, and sold the citizens into slavery.
In 347 BC. e. the Boeotians, completely ruined by the Holy War, sent envoys to Philip for help. IN next year Philip entered Locris, having, in addition to his own, a large Thessalian army. Phocian commander Peleg without expecting to win Philip, made peace with him and went with the whole army to the Peloponnese. The Phocians, having lost after this the hope of victory, all surrendered. Philip. So Philip without a single battle ended the war, which had lasted for ten years. In gratitude, the Amphictyons determined that Philip and his descendants henceforth had two votes in the council of the Amphictyons. Amphiktyonia - the union of the Greek policies of the guardians of the temple of Apollo in Delphi.
The best speakers of Athens Isocrates And Aeschines supported Philip, believing that he is that great personality who will revive ancient Hellas if he unites it under his rule. For the sake of the greatness of Greece, they were ready to say goodbye to the independence of their city. Isocrates argued that hegemony Philip will be a boon, because he himself is a Greek and a descendant of Hercules . Philip II generously gave gold to his supporters.
In 346 BC. e. after a campaign in Thrace, the Thracian king Kersoblept became a vassal of Macedonia. In February 346 BC. e. Philip II Philokratov made peace with Athens, which untied his hands in Thrace. The Macedonians again crossed Gebr and invaded the possessions of the king of the Odryses Kersoblept . Philip II took Methone, his general Antipater took possession of Abdera and Maroneya. The Macedonian military colonies of Philippopolis and Kabila were founded in the Gebra Valley.
In 346 - 344 years. BC e. during the campaign in Central Greece, the Phocian cities were devastated, the population of which was forcibly relocated to the borders of Macedonia. At the end of 346 BC. e. Philip II ended the war in Phocis. The Delphic Amphictyony chose him as their head, and in 344 BC. e. he was elected archon of Thessaly.
In 343 BC. e. after a campaign in Illyria, a large booty was taken. Then it was finally subordinated to Thessaly, once again Philip changed power there.
In 342 BC. e. Philip overthrew the king of Epirus and enthroned his wife's brother Olympics . Some border regions of Epirus (Orestida, Timthea and Perrebia) were annexed to Macedonia.
In 342 - 341 years. BC e. a campaign took place in Thrace, the Thracian king Kersoblept was overthrown and tribute was imposed on the tribes, control was established over the entire Thracian coast of the Aegean Sea. Philip went to Perinth.
In 340 - 339 years. BC e. he laid siege to Perinth and began to break down the walls with machines. In addition, the Macedonians built towers, which, rising above the walls of the city, helped them fight the besieged. But the Perinthians held out courageously, made sorties every day and fiercely fought the enemy. To wear down the townspeople Philip He divided the entire army into many detachments and simultaneously stormed the city from all sides, without stopping fighting day or night. Learning about the plight of the besieged, Persian king he considered it advantageous to send them a large amount of food, money and hired soldiers. In the same way, the Byzantines provided great assistance to the Perinthians. Philip, leaving part of the army under Perinth, led by Antigonus I One-Eyed , with the other half proceeded to Byzantium. The siege went badly.
Athenians (Athenian strategists Diopif And Apollodorus ), having learned about the siege of Byzantium, equipped a naval expedition and sent it to the aid of the Byzantines. Together with them the Chians, Rhodians and some other Greeks sent their squadrons. In the winter of 340/339 BC e. The Macedonian fleet in the straits was defeated by the Athenians. spring Philip II retreated, leaving the siege, and was forced to make peace.
It was a palpable defeat. Middle Greece could rejoice. Philip decided not to stir up this "hornet's nest" for the time being, leaving his supporters, gold and time to act.
In 339 BC. e. a campaign against the Scythians to the banks of the Danube took place. Scythian leader fell in battle Atey :
“Twenty thousand women and children were taken prisoner, many cattle were captured; no gold or silver was found. Then I had to believe that the Scythians are really very poor. Twenty thousand of the best mares were sent to Macedonia to breed horses [of the Scythian breed].”
However, on the way home, the warlike Triballi attacked the Macedonians and recaptured all the trophies. "In this battle Philip was wounded in the thigh, and, moreover, so that the weapon, passing through the body Philip killed his horse."
Barely recovered from his wounds, although the limp remained, tireless Philip quickly moved to Greece.
Patience Philip turned out not to be in vain. Greece could not long live in peace. In 338 BC. e. The IV Holy War began. This time, the inhabitants of the city of Amfissa, supported by Athens, encroached on the lands of the Delphic temple. Amphiktyonia, at the suggestion of Aeschines, a Macedonian supporter, remembering the zealous defender of Delphi, turned to Philip II with a request to intercede for the offended deity. Philip faster than the wind, he rushed to Central Greece, effortlessly punished Amfissa and, unexpectedly for everyone, and even for his Thessalian friends, took possession of the city of Elatea at Cefiss, which was the key to Boeotia and Attica. All this was done so discreetly that the Athenians did not learn of the fall of Elatea before its inhabitants ran to Attica, bearing the news of the Macedonian advance.
At dawn, when the alarmed Athenians gathered for a meeting, a famous orator and demagogue Demosthenes proposed to send ambassadors to Thebes and persuade them to fight together against the invaders. There was no time to turn to other allies. The Athenians agreed and sent the ambassador himself Demosthenes . By his eloquence, he soon won the Boeotians to an alliance, and thus the two most powerful Greek states united for joint action. The Athenians put at the head of their army Charita And Lysikla , ordering them to follow with all their might to Boeotia. All the young people who were then in Attica volunteered to go to war with amazing willingness.
Through vigorous efforts Demosthenes , an old adversary Philip, and now also one of the leaders of Athens, an anti-Macedonian coalition was formed between a number of cities; through the efforts Demosthenes the strongest of them, Thebes, who were still in alliance with Philip. The long-standing enmity of Athens and Thebes gave way to a sense of danger from the increased power of Macedonia. The combined forces of these states tried to squeeze the Macedonians out of Greece, but to no avail.
Both armies united under Chaeronei. Philip at first he hoped to persuade the Boeotians to his side and sent them as an ambassador Python known for his eloquence. However, in the National Assembly Python was defeated Demosthenes , and the Boeotians in this difficult hour remained faithful to Hellas. Realizing that he now had to deal with the most valiant army that Hellas could put up, Philip decided not to hurry with the start of the battle and waited for the approach of the auxiliary detachments following the Macedonians. In total, he had up to 30,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. Considering his strength sufficient, the king ordered the battle to begin. , his son, he entrusted command over one of the flanks.
Armor of Philip II: iron, decorated with gold. Six rings, fixed in the mouths of lions, served to fasten equipment parts.
August 2, 338 BC e. the decisive battle of Chaeronea took place, which put an end to the splendor and grandeur of ancient Hellas. This is a battle during which the Macedonian king Philip II defeated the united army of the Greek city-states, happened in Greece near the village of Chaeronea in Boeotia, not far from Thebes.
