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Chapter XVIII. The rise of Macedonia and the establishment of its hegemony in Greece. The conquests and power of Alexander the Great the rise of Macedonia The rise of Macedonia and Alexander the Great

For a long time, Macedonia was isolated from Greece. It appears on the historical stage later than the Greek cities. Lower Macedonia was a plain. Upper mountainous region. The soil of Macedonia was suitable for Agriculture, but the main wealth of Macedonia was forest. Forests covered vast areas at a time when they were almost exterminated in Greece.

The early history of Macedonia is basically similar to the history of other ancient societies better known to us. Ethnically, the Macedonians, according to the prevailing scientific opinion, are close to the Greeks. The population was made up of a mixture of Greek, mainly Thessalian, tribes with northern Illyrian-Thracian tribes. The Macedonian dialect is close to Thessalian.

The socio-political system of Macedonia at the end of the 5th and 4th centuries. still retained many features of the Homeric system. The head of state was tsar, based on the military-tribal aristocracy, the so-called satellites (getairs) - landowners and cattle breeders. The bulk of the Macedonian population were shepherds and farmers, partly free, partly dependent. Mining developed relatively early in Macedonia. In addition, timber and forest products such as tar and resin were exported from Macedonia. Residents of the coastal strip successfully engaged in fishing and trade. During the classical period, Macedonia played almost no role in pan-Hellenic affairs.

The growth of Macedonia began with the Peloponnesian War, being a consequence of Macedonia's internal development and exceptionally favorable international conditions. At the end of the 5th and at the very beginning of the 4th century, under the king Archelaus(419-399), Macedonia already occupies a prominent place among the Greek powers on the Balkan Peninsula. Like other kings and tyrants, Archelaus maintained a rich court and showed interest in Hellenic culture, being considered an expert and patron of it. At the court of Archelaus, by the way, lived “the smartest of all Hellenes,” the Athenian tragedian Euripides, who wrote a special drama “Arhelai” dedicated to the Macedonian king-philanthropist. The successor of Archelaus was Philip//, creator of the Macedonian state. The name of Philip is associated with military reform, the creation of the famous Macedonian phalanx, a closed column of foot and horse, and monetary reform. Philip's monetary reform consisted of introducing bimetallism, silver and gold currencies. The first dominated the Greek world,

And the second was adopted in the Persian kingdom. Philip put silver on a par with gold and thereby “lowered the value of the latter. This was a kind of currency war between Greece and Persia, which, according to the authoritative judgment of Mommsen, largely predetermined the outcome of the subsequent Persian campaign.

The core of the Macedonian army under Philip II was a column (phalanx) of heavily armed infantry recruited from wealthier citizens. The Macedonian phalanx, which had a depth of twenty rows, represented a formidable avalanche, slowly moving towards the enemy. The Phalangists were armed with long sarissa spears up to 2 meters in length. To protect the sides of the phalanx, light infantry and cavalry, recruited from neighboring wild Thracian-Illyrian tribes, served. Along with light cavalry in Macedonia there was also heavy cavalry, replenished from the aristocracy, royal hetaira. In connection various types troops and better technical equipment of the army was the reform of Philip II. The Macedonian army consisted partly of mercenaries, but mostly of native peasant militias led by local basilei.

Relying on the strength of his army, Philip II in a short time captured the entire Macedonian-Thracian coast, including the Greek colonies, rich in minerals and ship timber, the cities of Amphipolis and Pidna and the gold-bearing mountainous region of Pangeum. In 348 the city came under Macedonian rule Olynthos,- stood at the head of the alliance of Thracian-Chalkidian cities and was in alliance with Athens. After stubborn resistance, Olynthos was taken by the Macedonian king and destroyed to the ground, and the inhabitants were taken captive and sold into slavery.

The capture of the Pangean placers gave Philip the opportunity to carry out monetary reform introduce silver and gold into circulation simultaneously (bimetallism).

Thus, by the middle of the 4th century. Macedonia from a minor marginal semi-barbarian state turned into a first-class power that laid claim to world hegemony and eventually achieved this hegemony.

