King Philips II of Macedon Conquest of Classical Greece

King Philip inherited a weak, backward country with an ineffective, undisciplined army and molded them into a formidable, capable military force. He used bribery, warfare, and threats to secure his kingdom. His immediate concern was to safeguard Macedonia’s borders and reorganize the army. His major foes were the Illyrians (whom he would eventually defeat in 359 BCE in the Battle of Erigon Valley) and the Athenians who not only possessed nearby gold and silver mines but also supported a pretender to the Macedonian throne.

After these experiences, he completely rearranged Macedonia’s army. He increased its size from 10,000 to 24,000 and enlarged the cavalry from 600 to 3,500. Next, he restructured the traditional Greek phalanx, providing each individual unit with its own commander, thereby allowing for better communication. Philip changed the principal weaponry from the hoplite spear to the sarissa, an 18 to 20 feet pike. It had the advantage of reaching over the much shorter spears of the opposition.

After his reorganization of the army, he rebuilt the capital city of Pella, and invited philosophers like; Aristotle who would ultimately teach Philip’s son Alexander. In 357 BCE he angered the citizens of Athens and a number of others in the Athenian league when he captured their colony at Amphipolis and acquiring its silver and gold medals. This is known as the Social War (357-355BCE).

From there, followed the 3rd Social war where he seized the northern Greek cities of Potedia and Pydna in 356 BCE. Philip’s power would come to fruition after the events in the Third Social War in 356 BCE.  And added to this, Philip’s military successes garnered him a seat on the Amphicroyonic Council (an association of Greek city-states) which was a further insult to the Athenians. The Phocians had seized the city of Delphie, home of the famed oracle. Both Athens and Sparta entered the conflict on the side of the Phocians.

The Thessalian League asked Philip to help and, although he was initially defeated, he and the Thessalian cavalry crushed the Phocians and their commander Onomarchus at the Battle of Crocus Field in 352 BCE. This victory gave Macedon a depot for the gold and silver mines from Mount Pangaion and the approach to it, as well as for timber, securing Macedon's economic and political future. 

Throughout Philip’s rise to power and his victories throughout Greece, a constant thorn in his side was Demosthenes, the great Athenian orator, who constantly railed against Philip in a series of speeches called The Philippics.  Demosthenes was a great believer in democracy and often openly spoke out against Philips reign and instead promoting his democracy as an alternative.

Eventually culminated in the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BCE, a battle that demonstrated both the power and authority of Macedonia. Philip and his son Alexander (only 18 at the time) soundly defeated the combined forces of both Athens and Thebes who allied with each other.  

In the battle of The Athenians, Thebans, and a small number of allies positioned themselves, with the Athenians (10,000 infantry and 600 cavalry) on the left, allies in the center, and the Thebans with 800 cavalry and 12,000 infantry. Across from Athenians were the Macedonians, with Philip on the far right, totaling 30,000 infantry and 3,000 cavalry. Facing the Thebans was the 18 year old Alexander with the Companion Cavalry.

After the battle, Athens was forced into an alliance, the Athenians may have fought bravely, but the Battle of Chaeronea is viewed by many to be a turning point in history, after which the Greeks were no longer a military or political threat.