"Waiting for the arrival of the allies, Philip marched into Boeotia with 30,000 infantry and over 2,000 cavalry. Both sides were eager to fight, but Philip had more soldiers and better commanders. On one flank, he put his son in command and with him the best military leaders, and he himself led the other flank, placing the units in place. The enemy had one flank of the Athenians, the other of the Boeotians. The stubborn battle lasted for a long time without a preponderance of any side, many died and the hope of victory inspired both sides. he was the first to cut through the enemy line, defeating many. The same success accompanied his comrades, so that gaps gaped in the continuous front of the enemy. I had to pile up mountains of corpses before I forced the enemy to flee. The king, for his part, first started a risky retreat, then put pressure on the enemy and forced him to run. More than a thousand Athenians fell in battle, at least 2 thousand were captured. Also, many Boeotians died, and many of them were captured.
Based on scant evidence Diodora And Polyena you can reconstruct the approximate course of events. Philip entrusted the 18-year-old to command the cavalry on the left wing, he himself led the phalanx. Knowing the fervor of the Athenians in battle, Philip decided to wear them out first. The initial position of the Greeks was advantageous, the river covered their flank on one side, the hill covered them on the other. By order Philip the phalanx closed ranks and, hiding behind shields, began to slowly retreat. This technique was worked out even in battles with the Thracians. The Athenians, shouting "Let's chase them to the heart of Macedonia," rushed forward. When the attacking army broke ranks and entered the plain, Philip threw the phalanx into the offensive. By this moment, the cavalry also broke into the gaps between the Greek detachments, and Philip there was an opportunity to surround the enemy. Dejected, most of the Greeks fled. The famous Athenian orator and politician also fled Demosthenes , whose efforts organized the anti-Macedonian coalition of Greek cities. After the victory overjoyed Philip arranged a feast right on the battlefield among the uncleaned bodies.
The defeated Greeks fled from the battlefield. Anxiety, almost turning into panic, seized Athens. In order to stop the desire to escape, the people's assembly adopted a resolution according to which such acts were considered high treason and were punishable by death. Residents began to vigorously strengthen the walls of the city, accumulate food, the entire male population is called to military service slaves are promised freedom. However Philip did not go to Attica, mindful of the unsuccessful siege of Byzantium and the fleet of Athens in 360 triremes. Having severely disposed of Thebes, he offered Athens relatively mild peace terms. The forced peace was accepted, although the words of the orator Lycurgus about the fallen in the fields of Chaeronea speak of the mood of the Athenians: “After all, when they parted with their lives, Hellas was also enslaved, and the freedom of the rest of the Hellenes was buried along with their bodies.”
On the spot, the entire selective squad (“Holy Squad”) of 300 Theban youths, who despised flight, perished. Enemies marveled at their stamina and gossiped that the bonds of brotherhood and the military prowess of the squad were sealed by male love. At the site of the battle, mourning Thebes erected a 5-meter marble monument depicting a wounded lion, and Athens sentenced its commander Lysikla to death.
Justin continues:
“To the Athenians, who showed particular hostility towards him, he returned the captives without ransom, handed over the bodies of the dead for burial, and even invited them to collect all the remains and put them in the tombs of their ancestors ... From the Thebes Philip, on the contrary, took a ransom not only for the prisoners, but even for the right to bury the fallen. He ordered the heads of the most prominent citizens to be cut off, others he sent into exile, and the property of all of them he took for himself.
From among the former Theban exiles, he appointed 300 judges and rulers of the state.
Philip sent his son to Athens to conclude a treaty of peace and friendship.
Plutarch gives an anecdote: when the Athenians, released without ransom Philip, also demanded back their cloaks and blankets, the king was not angry, but mockingly accepted the demand of the vanquished: “These Athenians imagined that they had lost a game of dice to us!”
In 1818, fragments of a giant lion erected by the Thebans at the site of the battle were discovered, and later the remains of 254 soldiers who died for the freedom of Hellas more than 2100 years ago were found there.
Philip II in Corinth, a congress of Greek states gathered and in the winter of 338/337. BC e. was proclaimed hegemon of the Hellenic Union in order to start a war against the Persians. About next steps Philip after Chaeronea best conveys justin :
« Philip determined the terms of peace for all of Greece in accordance with the merits of individual states and formed from all of them a common council, as it were, a single senate. Only the Lacedaemonians treated with contempt both the king and his institutions, considering not peace, but slavery, that peace, which was not agreed upon by the states themselves, but which was granted by the conqueror. Then the number of auxiliary detachments was determined, which were to be put up by individual states either to help the king in the event of an attack on him, or to use them under his command in case he himself declared war on someone. And there was no doubt that these preparations were directed against the Persian state ... At the beginning of spring, he sent three commanders forward to Asia, subject to the Persians: Parmenion , Amintu And Attala …».
Political system of city-states Philip left unchanged, and the proclaimed Holy Peace forbade them to interfere in each other's affairs. Moreover, for the triumph of the common Greek idea and the rallying of the Greeks, the Pan-Hellenic Union declared war on the Iranian state, appointing Philip II autocratic strategist.
Macedonia itself was not a member of the pan-Greek union, but the leadership of the armed forces of the congress, as well as the seat of its chairman, were assigned to the king of Macedonia and his successors, i.e. real power. Under the pretext of retribution for the invasion of 150 years ago, the Congress decided to start a pan-Greek war against the Persian Empire, and it was to be waged by Philip.
Sparta, who evaded participation in the alliance, was punished Philip II, who, having appeared in the Peloponnese, took away a number of territories from her.
In 337 BC. e. Philip after he divorced his mother Olympics , suspecting her of adultery, unexpectedly took his niece as his wife Atalla young Cleopatra . As a result, a group of her relatives, led by her uncle, rises to power. Attalom . offended Olympics went to Epirus to her brother, the king, and with her her son, first after her, and then to the Illyrians. Philip reached a compromise, the result of which was a return. Resentment of the king of Epirus for my sister Philip smoothed over by issuing his daughter for him Cleopatra .
In the spring of 336 BC. e. Philip sent to Asia a 10,000th advance detachment under the command of Parmenion And Attala and was going to go on a campaign in person at the end of the wedding celebrations in September 336 BC. when he betrayed his daughter Cleopatra marry brother Olympics .
The splendor of the holiday was to demonstrate to all Balkan subjects, Macedonians and Hellenes, the restoration of family peace, the splendor of the dynasty Argueads and power of the state.
Friends arrived at the feast in the ancient patronal city of Egi Philip and his associates, as well as envoys from all areas of Macedonia, Greek cities, Thracian and Illyrian tribes. The festivities continued for several days. The wedding feast was held solemnly, without disputes and disagreements. Hellenic actors performed, guests and messengers made speeches wishing happiness, gave golden wreaths. The climax of the festival was expected the next morning; the people had to take part in it. After the solemn procession, games in the theater were supposed.