The rapid growth of Macedonia was facilitated by the proximity of the Greek colonies of the Chalcis Peninsula and the internal weakness of Greece itself. Macedonia was drawn into the affairs of the Greek colonies, became a trading and slave-owning country and moved towards the sea. At the same time, the power of the king increased and the clan aristocracy weakened. The tribal basilei, who delayed the unification of Macedonia, gradually lost their former independence and turned into royal warriors (getairs). Near the old residence of the Macedonian kings Egami a new capital of Macedonia emerges Pella, located near the sea.

The international situation could not have been more favorable for Macedonia. Previously, it was indicated how the old Greek city policies became obsolete and what a fierce struggle raged between them and within them. Continuous wars and internal upheavals completely undermined the economic and political structure of the policies. The invading enemies destroyed vineyards, oilseeds and fruit plantings, destroyed irrigation structures, captured livestock, freed or took slaves into captivity - in a word, they disrupted the economy, and with it social and individual life. In this state of affairs, there could naturally be no question of any serious resistance to an external enemy. In the Greek city-states - Athens, Sparta and Thebes - there were many supporters of the Macedonian king, who, in their opinion, was supposed to save Hellas from internal anarchy and political weakness. “If you yourself cannot wield a weapon, then you need to be friends with someone who knows how to wield it,” was the slogan of supporters of strong government.

Of all the Greek states, Athens was the most dangerous rival of Macedonia. The rise of Macedonia, as stated above, could only take place with the support of the Greek supporters of Macedonia and the friends of King Philip, of whom there were many in Athens. Most of the supporters of Macedonia belonged to the rich classes, slave-owning nobility, landowners, shipowners, rich demiurges, etc. The sympathy of the Athenian oligarchs for the Macedonian king was primarily caused by the fear of revolutionary explosions within Athens itself, similar to the Argive massacre (skutalismos).

The internal state of the Greek city-states in the era under study emerges quite clearly from the given characteristics of Plato and Isocrates, contemporaries of all these events.

“In our time,” says Platoi, “each of the Hellenic states represents many states, and not one state, just like when playing towns. Whichever of them you take, you will always find two states hostile to each other: one poor, the other rich. And each of them, in turn, breaks up into separate states.”

An equally gloomy picture of the life of the Greek masses is painted by Isocrates, an Athenian writer of the 4th century. In a number of numerous national disasters, Isocrates names unemployment among free artisans and farmers, vagrancy and mercenary work.

Plato, Republic, IV, 422e-423a.

Macedonia in the V-IV centuries BC. e.

Macedonia was located on the northwestern coast of the Aegean Sea. Being at the crossroads of routes from Greece to the straits, possessing a large supply of ship timber, and being an inseparable part of the history of Greece, Macedonia sought to strengthen its power. In the 4th century BC. e. The rule of the Argead dynasty was established in the state.

Definition 1

The kings in Macedonia were elected by hetaira (comrades) - this is the name given to the king’s inner circle from aristocratic families.

Tsar Alexander I, whom his contemporaries called Philhellen, began a fight with Athens for the Chalkis Peninsula. This policy was continued by King Archelaus (419–399 BC). He obtained recognition from Athens of his rights to the territories in Chalkidiki and Northern Thessaly.

Strengthening Macedonia under King Philip II

The period of strife in the country was ended by King Philip II (359–336 BC). He carried out reforms to strengthen state power and strengthen Macedonia. Philip II began with economic reforms.

He built cities and resettled residents of tribal villages in them. These cities (for example, Philippi) became strategically important military centers.
He increased iron ore production and rearmed the army.
He accelerated the development of the captured Pangean mines, received almost a thousand talents of gold a year and began minting his own coins.
He achieved prosperity in shipbuilding, increasing the production of ship timber, tar and resin.

Philip II spent several years in Thebes, so he knew well about the shortcomings and advantages of the Greek army. He decided to combine the advantages of the Greek and Macedonian army organization.

The army of Philip II was formed from free landowners, and did not consist of militia or mercenaries. The soldiers underwent military training for several years.
Philip II divided the single Greek phalanx into several detachments located not far from each other. This protected the flanks, increased the maneuverability of the heavily armed infantry and enhanced its striking power.
Philip II turned the heavily armed cavalry from the hetairas into a separate type of troops that could perform independent tasks.

The result military reform was the transformation of the Macedonian army into one of the strongest armies in the world. Macedonia could now claim primacy in the Greek world and compete with the Persian power.

