King of Macedonia Philip II became known in history as a conqueror of neighboring Greece. He managed to create a new army, consolidate the efforts of his own people and expand the borders of the state. The successes of Philip fade before the victories of his own son Alexander the Great, however it was he who created all the prerequisites for the great achievements of his successor.
early years
The ancient king Philip of Macedon was born in 382 BC. e. His hometown was the capital Pella. The father of Philip Amint III was a model ruler. He was able to unite his country, previously divided into several principalities. However, with the death of Aminta, the period of prosperity ended. Macedonia fell apart again. At the same time, external enemies, including Illyrians and Thracians, also threatened the country. These northern tribes periodically raided their neighbors.
The weakness of Macedonia was also enjoyed by the Greeks. In 368 BC e. they made a trip north. As a result, Philip of Macedon was captured and sent to Thebes. Paradoxical as it may seem, staying there went to the young man only for the benefit. In the 4th century BC e. Thebes was one of the largest Greek policies. In this city, the Macedonian hostage got acquainted with the social structure of the Hellenes and their developed culture. He even mastered the basics of the martial art of the Greeks. All this experience later influenced the policy that King Philip II of Macedon began to pursue.
Rise to power
In 365 BC e. the young man returned to his homeland. At that time, the throne belonged to his older brother Perdicke III. The calm life in Pella was disrupted when the Macedonians again came under attack from the Illyrians. These formidable neighbors in a decisive battle defeated the army of Perdikia, while killing himself and another 4 thousand compatriots Philip.
The power was inherited by the son of the deceased, the young Amint. Philip was appointed regent. Despite his youth, he showed his outstanding leadership qualities and convinced the political elite of the country that at such a difficult moment, when the enemy was on the verge, he should be on the throne and protect civilians from aggressors. Amynth was deposed. So at the age of 23, Philip 2 of Macedon became the king of his country. As a result, he did not part with the throne until his death.
Diplomat and strategist
From the very beginning of the reign, Philip of Macedon demonstrated his remarkable diplomatic skills. He was not timid before the Thracian threat and decided to overcome it not with weapons, but with money. Having bribed the neighboring prince, Philip created a turmoil there, thereby securing his own country. The monarch also captured the important city of Amphipolis, where gold mining was established. Having gained access to the noble metal, the treasury began to mint high-quality coins. The state has become rich.
After this, Philip II of Macedon set about creating a new army. He hired foreign masters who built the most modern siege weapons at that time (throwing guns, catapults, etc.). Using bribing opponents and cunning, the monarch first recreated a unified Macedonia, and then began external expansion. He was lucky in the sense that in that era, Greece began to experience a protracted political crisis associated with civil strife and hostility of policies. Northern barbarians easily bribed with gold.
Army Reforms
Understanding that the greatness of the state is based on the power of his troops, the king completely reorganized his armed forces. What was the army of Philip of Macedon? The answer lies in the phenomenon of the Macedonian phalanx. It was a new infantry combat formation, which was a regiment of 1,500 people. The acquisition of phalanges became strictly territorial, which allowed to improve the interaction of soldiers among themselves.
One such formation consisted of many lochos - rows of 16 foot soldiers. Each line had its own task on the battlefield. The new organization has improved the fighting qualities of the troops. Now the Macedonian army was moving integrally and monolithically, and if the phalanx had to be rotated, the relocation was started by the lochos responsible for this, giving a signal to the neighbors. The rest followed him. The last lohos monitored the orderliness of the regiments and the correct construction, correcting the mistakes of the comrades.
So what was the army of Philip of Macedon? The answer lies in the king’s decision to combine the experience of foreign troops. In his youth, Philip lived in Thebes in an honorable captivity. There he met in the local libraries with the works of Greek strategists from different times. The considerations of many of them sensitive and capable student later implemented in his own army.
Rearmament
Engaged in military reform, Philip of Macedon paid attention not only to organization, but also to weapons. Under him, a sarissa appeared in the army. So the Macedonians called the long spear. Walking warriors of the Sarissophores received other weapons. During the assault on fortified enemy positions, they used throwing darts, which worked perfectly at a distance, causing deadly wounds to the enemy.
The Macedonian king Philip made his army highly disciplined. The soldiers learned to handle weapons every day. A long spear occupied both hands, so Philip’s army used copper shields that hung on his elbow.
The armament of the phalanx emphasized its main task - to hold the enemy’s blow. Philip 2 of Macedon, and later his son Alexander, used cavalry as the main attacking force. She beat the enemy army at a time when she unsuccessfully tried to break open the phalanx.
The beginning of military campaigns
After the Macedonian king Philip was convinced that the transformation in the army had paid off, he began to intervene in the affairs of the Greek neighbors. In 353 BC e. he supported the Delphic coalition in the next Hellenic civil war. After the victory, Macedonia actually subjugated Thessaly, and also became a recognized arbiter and arbitrator for numerous Greek policies.