Already at night, people rushed to the theater to take the best seats. A magnificent procession moved through the festively excited crowd. There were ambassadors, guests, the highest ranks of the Macedonian army. The participants in the procession carried the image of 12 gods, and with them a statue of 13 gods, proud and powerful Philip. Then came the courtiers, hetairos (among them, of course, Aristotle ); myself Philip. They were surrounded by royal guards.
The procession entered the theatre. Philip passed the gate; there were cheers. Philip went out to the guests, dressed in all white, like a deity. He deliberately left his guard at a distance in order to show the Greeks what confidence he had in them.
And at the pinnacle of success, when the welcome clicks rang in my ears Philip, suddenly, unexpectedly, he was killed by his Macedonian bodyguard and lover Pausanias , originally from Orestida.
One day Pausanias from Orestida noticed that the king began to get involved in another Pausanias and he turned to him with abuse, accusing him of being ready to lie under anyone who wishes. Holding a grudge, another Pausanias , warning in advance Attala , his friend, sacrificed his life, obscuring Philip in battle with Pleurium , king of the Illyrians, and thus accepted death.
Attalus , who was part of the inner circle of the king and had influence on him, invited Pausanias for lunch. After getting him drunk, he then handed him over in an unconscious state to muleteers to rape him in drunken debauchery. After Pausanias came to his senses, he, in a deep rage from the reproach, accused Attala before the king. The king shared his anger because of the barbaric act, but at the same time did not want to punish Attala both because of their relationship and because he needed services Attala .
Attalus was the uncle of the new wife of the king, in addition, he commanded the advanced army sent to Asia. Philip tried to dispel the anger Pausanias , richly endowing him and distinguishing him from other bodyguards. But he kindled his irreconcilable rage and vowed to avenge with his own strength not only the culprit of his humiliation, but also the one who did not order to avenge him.
Following your plan of revenge Pausanias left the horses at the city gates and appeared at the entrance to the theater with a Celtic dagger under his cloak. When Philip kindly let his friends into the theater, while the guards kept aloof, he hurried to the king, stabbed him with a dagger and, laying down the lifeless body, ran to the gate, to the abandoned horses. Part of the bodyguards rushed to the king, and the rest chased the killer. Pausanias I would have managed to jump on a horse and could have tried to escape if I had not tripped over a grape root. When he got up Perdiccas and others ran up and killed him with spears.
So died Philip who made himself the greatest king in Europe of his time.
After finding out the reasons for the murder, many believed that Pausanias was sent Olympics , and he himself was apparently not in the dark about the planned murder, tk. Olympics suffered no less from being rejected than Pausanias from your shame. They believed that they were afraid to meet an opponent in the face of a brother born by a stepmother. They thought that and Olympics pushed in their approval Pausanias for the kill. They said that on the night of the funeral Philip Olympics laid a wreath on the head of the one hanging on the cross Pausanias .
A few days later, she burned the corpse of the murderer removed from the cross over the remains of her husband and ordered a mound to be poured in this place. Olympics she also took care to bring sacrifices to the deceased every year. Then Olympics forced Cleopatra , due to which Philip divorced her, hang himself, first killing her daughter in the arms of her mother. Finally, she dedicated to Apollo the sword with which the king was stabbed. She did all this so openly, as if she was afraid that the crime she had committed would not be attributed to her.
Researchers also pay attention to the figure who had both political and personal interests in the murder.
The Military Art of Alexander the Great Fuller John Frederick Charles
Philip II of Macedon
Philip II of Macedon
After the royal world freed Sparta from difficulties in Asia, she returned to her former hegemonic policy in Greece. In 378 BC. e. this led to a war with Thebes, in which Sparta was supported by Athens; military clashes continued until 371 BC. e., when all participants agreed to discuss a peace treaty. However, since Sparta objected to Thebes representing all of Boeotia, the Thebans unilaterally decided to continue the war, and had it not been for their general Epaminodes, they would no doubt have lost.
He was a tactical genius and was the first of the Greek commanders to understand how important it was to concentrate the strike force on one selected sector of the enemy front. He realized that the Spartans were too conservative to change the traditional tactics, the success of which depended on a parallel offensive - all the spears of the Spartan phalanx simultaneously and suddenly hit the enemy line - so he thought out a different tactical system that would disrupt the usual course of the battle and bring the enemy phalanx into confusion. The idea was simple; instead of lining up his army parallel to the phalanx of the Spartans, he built it obliquely: the left flank was in front, and the right was lagging behind. On the left flank, he placed a mighty column that could not only withstand the blow, but also respond with a more powerful blow, retaining enough strength to bypass the right flank of the enemy and push him to the center. In July 371 BC. e. he used this tactic in the battle with the Spartans, won a decisive victory over them and killed their leader, the Spartan king Cleombrotus; the battle took place at Leuctra in the south of Boeotia. This defeat dealt a blow to the military prestige of the Spartans and ended their short-lived hegemony.
Until 362 BC e. Thebes could succeed in what Sparta and Athens failed to do: to unite the Greek policies into a federation. They built a fleet and weakened the power of Athens at sea, and then under Epaminodes and Pelopidas they became leaders in Greece. However, their superiority rested on only one person - Epaminodes. In the summer of 362 BC. e. under Mantinea in Arcadia, he again defeated the Spartans, using the same tactics that he used under Leuctra. However, the victory of the Thebans was the beginning of the end of their superiority, since at the end of the battle Epaminodes was killed; the lamp that guided the Thebans died out, their power on land and on the sea melted away. Thus, the three great city-states of Greece - Athens, Sparta and Thebes - failed to create a Hellenic federation and Hellas was ready to surrender into the hands of the conqueror. His name was Philip of Macedon.
Macedonia occupied the coastal plain along the Warm Gulf (Gulf of Thessaloniki) between the rivers Galiakmon and Aksii. According to Herodotus (1), the Dorian tribe, known as the Macedonians, occupied this territory, which was formerly occupied by the Illyrian and Thracian tribes, mixed with them and thereby barbarized, so that the Greeks did not consider them Hellenic. The Macedonians had aristocrats - landowners and free peasants, their system was a primitive hereditary patriarchal monarchy. Although some polis institutions were known to them, their institutions were similar to those that existed in Greece even in the heroic period. They were a warlike, restless people, and their kings rarely died of natural causes in their beds.
In 364 BC. e. Perdikka III ascended the Macedonian throne, and in 359 he was defeated by the Illyrians and was killed in one of the frequent border wars here. Since Perdikkas' son Amyntas was still small, Perdikkas' brother Philip, born in 382 BC, was appointed regent. e. The death of Perdikkas caused confusion throughout Macedonia; there were five possible contenders for the throne, and the barbarian Paeonians and Illyrians immediately showed up at the borders. Philip coped with this difficult situation so successfully that the Macedonian army, shortly after he entered the regency, removed the young Amyntas and proclaimed Philip king.
At the age of fifteen, Philip was sent to Thebes as a hostage, and, according to Diodorus, he learned to appreciate Hellenic culture under the guidance of a Pythagorean tutor in the house of Epaminodes. More importantly, during these three years in Thebes, thanks to his acquaintance with Epaminodes and Pelopidas, he learned the Theban art of warfare.