Establishment of Macedonian hegemony in Greece

Philip II was a far-sighted politician. He first strengthened his northern borders, then entered the Holy War as defender of the Temple of Apollo.

Note 1

The Holy War (355–346 BC) was fought against the Phocians, who plundered the Delphic temple of the god Apollo. Thebes, Thessaly and Locris volunteered to defend the temple. Sparta and Athens took the side of the Phocians. Philip II defeated the Phocian allies, weakened Athens and strengthened his authority.

As a result of the war, Philip II began to rule in Chalkidiki and Southern Thrace, headed Thessaly, entered the Delphic Amphictyony and received the legal right to intervene in the affairs of Greek city-states.

Among the Greeks there was a contradictory attitude towards the activities of Philip II. Some supported him and considered him a benefactor for Greece, who could stop the strife and protect him from Persian enslavement. Some policies even voluntarily submitted to Philip, for example in Thessaly. The leader of the supporters of Philip II was the orator from Athens Isocrates. He was supported by Eubulus, Aeschines and Phocion.

Others argued that Philip II was a conqueror, he would destroy democracy, and therefore should receive resistance from the Greek city-states. The inspiration was Demosthenes, his supporters were Hyperides and Lycurgus.

In 338 BC. e. near the city of Chaeronea a battle took place between the Greeks and Macedonians. The Greeks were defeated. On next year Philip II convened a pan-Greek congress in Corinth. At the congress it was decided to create the Hellenic Union, which legislated the hegemony of Macedonia over Greece. Instead of fragmented city-states, a strong unification of the Greeks appeared.

Congress decided to start a war against the Persian kingdom. Philip II sent his army to Asia Minor, but was himself killed. His son Alexander became king and successor.

Macedonia, located north of Balkan Greece, lagged behind the advanced Greek city-states in its development. There were favorable conditions for agriculture and cattle breeding, rich internal resources that made it possible to satisfy the needs of the population without active foreign trade. Therefore, here the development of commodity-money relations proceeded more slowly than in Greece, and affected only certain areas and the upper strata of the population. According to its socio-political system, Macedonia back in the 4th century. BC. retained many archaic features. The bulk of the population were farmers and cattle breeders, who earned their livelihood with their labor and replenished the ranks of the Macedonian infantry.

Large land holdings were concentrated in the hands of the nobility, who supplied cats. Until the 4th century. BC. in Macedonia there were almost no cities or convenient harbors on the sea coast. The standard of living was low, farming was predominantly subsistence. In terms of political system, Macedonia was a hereditary monarchy with strong vestiges of military democracy. The coming to power of a new king required approval by a meeting of soldiers. The king had unlimited power during the campaign, but in peacetime he was limited by the council of the Macedonian nobility.

Already in the 5th century. BC. Macedonia began to play some role in political life Greece. The Macedonian rulers are intensifying their diplomatic activities, striving to borrow the achievements of Greek culture, inviting representatives of literature, science and art to the court and providing them with patronage. However, a real turning point occurred only in the 4th century. BC. Macedonia is no longer limited to political mediation and cultural borrowing, but is beginning to claim first the role of an equal partner, and then something more. These claims of Macedonia, associated with gradual progress in its internal development, coincided with a period of decline and weakening of Greece. At the decisive moment, Macedonia found itself at the head of a ruler who perfectly grasped the opportunities presented to her and managed to use them to transform this state into a decisive force on the Balkan Peninsula.

Philip II, who ruled Macedonia from 359 to 336 BC, usurped power from his young nephew Amyntas, taking advantage of his regency. Having eliminated other contenders for the throne, he achieved the abdication of Amyntas in his favor, giving his rule a semblance of legitimacy. Philip, who spent some time in Thebes as a hostage, learned much there and subsequently applied some of the principles of Epaminondas's military organization to the Macedonian army. He was a man of irrepressible energy, proactive and decisive, firmly, regardless of means, moving towards his intended goal. Possessing himself extraordinary military and diplomatic abilities, Philip was devoid of envy of other people's talents and talents, he knew how to select people and value them based on their merits. He surrounds himself with people who are capable in various fields and devoted to him, with the help of whom he steadily carries out the tasks assigned to him.

