Philip II of Macedon

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History has done no favors for Philip II of Macedon. We remember his son, Alexander the Great, but fail to pay Philip the respect a man of his caliber deserves. After all, before a man like Alexander can embark on an audacious conquest of Persia and Eastern Asia, he needs to have a stable home base, secure supply lines, and an effective army. Philip II and his reforms allowed him to have all three. Philip’s cunning resulted in the transformation of Macedonia from a backwater state into the dominant power in the Mediterranean in a matter of decades.

As an NBA fan, nothing is more fascinating than when a failing team manages to turn things around. Usually, they need to assemble the correct repertoire of players and a functional front office. Keep in mind that this process can take up to a decade, as your opponents are constantly trying to also improve. Now, imagine trying to turn a country around. You have to survive your internal challengers and other external threats.

Philip’s transformation of Macedonia from a land of “country bumpkins” (from the perspective of Greek aristocrats) into the most dominant military power in the Mediterranean was an incredible feat. The number of challenges that he had to surmount were ridiculous, and he managed it by being innovative and Machiavellian. As we discuss the life of Philip II, I will discuss the aspects of his character and his actions that made it possible for him to centralize and use power to transform the face of the world forever.

Philip II was born to King Amyntas III of Macedonia, in the year of 382 BCE. He was the youngest legitimate son of Amyntas. Macedonia was a land of constant turmoil. Internal strife was commonplace. By the age of 12, Phillip II had already seen his father lose his throne and regain it, and a civil war between his older brother and a rival in the royal family. To keep the peace, his brother signed a truce with his challenger, and Philip II was sent to Thebes as a hostage.

In Thebes, Philip II was educated in war by the best military leaders of his time. He learned of the importance of cavalry formations and cohesion between his military units. He fell in love with Greek culture, immersing himself in it. He observed how the Thebans fought and learned about Greek systems of power. This information would serve him well once he became monarch.

Philip II was released at the age of 18 back to Macedon. By now, his other brother had died, and another had assumed the throne. Philip II was made a provincial governor, and also made regent once his brother went on military campaigns. In one campaign against the Illyrians (modern day Albanians), the Macedonian army was massacred, and Philip’s brother was killed. Philip was now king.

He was only 23, and immediately got to work. He removed any possible usurpers. He began to reform his army, developing Macedonian infantry, conscripting men to the army, and designing an infantry formation known as the Macedonian phalanx. A new weapon called the sarissa would give the Macedonians superiority over all other armies. It was a long spear that allowed the Macedonians to hold back other armies and gave them a great tactical advantage.

In addition, Philip II began to take advantage of his cavalry, now relying on it to outflank his enemies and drive wedges into their armies. Macedonian horses were stronger than those common in Greece and they were greatly valued, giving Philip a massive advantage in terms of the strength of his cavalry.

Philip II also improved his army’s logistical capabilities, allowing his army to sustain long marches. He now had a very fast moving, agile army. He was ready for conquest. For the next 20 years, Philip’s army would terrorize Greece.

Philp was also was a master of diplomacy, and

Philip II was a master or persuasion and married many times in order to achieve his diplomatic goals. In addition:

Philip II saw conquest by any means as fair game. He did not care whether he dominated you militarily or through the use of soft power. This allowed Macedonia to conquer Greece during his fruitful reign in power.

We will now discuss the battle that he is most famous for.

The Battle of Chaeronea

In the Battle of Chaeronea, Philip II knew he had to put down the Greeks once and for all. As Athens and Thebes had allied against him, Phillip II mustered his army of 30,000 infantry and 2,000 cavalry. The Thebans had 35,000 infantrymen. In addition, the Thebans had a powerful military unit called the Sacred Band. They had helped end Spartan hegemony in Greece and were not a force to be underestimated.

Philip II first baited his enemy into battle, allowing them to capture letters that indicated his intentions to return to Macedonia to quell a rebellion. With the Greeks bringing their guard down, he quickly seized one of their most important garrisons, and forced the Greeks to meet him in battle at the plains of Chaeronea.

To begin the battle, Philip II launched his right flank forward, pushing the Athenians back. He then ordered his men to stop and fall back.

The Athenians now pushed forward, but this was a feint by the Macedonians. A gap emerged, allowing Alexander the Great to attack the Theban rear guard. The Macedonians then pushed forward, massacring the Theban Sacred Band down to the last man.

This battle completed the conquest of the Greek City States by their Macedonian overlords. Later, at a peace conference in Corinth, Philip was named commander in chief of all of Greece.

Philip II planned to invade Persia but was assassinated by one of his bodyguards before he could initiate the invasion. His son Alexander the Great would go on to conquer the Persian Empire and change the face of the world forever. However, Philip II laid the groundwork for his later conquests.

Nevertheless, Philip’s tremendous successes resulted in a united Greece. He revolutionized the Macedonian fighting force and used diplomacy to achieve his political ambitions. Philip II was truly a great political operative and military man.

Sources:

1. Richard Gabriel- Great Generals of the Ancient World
2. Richard Gabriel- Philip II of Macedonia