Philip was an extraordinary person; practical, far-sighted and not too scrupulous. He was a master of diplomacy and a cunning politician who believed that success justified everything. For all his fearlessness, however, unlike many brave commanders, he was in no hurry to use force, believing that bribery, or liberalism, or feigned friendship would sooner lead him to his goal. With a high degree of probability, he could calculate what his enemy was up to, and when he was defeated, he learned from his mistakes and prepared for a future victory. All his life he kept in mind his main goal - to subjugate the whole of Greece. Hogarth described his principles as follows: "before you subdue, pretend, but in the end subdue." After his death, his main opponent Demosthenes said of him:
“Firstly, he disposed of his subordinates himself with full authority, and this is the most important thing in matters of war. Then, his people never let go of their weapons. Further, he had plenty of money, and he did what he himself found necessary, and he did not announce this in advance in psephisms and did not openly discuss it at meetings, was not brought to trial by sycophants, was not sued on charges of illegality, did not had to give an account - in a word, he was himself over all master, leader and master. Well, and I, put one on one against him (it is fair to make out this too), over what did I have power? Over nothing!” (About the wreath. 235. Per. S.I. Radtsig).
We do not know exactly what was in Philip's mind in 359 BC. BC, but looking back at his reign, it can be assumed that from the very beginning his intention was to subjugate the Balkan Peninsula and at the same time bring Greek culture to Macedonia so that his homeland could be worthy of his empire. He seemed to understand that, despite the paucity of his means, for political reasons, no alliance of city-states would be able to effectively resist him. He also realized that his people, who despised the Greeks, would not voluntarily accept the Greek way of life, and he would not be able to incorporate the Greeks, as he had incorporated the Thracians and Illyrians, into his empire. Then he thought of a different formula for association - an association in which the policies retained their face, and he gained dominance over them. Since this violated the conditions of the royal peace of 386 BC. e., the creation of an association would involve him in conflict with Persia, and thus the unification of the Greek policies under the auspices of Macedonia would be the beginning of a Greek crusade against Persia. Such a performance, according to his ideas, was supposed to awaken national patriotic feelings and unite the Hellenes. In order to make Macedonia more civilized - in the eyes of the Hellenes, it continued to be a barbarian country - Philip attracted many Greeks to his court and forced his courtiers to speak the Athenian dialect. Two issues were paramount. Athens was still a powerful sea power, and if they had rallied with Persia, a Macedonian victory would have been unthinkable. They needed to be neutralized. Philip hoped to conquer Athens peacefully, because they were the center of the Hellenic culture, on the basis of which he was going to build his empire. Athens became the focus of his aspirations.
The increasing use of mercenaries during and after the Peloponnesian War undermined the power of the city-states, disarming their citizens and placing their safety in the hands of people who felt no obligation to the cities. Another consequence of the endless wars was the emergence of urban plutocracy and the impoverishment of the population - that is, the emergence of antagonistic classes, which undermined the state unity of cities. In Athens, the consequences of these changes were described by Plato: “In a democratic state there is no need to take part in government, even if you are capable of it; it is not necessary to obey if you do not want either to fight when others are fighting, or to observe, like others, the conditions of peace, if you do not yearn for peace. And again, if some law forbids you to manage or judge, you can still manage and judge if it comes to your mind ”(State. VIII. Translated by A.N. Egunov).
He saw the life of the population of democratic Athens as follows: “From day to day, such a person lives, catering to the first desire that has flown over him: either he drinks to the sound of flutes, then he suddenly drinks only water and exhausts himself, then he is fond of bodily exercises; but it happens that laziness attacks him, and then he has no desire for anything. Sometimes he spends time in conversations that seem philosophical. He is often occupied with public affairs: suddenly he jumps up, and what he has to say at this time, he does. He will be carried away by military people - he will carry him there, and if businessmen, then in this direction ”(ibid. VIII. Translated by A.N. Egunov).
Demosthenes, for his part, adds: “Then the people had the courage to do business themselves and go on campaigns and, as a result, they were the master of politicians and the owner of all blessings, and each of the citizens was flattered to receive from the people his share in honor, in government and generally anything good. And now, on the contrary, politicians manage all the blessings, and through them all affairs are conducted, and you, the people, weakened and deprived of money and allies, you found yourself in the position of a servant and some kind of appendage, pleased that these people give you some spectacular money, or if they arrange a festive procession on Bedromia, and here is the height of valor! - for your own, you must also thank them. And they, keeping you locked up in the city itself, let you in on these pleasures and tame you, taming you to themselves ”(translated by S.I. Radtsig).
Largely due to the political instability of Athens, which led the Hellenes in their struggle against Macedonia, but also thanks to his military genius, Philip managed to achieve the desired goal. Democracy fell to autocracy because, like the hydra, it had many heads.
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From the book The Art of War of Alexander the Great author Fuller John Frederick CharlesPhilip II of Macedon After the royal world freed Sparta from difficulties in Asia, she returned to her former hegemonic policy in Greece. In 378 BC. e. this led to a war with Thebes, in which Sparta was supported by Athens; military clashes continued until
Armor of Philip II: iron, decorated with gold.
Six rings fixed in the mouths of lions,
served to fasten equipment parts.
Philip II of Macedon (382-336 BC) - Macedonian king (359 BC - 336 BC). Father Alexander the Great. According to Gumilyov, he conquered Greece for the first time. In 338 B.C. e. under Chaeronea defeated the Greek city-states and established personal rule - hegemony.
Quoted from: Lev Gumilyov. Encyclopedia. / Ch. ed. E.B. Sadykov, comp. T.K. Shanbai, - M., 2013, p. 613.
Philip II (382-336 BC) - son of Amyntas III, king Macedonia from 359 he spent his boyhood and youth in Thebes as a hostage. Upon his return to Macedonia, he restored his rights to the throne and dealt with the pretenders to power. In 358, Philip II came to an agreement with Athens and turned against the Illyrians. In the battle near Lake Lichnida, the Illyrian king Bardil suffered a crushing defeat, and Philip II returned the lost lands of Upper Macedonia. Having captured Amphipolis, he refused to return it to the Athenians and in 357 entered into an alliance with Olynthus, to whom he gave Potidea captured from the Athenians. While Athens was arguing with Olynthus, Philip II took the region of Krenil from the Thracian dynast Ketripor. In July 356, the offended Ketripor concluded an alliance against Macedonia with the Paeonian dynast Lipei and the Illyrian dynast - Grab. The allies were supported by Athens. Philip II defeated them in Thrace, while his general Parmenion defeated the Illyrians and peonies.