Having come to power, Philip took measures to secure the borders of Macedonia from its disturbing neighbors - the Thracians and Illyrians and to strengthen the position of the central government and mountainous Upper Macedonia, where the separatist tendencies of the local nobility were strong. Having organized a military school at court for young men from noble families, Philip prepared loyal courtiers for himself and at the same time could turn them into hostages if their fathers participated in conspiracies directed against him.

Philip strengthened and reorganized the army, creating the famous Macedonian phalanx, armed with long spears - sarissas, introducing new tactics of combined action of infantry and cavalry, pursuing the defeated enemy until his complete destruction, etc.

Having strengthened his position in Macedonia, Philip begins to carry out active foreign policy, using diplomatic means, bribery of political and military leaders in Greece, and military force. Philip seeks to gain access to the sea coast and take possession of the riches of Thrace. Here the interests of Macedonia inevitably had to collide with the interests of Athens. Lacking a strong enough fleet to withstand the Athenian one, Philip initially acts through cunning. He offers Athens to help them return Amphipolis, from where the Macedonian garrison had recently been withdrawn, on the condition that Athens will not interfere with its capture of the city of Pydna. Believing Philip's promises, Athens did not come to the aid of Amphipolis besieged by him, although the city asked them to do so. In addition, the Athenian fleet was busy at this time, defending the interests of Athens against one of the Thracian kings in the area of Thracian Chersonese. Having taken Amphipolis, Philip did not even think of giving it to Athens. This apparent treachery led to the opening of hostilities between Athens and Macedonia. Distracted by the struggle with recalcitrant allies, Athens could not act actively enough. Philip continues to expand his possessions. Having captured the city of Krsnida in Thrace, in the area of gold mines, he renamed it Philippi. Having taken possession of gold deposits, Philip received large funds at his disposal.

Soon Macedonia had the opportunity to extend its influence to Northern and Central Greece. The reason was the Third Holy War (356 - 346 BC). It began because Thebes, who at that time played a leading role in the Delphic cult union (Amphictyony), accused a group of influential Phokidians of sacrilege.

The refusal of the accused to pay the fine imposed on them led to the declaration of Holy War on Phocis. Athens, Sparta and the ruler of the city of Fer in Thessaly took the side of Phocis. Thebes was supported by a group of Thessalian cities hostile to the tyrants of Thera. During the struggle, the Phocians, citing their ancestral rights to the sanctuary, took possession of Delphi and used the temple treasures for military needs, which allowed them to recruit a large mercenary army. The Phocians' opponents, alarmed by their successes, turned to Macedonia for help. Philip willingly responded to this call and sent his troops into Central Greece. After a stubborn struggle, the Phocians were defeated, expelled from Amphictyonia and had to pay compensation to Delphi for the stolen treasures. The two votes taken from the Phocians in Amphictyonia went to Philip. This had enormous political significance - the Macedonian king, who was not a Greek, received access to an ancient, purely Greek organization, consecrated by ancient tradition. In addition, this created a springboard for him for a further attack on Greece. Athens, pressed on all sides, having lost its strongholds in Chalkidiki, risking losing its last allies, was forced to enter into peace negotiations with Macedonia. Philip, taking into account the presence of the still strong Athenian fleet and, apparently, not wanting to aggravate relations with the famous state of Greece, agreed to make peace (346 BC). A friendly alliance was established between Athens and Macedonia. Both states pledged to ensure security on land and sea while combating piracy. Athens retained the islands of Lemnos, Imbros, Skyros, and Euboea. Agreeing with Philip, Athens left its ally Phocis to the mercy of fate, which was soon forced to capitulate.

By this time, two political groups had clearly emerged in Athens, usually referred to as the pro-Macedonian and anti-Macedonian “parties.” The differences between them concerned both foreign policy issues and attitudes towards the democratic institutions of Athens, but since the threat from Macedonia was a terrible everyday reality, this issue came first and was given. The recognized head of the anti-Macedonian policy was the orator Demosthenes. Among the supporters of an alliance with Macedonia and even subordination to it were not only figures bribed by Philip (although there were many of them). Many of them (primarily Aeschines, Isocrates) were convinced that only the unification of the Greek states under the auspices of a strong ruler would put an end to internal strife, internecine wars and restore the conditions of a peaceful and safe existence. Having lived a long, almost century-long life, Isocrates, in his numerous political works, written in the form of speeches, constantly advocates for the unity of Greece and is looking for a force capable of achieving this. At first, he pinned his hopes on Athens, then on Sparta, and only after becoming convinced of the inability of any Greek polis that had achieved hegemony to refrain from violence and abuse and maintain power, he turned his gaze towards Philip.

