Anchor Bible Dictionary>Macedonia
Philip II of Macedonia (359 - 336 B.C.) combined diplomatic with military skill. He enlarged his kingdom to the W and E at the expense of Illyria and Thrace; he subdued the independent Greek cities on the Aegean coast of Macedonia; he annexed Thessaly (353 B.C.) and intervened in central Greece, and at last, by defeating the forces of Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea in Boeotia in 338 B.C., he made himself master of the whole Greek mainland.
He was born in 356 BC at Pella in Macedonia, the son of Philip II and Olympias (daughter of King Neoptolemus of Epirus). From age 13 to 16 he was taught by Aristotle, who inspired him with an interest in philosophy, medicine, and scientific investigation; but he was later to advance beyond his teacher's narrow precept that non-Greeks should be treated as slaves. Left in charge of Macedonia in 340 during Philip's attack onByzantium, Alexander defeated the Maedi, a Thracian people; two years later he commanded the left wing at the Battle of Chaeronea, in which Philip defeated the allied Greek states, and displayed personal courage in breaking the Sacred Band of Thebes. A year later Philip divorced Olympias; and, after a quarrel at a feast held to celebrate his father's new marriage, Alexander and his mother fled to Epirus, and Alexander later went to Illyria. Shortly afterward, father and son were reconciled and Alexander returned; but his position as heir was jeopardized.
Corinth was subsequently involved in most of the political conflicts of Greece, but chiefly as a pawn in the struggles of more powerful city-states because of the strategic value of its citadel. Corinth's independence finally ended in 338 BC when Philip of Macedon garrisoned the Acrocorinthus and made the city the centre of the League of Corinth. The city remained the puppet of Macedonia and subsequently of the Achaean League until the latter involved it in a fatal conflict with Rome, and in 146 BC Corinth was destroyed by the Roman general Lucius Mummius.
2338 Years After The Great Macedonian Victory at Chaerone (from the Macedonian Herald August 2000 Issue)
After the total Macedonian victory in the battle of Chaeronea, the defeated Athenians, Thebans and their allies fell under complete Macedonian control. Never again would they make foreign policy themselves without considering and following the wishes of Macedonia.
One of the most important battles in history was the battle of Chaeronea, where the Macedonians clashed with the southern city-states, Athens, Thebes and their allies. The decisive struggle between the Macedonians and the Athenians, Thebans and their allies took place on the southern border of Macedonia in the plain of Chaeronea, on August 2nd , 338 BC. The Macedonian king, Philip II had with him some 30 000 infantry and about 2 000 cavalry, all trained veterans. The Athenians, Thebans and their allies were equally numerous, but of them only the mercenaries and Thebans could be called experienced soldiers. On the allied right wing were the Beotians, some 12 000 led by the Theban Sacred Band. On the left wing were stationed Athens’ 10 000 hoplites. The center was made up from the remaining allied contingents, with a stiffening of 5 000 mercenaries.
The Macedonians knew that any serious opposition they got would come from the Thebans, and that the Athenians were without combat experience. Philip’s tactical dispositions were made accordingly. He himself commanded the right wing, at the head of his Guards Brigade, with a strong, light-armed force to protect his flank. In the center he placed the regiments of the Phalanx. The command of the heavy cavalry on the extreme left wing, opposite the Sacred Band, went to his son, eighteen-year-old genius Alexander – an extraordinarily responsible appointment for somebody as young as the Prince was.
When battle was joined, Philip’s right wing slightly out-flanked the Athenians left. Step by well-drilled step, the Guards Brigade moved back, facing to their front a hedgehog bristle of Sarissa holding the pursuit at bay. Presently two things happened for which Philip had been waiting. The Macedonians backed up on the rising ground by the banks of a small stream, the Haemus; and that fatal gap at last opened between the Alliance’s center and Thebans brigades on their right. Into the gap thus opened, at the head of Macedonia’s finest cavalry division, thundered the young crowned prince, while a second mounted brigade attacked the Sacred Band from the flank. Very soon the Thebans were completely surrounded.
The Athenians had become badly disorganized during their advance. The Macedonians drove them headlong into the foothills, killed a thousand of them and a few thousand were captured. The entire allied army broke and fled.
The Macedonian victory over Athens, Thebes and the rest of the city-states was total and overwhelming. The young prince Alexander has been credited with playing a great part in the Macedonian victory as part of Philips élite companion cavalry, but it was the awesome steadiness and drill of Philip’s Phalanx of pikemen that won the battle.
In the fall of 338 BC, Philip proceeded southward. Megara and Corinth, which had fought against him at Chaeronea, with the pro-Macedonians now in power welcomed him, as did all the Pelopennesian states. He marched through Laconia, ravaging the land as far as Gytheum.
After the battle of Chaeronea the city-states were completely defeated by the Macedonians. Macedonia soon began on her road to the conquering of the known world, which later resulted in the Great Macedonian Empire.
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