In 353, Philip II intervened in the III Holy War (356-346) on the side of the Delphic Amphictyony. Having defeated the army of Phaillas in Thessaly, he was defeated by the strategist of Phocis Onomarchus. The next year's campaign was more successful for the Macedonians. In 352 Onomarch was defeated on the Crocus field and died. When Philip II moved to the borders of Phocis, at Thermopylae, his path was blocked by new army under the command of Faill. Not daring to enter into battle, Philip II returned home and, even before the onset of winter, undertook a new campaign in Thrace. The Macedonians crossed the Gebrus, drove the Athenian garrisons from coastal Thrace, and laid siege to Hieron on the banks of the Propontis.
In 350-349 years. Philip II defeated the Illyrians and peonies. Fearing the rapid growth of his power, Olynthes concluded an agreement with Athens. Philip II immediately approached the city and demanded the termination of the agreement; the war began. Despite the help of the Athenian strategist Haridemus, the Chalcidians were defeated. In the autumn of 348 the city was taken by storm and destroyed.
In February 346, Philip II concluded a peace with Athens Philocrates, which untied his hands in Thrace. The Macedonians again crossed Gebr and invaded the possessions of the king of the Odryses, Kersobleptus. Philip II took Methone, his commander Antipater took possession of Abdera and Maroneya. The Macedonian military colonies of Philippopolis and Kabila were founded in the Gebra Valley. At the end of the same year, Philip II ended the war in Phocis. The Amphictyony of Delphi elected him their head, and in 344 he was elected archon of Thessaly. In 343, Philip II made a campaign in Illyria, placed Alexander I, the brother of his wife Olympias, on the throne of Epirus, and annexed the regions of Orestida, Timthea and Perrebia to Macedonia. After his new campaign in Thrace in 342-341. she finally fell into dependence on Macedonia.
In 340, Philip II laid siege to Perinth. The city was assisted by the Byzantines and the Athenian strategists Diopif and Apollodorus. Leaving Antigonus I One-Eyed under the walls of Perinth, Philip I attacked Byzantium. The siege went badly. In the winter of 340/339 The Macedonian fleet in the straits was defeated by the Athenians. In the spring, Philip II retreated. In the same year, he rushed to Thrace and defeated the Scythian king Atheus in a heavy battle. The Macedonians took a lot of booty. On the way back, they were ambushed by the Triballi, and Philip II himself was seriously wounded.
From the beginning of the Holy War IV in 338, Philip II quickly crossed Thermopylae and appeared in Greece with an army of 32,000. A coalition was immediately formed against him, led by Athens and Thebes. In the battle of Chaeronea, the Greeks were defeated. Philip II in Corinth gathered a congress of Greek states and in the winter of 338/337. was proclaimed hegemon of the Hellenic Union in order to start a war against the Persians. Sparta, which evaded participation in the union, was punished by Philip II, who, having appeared in the Peloponnese, seized a number of territories from her. In the midst of preparations for a campaign against Persia in September 336, Philip II was killed at the wedding of his daughter Cleopatra.
Used materials of the book: Tikhanovich Yu.N., Kozlenko A.V. 350 great. A brief biography of the rulers and generals of antiquity. The Ancient East; Ancient Greece; Ancient Rome. Minsk, 2005.
The struggle of Philip II for the establishment of Macedonian hegemony in Greece
Philip II was a cautious politician, he set and solved real foreign policy tasks. These tasks were dictated by the specific conditions of the existence of Macedonia in the restless Greek world. In the first five years of his reign, Philip II, busy with major reforms, set himself rather modest tasks: securing his northern borders from incursions of the Illyrians and Thracians, on the one hand, and spreading his influence among the Greek cities of the Chalkis Peninsula, on the other. Already in this initial period of his reign, Philip II showed outstanding diplomatic skills, the ability to maneuver and use a variety of means to achieve his goals. So, with the Thracians, he achieved reconciliation through bribery, in order to fight the warlike Illyrians, who constantly devastated his northeastern possessions, he entered into an alliance with the king of a small tribe of Molossians, whose daughter, Olympias, he married. The Illyrians were defeated and sued for peace.
In the fight against a strong alliance of Chalcis cities led by Olynthus, Philip, at the cost of some concessions, enlisted the support of Athens. Having achieved his goals, Philip II soon changed his policy: he laid siege to the strategically important city of Amphipolis, which was claimed by Athens, and soon captured it, relying on this time for an alliance with Olynthus. In the middle of the 50s of the IV century. BC e. Philip began to move east along the Thracian coast of the Aegean Sea. He captured the rich region of the famous Pangaean mines and founded the city of Philippi here, dominating the district. The active penetration of Macedonia into Halkidiki and the coastal regions of Thrace forced the Thracian kings, the Chalcis Union led by Olynthus and Athens to unite. However, Athens, busy at war with its allies, could not provide much help, and the Thracian troops were defeated by the Macedonians. By the end of the 50s of the IV century. BC e. The Chalcis Union was isolated and no longer posed a serious danger to Macedonia, part of its lands was captured by Philip.
Having strengthened the northern borders and positions in Halkidiki, Philip begins a new stage in his policy of conquest, beginning to intervene in the affairs of Central Greece. He deftly used the confused political situation that developed in the Greek world in the middle of the 4th century. BC e., associated with the crisis of the system of polis relations: the existing unions of Greek cities are disintegrating, the cities are waging endless wars that weaken all the belligerents. One of these wars, which broke out on an insignificant occasion and gradually involved many Greek cities in its orbit, was the Holy War (355-346 BC). The reason for the opening of hostilities was the capture by the Phocians of a small border area belonging to the Delphic temple of Apollo. The Phocians were accused of sacrilege, and Thebes came to the defense of the common Greek shrine. The Phocians, in turn, laid claim to the leadership of the sanctuary of Apollo, suddenly attacked Delphi and seized the huge treasures accumulated in the temple over several hundred years, reaching a huge amount - 10 thousand talents of gold and silver. With this money, the Phokian strategist Philomelo recruited a mercenary army of 20 thousand hoplites to defend their rights to Delphi. Local conflict in a nervous situation in the middle of the 4th century. BC e. soon escalated into a general war. Some cities of Thessaly and Lokrid sided with Thebes. Fokidyan supported Sparta and Athens. The hostilities were carried out mainly by mercenaries and resulted in numerous small clashes in various places in Central Greece. During the hostilities, the belligerents sought allies for themselves, and this created favorable opportunities for Philip to intervene in Greek affairs. After carefully weighing all the circumstances, Philip II decided to take the side of the defenders of the common Greek shrine of Apollo. It was difficult to object to such an intervention of the Macedonian king, unexpected for the Greeks, and Philip received a certain freedom of action. The Macedonian king brought his army into Thessaly and began to capture the Thessalian cities that supported the Phocians. In 352 BC. e. Philip utterly defeated the army of the Phocians operating in Thessaly. Demonstrating his love for the god Apollo, whose defender Philip portrayed himself, he ordered 3,000 captured Phocians to be drowned in the sea, and the body of their commander to be crucified in disgrace.