Representatives of the pro-Macedonian group expressed the interests of the propertied slave-owning elite, who feared for their wealth, were burdened by the burden placed on them by a democratic state, and considered it unfair that political leadership was entrusted to people who could not provide for themselves and sought to live through public activities. Not daring to openly oppose the democratic order as a whole, they criticized only obvious shortcomings, explaining with them all the difficulties and foreign policy failures. As Macedonia's successes progressed, their position strengthened. They promised a solution to all problems if the united forces of the Greeks under the auspices of Macedonia carried out conquest to the East. Isocrates wrote: “The peasantry in need of land... will receive vast expanses of land, the vagabonds, instead of tormenting Hellas, will find use for their activities in Asia... Victory will give prosperity to those who remain at home (i.e., businessmen), and rich spoils for the soldiers."

The anti-Macedonian group understood that the victory of Macedonia would bring the collapse of the democratic system of government, in which wide sections of the population were interested not only in Athens, but also in other policies of Greece. Representatives of the trading and monetary circles of Greece were also opposed to Macedonia, whose interests were infringed by Philip’s claims to control the most important trade routes and his seizure of Thracian gold and silver deposits.

Philip, who kept agents in the Greek policies, was well aware of what was happening there, and skillfully used the struggle of various groups and figures for his own purposes. Mutual attacks by political leaders, accusations of mistakes, of using their position to harm the interests of the state as a whole, exposing each other in immoral behavior, noisy trials - all these features characteristic of the political life of that period undermined democracy from within and prevented the implementation of consistent, targeted politics. While the Greek city-states were busy with internal strife and internecine struggle, Macedonia steadily moved towards its goal.

In 339 BC. The IV Holy War broke out - again due to accusations of sacrilege. By this time, the agreement concluded between Athens and Philip in 346 BC was terminated. world. Attempts by Athens to consolidate its position in Thracian Chersonesus aroused active opposition from Philip. Having failed in his attempt to take Byzantium by siege, Philip willingly answers the call to lead the Holy War against Amfissa. Taking advantage of this, he occupied Elathoi, a key position at Thermopylae on the way to Central Greece. The news of this shocked Athens. It was clear that Philip would not stop here, that the fate of all Greece was at stake. Demosthenes developed feverish activity, managing to persuade the Athenians and Thebans to forget their long-standing enmity and join forces to save Hellas. They were joined by Corinth, Megara, Euboea and some other cities. Sparta remained on the sidelines.

In 338 BC. A decisive battle took place near the city of Chaeronea in Boeotia. The Greek army was defeated. A terrible panic gripped the Athenians. They expected the invasion of the Macedonian army any minute. The speaker Hyperides proposed taking extreme measures - giving freedom to slaves, civil rights to metics, returning exiles and thereby replenishing the ranks of those capable of fighting. This proposal was initially accepted, but then rejected. However, Philip did not go to Athens. He needed the Athenian fleet to carry out his further plans. In addition, it would be too disadvantageous for a contender for dominance in Hellas to destroy or even massacre its most glorious city. Having severely punished Thebes, his former ally, for their treachery towards Macedonia, Philip not only spared Athens, but concluded a new peace with them on very moderate terms. Athens retained its possession of Salamis, Delos, Samos, Lemnos, Imbros, and received the city of Oropus on the border with Boeotia. But they had to abandon Chersonese of Thracia in favor of Philip. Philip returned the Athenians captured at Chaeronea without ransom. In gratitude for their generosity, Philip and his son Alexander, who commanded the left flank of the Macedonian army at Chaerineum and first showed his leadership abilities there, received civil rights in Athens. A statue was erected to Philip.