This success was the forerunner of the future conquest of Hellas. However, the interests of Macedonia were not limited to Greece. In 352 BC e. war with Thrace began. Its initiator was Philip of Macedon. The biography of this man is a vivid example of a commander who tried to protect the interests of his people. The conflict with Thrace began due to the uncertainty of the border areas of the two countries. After a year of war, the barbarians ceded disputed lands. So the Thracians learned what the army of Philip of Macedon was.
Olinthian war
Soon, the Macedonian ruler resumed his intervention in Greece. The next on his way turned out to be the Chalkidian Union, the main policy of which was Olynthus. In 348 BC e. the army of Philip of Macedon began a siege of this city. The Chalcedian Union received the support of Athens, but their help was rendered too late.
Olynthos was captured, burned and ruined. So Macedonia has further expanded its borders to the south. Other cities of the Chalkidian Union were added to it. Only the southern part of Hellas remained independent. The reasons for the military successes of Philip of Macedon were, on the one hand, in the coordinated actions of his army, and on the other, in the political fragmentation of the Greek policies, who did not want to unite with each other in the face of external danger. A skilled diplomat deftly took advantage of the mutual hostility of his opponents.
Scythian hike
While contemporaries puzzled over the question of what were the reasons for the military successes of Philip of Macedon, the ancient king continued his aggressive campaigns. In 340 B.C. e. he went to war on Perinf and Byzantium, the Greek colonies that controlled the strait separating Europe and Asia. Today it is known as the Dardanelles, and then called the Hellespont.
Under Perinf and Byzantium, the Greeks rebuffed the invaders, and Philip had to retreat. He went to war on the Scythians. Just then, the relations of the Macedonians with this people have noticeably deteriorated. The Scythian leader Atey shortly before asked for military help from Philip in order to repel the attack of the neighboring nomads. The Macedonian king sent him a large detachment.
When Philip was under the walls of Byzantium, unsuccessfully trying to capture this city, he himself found himself in a predicament. Then the monarch asked Atheus to help him with money in order to somehow cover the costs associated with a long siege. The leader of the Scythians in a reply letter mockingly refused a neighbor. Philip did not tolerate such an insult. In 339 BC e. he went north to punish the treacherous Scythians with his sword. These Black Sea nomads were indeed defeated. After this campaign, the Macedonians finally returned home, however, not for long.
The Battle of Chaeronea
Meanwhile, the Greek city-states created an alliance against Macedonian expansion. Philip was not embarrassed by this fact. Anyway, he was going to continue his march south. In 338 BC e. a decisive battle took place at Heronaeus. The foundation of the Greek army in this battle consisted of the inhabitants of Athens and Thebes. These two policies were the political leaders of Hellas.
The battle is notable for the fact that the 18-year-old heir to the tsar Alexander took part in it. He had to learn from experience what the army of Philip of Macedon was. The monarch himself commanded the phalanges, and his son received cavalry on the left flank. The trust came true. The Macedonians defeated the opponents. The Athenians, along with their influential politician and speaker Demosthenes, fled the battlefield.
Corinthian Union
After the defeat at Heronaeus, the Greek policies lost their last strength for an organized struggle with Philip. Negotiations began on the future of Hellas. Their result was the creation of the Corinthian Union. Now the Greeks were in a dependent position on the Macedonian king, although the old laws were formally preserved in them. Philip also occupied some cities.
The union was created under the pretext of a future struggle with Persia. The Macedonian army of Philip of Macedon could not cope alone with eastern despotism. Greek policies agreed to provide the king with his own troops. Philip was recognized as the protector of all Hellenic culture. He himself transferred many of the Greek realities into the life of his own country.
Family conflict
After the successful unification of Greece under his rule, Philip was going to declare war on Persia. However, his plans were hindered by family squabbles. In 337 BC e. he married the girl Cleopatra, which led to a conflict with his first wife, the Olympics. It was from her that Philip had a son, Alexander, who in the future was destined to become the greatest commander of antiquity. The offspring did not accept the act of his father and after the insulted mother left his yard.
Philip of Macedon, whose biography was full of successful military campaigns, could not allow his state to fall apart from the inside due to a conflict with the heir. After lengthy negotiations, he finally made peace with his son. Then Philip was going to perform in Persia, but before the wedding celebrations were to end in the capital.
Murder
At one of the feasts, the king was unexpectedly killed by his own bodyguard, whose name was Pausanias. The remaining guards immediately dealt with him. Therefore, it is still unknown what drove the killer. Historians do not have any reliable evidence of anyone involved in the conspiracy.
It is possible that behind the back of Pausanias was the first wife of Philip Olympiad. Also, the version that Alexander planned the killing was not ruled out. Be that as it may, the tragedy that erupted in 336 BC e., brought to power the son of Philip. He continued the work of his father. Soon the Macedonian armies conquered the entire Middle East and reached the borders of India. The reason for this success was hidden not only in Alexander's military leadership talent, but also in Philippe's many years of reforms. It was he who created a strong army and a stable economy, thanks to which his son conquered many countries.