This victory strengthened the authority of the Macedonian king as the protector of the temple of Apollo and justified his intervention in Greek affairs. Thessaly was forced to recognize the supremacy of Philip, he was declared the leader of the general Thessalian militia and received the right to place Macedonian garrisons in the strategically important cities of Thessaly. The rapid growth of Philip's popularity in Greece and his active interference in its affairs began to cause reasonable concern in Athens. In an effort to block the path of the Macedonian army to Central Greece, the Athenians occupied the Thermopylae pass and blockaded Philip in Thessaly. Having failed in an attempt to penetrate into Central Greece, Philip again turned to the conquests in Halkidiki and South Thrace. After careful preparation, he unexpectedly attacked the center of the Chalkid League - the city of Olynthus. The Athenians made an attempt to help Olynthos and sent 17 triremes, 300 horsemen and 4 thousand hoplites to help the besieged city. However, Philip managed to capture the city before this help arrived. One of the largest Greek cities, Olynthos, was completely destroyed and abandoned by the inhabitants (348 BC). The Chalkid League was dissolved, and Chalkidike itself recognized the authority of the Macedonian king.
Having achieved such serious successes in Halkidiki and on the Thracian coast, Philip freed his hands for a new intervention in the events of the ongoing Holy War. Athens was forced to come to terms with the loss of its influence in Chalkidike and South Thrace and, wanting to save the remnants of its influence in Propontis, in particular possessions in Thracian Chersonese, concluded a peace treaty with the powerful Philip (the so-called Peace of Philokratov 346 BC. e. .). The Macedonian king took advantage of the withdrawal from the war of Athens and continued to interfere in the affairs of Central Greece. In particular, he accepted the invitation of Thebes, brought his strong army into the territory of Phocis and forced the Phocians to capitulate. Philip was given all the fortified points of Phocis, including control of the strategically important Thermopylae Pass. In 346 BC. e. the grueling Holy War, which lasted about 10 years, ended. Its result was the further weakening of the Greek policies and the strengthening of the influence of the Macedonian king. He not only became the master of Halkidiki and South Thrace, but also the hegemon of Thessaly, a member of the Delphic Amphictyony (the union of Greek policies - the guardians of the temple of Apollo in Delphi) and thereby received a legitimate opportunity to interfere in the affairs of Central Greece.
History of Ancient Greece.// Ed. IN AND. Kuzishchina. Moscow: Higher school, 1996.
Philip II - King of Macedonia in 359-336 BC. Son of Amyntas III. Genus. OK. 382 BC + 336 B.C.
Wives: 1) Phylla, sister of the Elimitid prince Derda; 2) Olympias, daughter of the king of Epirus Neoptolemus; 3) Avdat; 4) Meda, daughter of the king of the Getae; 5) Nikesipolis; 6) Fillina; 7) Cleopatra.
At the beginning of his reign, the Macedonian king Alexander II, Philip's elder brother, paid off the war with the Illyrians, agreeing with them on an exchange and ransom and giving them Philip as a hostage (Justin: 7; 5). A year later, Alexander established friendly relations and peace with the Thebans (in 369 BC), giving them Philip again as a hostage. The Theban commander Pelopidas then took Philip, and with him thirty more boys from the most noble families to Thebes, to show the Greeks how far the influence of the Thebans extends thanks to the glory of their power and faith in their justice. Philip lived ten years in Thebes and on this basis was considered an ardent follower of Epaminondas. It is possible that Philip actually learned something, seeing his indefatigability in matters of war and command (which was only a small part of the virtues of this man), but neither his temperance, nor justice, nor generosity, nor mercy, - qualities, in of which he was truly great - Philip did not possess by nature, and did not try to imitate (Plutarch: "Pelopis"; 26). While Philip lived in Thebes, his older brothers succeeded each other on the throne. The last - Perdiccas III - died in the war with the Illyrians. After this, Philip fled from Thebes to Macedonia, where he was proclaimed king.
Macedonia was at that time in an extremely difficult position. In the last war, 4,000 Macedonians fell. The survivors trembled before the Illyrians and did not want to fight. At the same time, the peons went to war against the country and devastated it. To complete all the troubles, Philip's relative Pausanias put forward his claims to the throne and was going to take control of Macedonia with the help of the Thracians. Another contender for kingship was Avgei. He found support from the Athenians, who agreed to send 3,000 hoplites and a fleet with him.
Having assumed power, Philip began to vigorously strengthen the army. He introduced a new type of formation, called the Macedonian phalanx, and then, through hard training and continuous exercises, instilled in the Macedonians the ability to stay in close formation. From shepherds and hunters, he turned them into first-class warriors. In addition, with gifts and affection, he managed to inspire love and trust in himself.
Philip persuaded Pausanias and the peonies to peace with gifts and cunning speeches, but against the Athenians and Augeus he marched with the whole army and defeated them in the battle of Aegian. Philip understood that the Athenians started a war with him only because they dreamed of keeping Amphipolis. Immediately after the victory, he sent an embassy to Athens, announced that he had no claims to Amphipolis, and made peace with the Athenians.
Having thus got rid of the war with the Athenians, Philip in 358 BC. turned against the peonies. Having defeated them in open battle, he subjugated their entire country and annexed it to Macedonia. After that, the Macedonians regained their lost self-confidence, and the king led them against the Illyrians. Vardil, king of the Illyrians, led a 10,000-strong army against Philip. Philip, commanding the cavalry, scattered the Illyrian cavalry and turned on their flank. But the Illyrians, lining up in a square, repelled the attacks of the Macedonians for a long time. Finally, unable to stand it, they took to flight. The Macedonian cavalry stubbornly pursued the fugitives, completing the rout. The Illyrians lost up to 7,000 people in this battle and, under a peace treaty, left all the previously captured Macedonian cities (Diodorus: 16; 2-4).
Having done away with the Illyrians, Philip led his army to Amphipolis, laid siege to it, brought battering rams under the walls and began to make incessant attacks. When part of the wall was destroyed by battering rams, the Macedonians broke into the city and captured it. From Amphipolis, Philip led an army to Halkidiki and took Pydna on the move. He sent the Athenian garrison stationed here to Athens. After that, wanting to attract Olynthes to his side, he gave him Pydna. Then he went to the Crinides and renamed them Philippi. Having populated this previously small city with new citizens, he took possession of the gold mines of Pangea and so arranged the business that he had an annual income of 1000 talents from them. Having acquired great wealth, Philip began to mint a gold coin, and from that time Macedonia began to enjoy such fame and influence as it had never had before.
In the next 357 BC. Philip, called by the Alevades, invaded Thessaly, overthrew the tyrants of Thera, Lycophron and Tisiphon, and restored the Thessalians to their liberty. From that time on, he always had reliable allies in the Thessalians (Diodorus: 16; 8.14).
While Philip's affairs were going so well, he married Olympias, the daughter of Neoptolem, king of the Molossians. This marriage was arranged by the guardian of the girl, her uncle and paternal cousin, the king of the Molossians Arrib, married to the sister of Olympias - Troad (Justin: 9; 6). However, Plutarch reports that Philip was initiated into the Samothracian mysteries at the same time as Olympias, when he himself was still a boy, and she was a girl who had lost her parents. Philip fell in love with her and married her, having obtained the consent of Arrib (Plutarch: "Alexander"; 2).
In 354 B.C. Philip laid siege to Methona. As he was walking ahead of the troops, an arrow fired from the wall pierced his right eye. From this wound he did not become less warlike or more cruel to his enemies. When, after some time, he made peace with his enemies, he showed himself to the vanquished not only moderate, but even merciful (Justin: 7; 6). After that, he took possession of Pagi, and in 353 BC, at the request of the Thessalians, he got involved in the Holy War, which by that time had engulfed all of Hellas. In an extremely fierce battle with the Phocaean commander Onomarchus, the Macedonians won (largely thanks to the Thessalian cavalry). 6,000 Phocians died on the battlefield, and another 4,000 were taken prisoner. Philip ordered the onomarch to be hanged, and all the captives to be drowned in the sea as blasphemers.
In 348 B.C. Philip, wishing to take possession of the Hellespont, occupied Thorona. Then, with a large army, he approached Olynthus (Diodorus: 16; 35; 53). The reason for the war was that the Olynthians, out of compassion, gave shelter to Philip's two brothers, born of his stepmother. Philip, who had previously killed another of his brothers, wanted to kill these two as well, since they could claim royal power (Justin: 8; 3). Having defeated the Olynthians in two battles, Philip besieged them in the city. Thanks to the betrayal, the Macedonians broke into the fortifications, plundered the city, and sold the citizens into slavery.
In 347 B.C. the Boeotians, completely devastated by the Holy War, sent ambassadors to Philip, demanding his help. The next year, Philip entered Locris, having, in addition to his own, a large Thessalian army. The Phocaean commander Peleg, not expecting to defeat Philip, made peace with him and left for the Peloponnese with his entire army. The Phocians, having lost after this the hope of victory, all surrendered to Philip. So Philip ended the war, which had been going on for ten years, without a single battle. In gratitude, the Amphictyons determined that Philip and his descendants should henceforth have two votes in the council of the Amphictyons.
In 341 B.C. Philip went with income to Perinth, laid siege to it and began to break down the walls with machines. In addition, the Macedonians built towers, which, rising above the walls of the city, helped them fight the besieged. But the Perinthians held out courageously, made sorties every day and fiercely fought the enemy. In order to wear down the townspeople, Philip divided the entire army into many detachments and simultaneously stormed the city from all sides, without stopping fighting day or night. Having learned about the plight of the besieged, the Persian king considered it profitable for himself to send them a large amount of food, money and hired soldiers. In the same way, the Byzantines provided great assistance to the Perinthians. Philip, leaving part of the army near Perinth, proceeded to Byzantium with the other half.
In 340 BC. the Athenians, having learned about the siege of Byzantium, equipped a naval expedition and sent it to the aid of the Byzantines. Together with them the Chians, Rhodians and some other Greeks sent their squadrons. Philip, leaving the siege, was forced to make peace.
In 338 B.C. Philip suddenly captured Edatea and will transport the army to Greece. All this was done so discreetly that the Athenians learned of the fall of Elathea before its inhabitants ran to Attica, bearing the news of the Macedonian advance.
At dawn, when the alarmed Athenians gathered for a meeting, the famous orator and demagogue Demosthenes suggested sending ambassadors to Thebes and persuading them to fight together against the invaders. There was no time to turn to other allies. The Athenians agreed and sent Demosthenes himself as an ambassador. By his eloquence, he soon won the Boeotians to an alliance, and thus the two most powerful Greek states united for joint action. The Athenians put Haritas and Lysicles at the head of their army, ordering them to follow with all their might to Boeotia. All the young people who were then in Attica volunteered to go to war with amazing willingness.
Both armies united under Chaeronei. Philip at first hoped to win over the Boeotians to his side and sent Python, known for his eloquence, as an ambassador to them. However, in the popular assembly, Python was defeated by Demosthenes, and the Boeotians remained loyal to Hellas in this difficult hour. Realizing that he would now have to deal with the most valiant army that Hellas could put up, Philip decided not to rush to start the battle and waited for the auxiliary detachments following the Macedonians to approach. In total, he had up to 30,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. Considering his strength sufficient, the king ordered the battle to begin. Alexander, his son, he entrusted the command of one of the flanks.
When the battle began, both sides fought with great ferocity, and for a long time it was not clear who would prevail. Finally, Alexander broke through the enemy line and put his opponents to flight. This was the beginning of the complete victory of the Macedonians (Diodorus: 16; 53-84).
After the Chaeronean victory, Philip very cunningly harbored in his soul the joy of victory. On this day, he did not even bring the usual sacrifices in such cases, did not laugh during the feast, did not allow any games during the meal; there were no wreaths, no incense, and, as far as it depended on him, he behaved after the victory in such a way that no one felt a winner in him. He ordered not to call himself the king of Greece, but its leader. He so skillfully concealed his joy in the face of the despair of his enemies that neither his associates noticed that he was overjoyed, nor the vanquished saw gloating in him. To the Athenians, who showed particular hostility towards him, he returned the captives without ransom and handed over the bodies of the dead for burial. In addition, Philip sent his son Alexander to Athens to conclude a peace of friendship. On the contrary, Philip took a ransom from the Thebans not only for the prisoners, but even for the right to bury the fallen. He ordered the heads of the most prominent citizens to be cut off, sent others into exile, and took the property of all of them for himself. From among the former exiles, he appointed 300 judges and rulers of the state. After this, having put things in order in Greece, Philip ordered the representatives of all states to convene in Corinth in order to establish a certain order in the current state of affairs (in 337 BC).
Here Philip determined the terms of peace for all Hellas in accordance with the merits of individual states and formed a common council from all of them. Only the Lacedaemonians scorned his institutions, considering not peace, but slavery, the peace that was granted by the conqueror. Then the number of auxiliary detachments was determined, which were to be put up by individual states either to help the king in the event of an attack on him, or to use them under his command in case he himself declared war on someone. And there was no doubt that these preparations were directed against the Persian state. In early spring, Philip sent forward to Asia, subject to the Persians, three commanders: Parmenion, Amyntas and Attalus, whose sister he took as his wife after he divorced Alexander's mother Olympias, suspecting her of adultery (Justin: 9; 4-5 ).
Philip himself was preparing to go on a campaign, but stayed in Macedonia, celebrating the wedding of his daughter Cleopatra, whom he married to Alexander 1 of Epirus, brother of Olympias. Guests for this celebration were invited from all over Greece. At the end of the feast, games and competitions began. Philip went out to the guests, dressed in all white, like a deity. He deliberately left his guard at a distance in order to show the Greeks what confidence he had in them.
Among the pages of Philip was a certain Pausanias, who came from the Orestid family. For his beauty, he became the royal lover. Once, at a feast, Attalus, having drunk Pausanias, began to laugh at him as if he were an indecent woman. Pausanias, deeply wounded by his laughter, complained to Philip. But the king ignored his complaints, since Attalus was a noble man and, moreover, a good commander. He rewarded Pausanias by making him his bodyguard. So he thought to heal him from resentment. But Pausanias had a gloomy and implacable heart. He took the royal favor as an insult and decided to take revenge. During the games, when Philip was left unguarded, Pausanias approached him, hiding a short sword under his clothes, and struck the king in the side. Having committed this murder, Pausanias wanted to escape on horseback, but was captured by Perdiccas and killed (Diodorus: 16; 91).
After finding out the reasons for the murder, many believed that Pausanias had been sent by Olympias, and Alexander himself was apparently not in the dark about the plotted murder, for Olympias suffered no less from the fact that she was rejected than Pausanias from her shame. Alexander, on the other hand, was afraid to meet an opponent in the person of his brother, born by his stepmother. They thought that Alexander and Olympias, in their approval, pushed Pausanias to such a terrible atrocity. It was said that on the night of Philip's funeral, Olympias laid a wreath on the head of Pausanias, who was hanging on the cross. A few days later, she burned the corpse of the murderer removed from the cross over the remains of her husband and ordered a mound to be poured in the same place. She also took care to bring sacrifices to the deceased every year. Then Olympias forced Cleopatra, because of whom Philip divorced her, to hang herself, first killing her daughter in the arms of her mother. Finally, she dedicated to Apollo the sword with which the king was stabbed. She did all this so openly, as if she was afraid that the crime she had committed would not be attributed to her. Philip died at the age of forty-seven, having reigned for twenty-five years. From a dancer from Larissa, he had a son, Arrhidaeus - the future Philip III (Justin: 9; 7-8).
All the monarchs of the world. Ancient Greece. Ancient Rome. Byzantium. Konstantin Ryzhov. Moscow, 2001
PHILIP II (382–336 BC), king of Macedonia who united Greece under his rule. The grandiose conquests of Alexander the Great, the son of Philip and the Epirus princess Olympias, became possible only thanks to the achievements of his father. At the age of 15, Philip, the son of the Macedonian king Amyntas III (reigned 394-370 BC), was sent as a hostage to Thebes (Boeotia, central Greece). During the three years that Philip spent here, he was imbued with a love for Greek culture, which had not yet had time to take root deeply in Macedonia, and studied the military tactics of the great Theban general Epaminondas.
Strengthening of the Macedonian kingdom.
Philip seized power in Macedon in 359 BC when a succession struggle unfolded. Gold mined on Mount Pangei in Thrace, captured by Philip at the very beginning of his reign (about 1000 talents, i.e. about 26 tons annually), made it possible for him to build roads and support his supporters throughout Greece. The rural inhabitants of Macedonia, who underwent thorough military training, formed the backbone of a reliable and loyal army to the king. In battle, the infantry formed a deep (up to 16 ranks), relatively free and maneuverable formation, called a phalanx. The phalanx warriors were lightly armed, but had a spear (sarissa) that was elongated in comparison with the usual (up to 4 m). Maneuverability was ensured by increasing the interval between adjacent warriors in the line to almost 1 m.
Philip formed light and heavily armed detachments from the cavalry, and the nobility served in the latter, being called "comrades" (Greek "gaetairs") of the king, forming his guard and striking force. Philip's army also included archers, slingers and other auxiliaries, rear services, reconnaissance and siege weapons. From Epaminondas, Philip adopted the practice of simultaneously introducing infantry and cavalry into battle, as well as the technique of breaking through with one flank, while holding the enemy back with the other.
Not allowing the enemy to come to his senses, Philip subjugated the entire region from the Hellespont to Thermopylae, i.e. all of Thrace and northern Greece, after several campaigns, wild tribes in the Balkan mountains were pacified. Philip intervened in the pan-Greek 3rd Holy War (355-346 BC), which, under the plausible pretext of protecting the Delphic oracle, opened the way for Macedonian troops to central Greece. Thessaly was conquered by Philip in 352 BC, Olynthes was taken and destroyed in 348 BC. In 346 BC Philip obtained an invitation to head the Delphic Amphictyony (a union of Greek city-states centered in Delphi). Some Greeks, such as the Athenian orator Aeschines, sympathized with Philip, but Demosthenes acted as his most implacable opponent. Starting from 352 BC Demosthenes began to pronounce his famous Philippics, in which he encouraged the Greeks to fight so as not to be enslaved by the northern barbarian. The Greeks, as usual, did not shine with unity. Another Athenian speaker, Isocrates, called them to war not with each other, but with the traditional enemy, Persia, which was in the hands of Philip's further plans. However, the fear of Macedonia was so strong that Demosthenes managed to create an alliance between Athens and Thebes and in 338 BC. the allies marched against Philip.
Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC) and its aftermath.
Under Chaeronea in Boeotia, a Greek army of 30,000 fought against a roughly equal Macedonian force. The left flank of the Macedonians, where Alexander commanded, managed to destroy the famous Sacred Band of the Thebans. Philip on the right flank began a false retreat, and when the Athenians set off in pursuit, he skillfully took advantage of the gaps in their ranks, where the Macedonian cavalry rushed. The allied Greek army suffered a complete defeat. The huge stone lion, now rising in the middle of the deserted Boeotian plain, is not only a monument to the fallen Greeks, but also a milestone that marks the end of the era of city-states in Greece. A Macedonian garrison was placed in Thebes, Philip did not touch Athens: he wanted to achieve respect here, and also believed that the Athenian fleet could be useful to him in the war against Persia.
After that, Philip once again proved himself an outstanding politician. At his invitation in 337 BC. the cities of central and southern Greece (with the exception of Sparta, which he did not have time to conquer), as well as the inhabitants of the islands of the Aegean Sea, sent their representatives to Corinth, where universal peace was proclaimed and a pan-Greek union, the Corinthian Congress, was founded. Macedonia itself was not a member, but the king of Macedonia and his successors were assigned the leadership of the armed forces of the congress, as well as the place of its chairman, i.e. real power. Under the pretext of retaliation for the invasion of 150 years ago, Congress decided to start a general Greek war against the Persian Empire, and Philip was to wage it. Soon the outstanding Macedonian commander Parmenion was sent to seize a bridgehead on the other side of the Hellespont.
Philip intended to follow him, but this was prevented by death: he was killed at a feast, for personal reasons, by the Macedonian aristocrat Pausanias. The throne and plans of Philip, as well as his magnificent army and commanders, passed to his son, who was to go down in history under the name of Alexander the Great.
Materials of the encyclopedia "The world around us" are used.
Read further:
Historical Persons of Greece (biographical guide).
Greece, Hellas, the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula, one of the most important historical countries of antiquity.
Macedonia - a historical region, a diocese (imperial district) and a Byzantine theme.
Literature^
Shofman A.S. History of ancient Macedonia, part 1. Kazan, 1960