In 337 BC. A congress was convened in Corinth and a pan-Greek union was created. The Union Council (Sanhedrin) was to meet in Corinth. Philip tried to give the union the appearance of a patriotic endeavor of the Greeks uniting to fight against their ancient enemy - Persia. In Greece, universal peace, security of trade and navigation were declared, internecine wars, internal coups, illegal executions, confiscation of property, cancellation of debts, and mass liberation of slaves for the purpose of using them for coups were prohibited. Philip was appointed commander-in-chief of the allied army. None of the Greeks had the right to fight in the army opposing Philip, or to help such an army.

The Battle of Chaeronea and the subsequent Corinthian Congress brought an end to an entire period in the history of Greece. From now on, Macedonia became the ruler of the Balkan Peninsula. The proclaimed autonomy of the Greek city-states was a fiction.

Macedonia was in control everywhere, directly or through its proteges. The ban on internal coups satisfied the aspirations of those circles in Greece who saw Macedonia as a defender of their fortunes. The upcoming campaign against Persia promised the resolution of a number of economic and social problems. But it was no longer Philip who had the chance to implement it, but his successor Alexander.

Literature:

Gluskina L.M. Pre-Hellenism in the West: Greece and Macedonia in the 4th century. BC/History Ancient world. The Rise of Ancient Societies. - M.-Knowledge, 1983 - p. 230-256

Macedonia in the V - first half of the IV century. BC uh

Macedonia occupied a vast territory in the northwestern part of the Aegean Basin, north of Thessaly and southwest of Thrace.

At the beginning of the 5th century. BC e. The development of Macedonian society and state took place in close cooperation with the Greek city-states. The history of Macedonia is an organic part of the history of Balkan Greece.

The influential and wealthy Macedonian nobility lived in ancestral villages, controlled vast land holdings, had significant material resources, formed the inner circle of the Macedonian king, his council, and were called hetaira (“comrades”) of the king, which emphasized their high social position. The king was elected by hetaira from members of some noble family. From the 6th century BC e. kings were elected from the Argead family. Ruled in their regions as independent princes, the aristocrats limited the power of the Macedonian king, who at the beginning of the 5th century. BC e. was largely nominal in nature.

Great influence on the development of Macedonian society and state in the 5th century. BC e. were rendered by the Greek city-states, with which the Macedonian kings entered into various relations. During the Greco-Persian Wars, Macedonia found itself at the epicenter of many military events. During the invasion of Mardonius and Xerxes, the Macedonian king Alexander I (498–454 BC), not having the strength to resist Persian power, was forced to recognize the power of the Persian king and provide him with troops and food. After the defeat of the Persians, Alexander pursued a policy of rapprochement with Greek cities and promoted the spread of Greek culture in Macedonia, for which he received the nickname “Philhellene.” Establishing close ties with the Greek world was part of Alexander's broader policy of economic development, the country and its centralization, strengthening royal authority. He successfully waged wars with the independent princes of mountainous Macedonia, trying to subjugate them to his power. Understanding the importance of maritime trade for the economic life of Macedonia, Alexander I began to fight the Greek colonies on the Chalkis Peninsula, which blocked Macedonia's access to the sea.

The far-sighted policy of economic strengthening and centralization of the state was continued by the successors of Alexander I. King Archelaus (419–399 BC) pursued it especially persistently and firmly

Archelaus founded a new capital, Pella, located not far from the sea in a flat area, moving his residence closer to the economically strong areas of the state. The Macedonian king took advantage of the difficult situation of Athens in the last period of the Peloponnesian War, concluded an alliance with them and obtained from Athens recognition of some of his conquests in Chalkidiki and Northern Thessaly. After the murder of Archelaus, other Macedonian kings continued his policy. King Philip II, an outstanding politician, diplomat and commander, played a particularly important role in strengthening Macedonia.

Rise of Macedonia under Philip II (359–336 BC)

Philip II completed the policy of his predecessors to strengthen Macedonia and centralize it government controlled. That is why ancient tradition ascribes to Philip II the carrying out of a whole series of various reforms, after which Macedonia turned into one of the strongest states not only in the Greek world, but also became a rival of the world Persian power. First of all Philip II contributed to the economic strengthening of Macedonia. He appreciated the economic importance of urban centers and began to found new cities in Macedonia, resettling rural population from tribal villages. Having huge reserves of gold and silver coins, the Macedonian king could actively intervene in trade operations both in the Aegean world, the Black Sea region, and throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. Due to the need to build a large fleet, the extraction of ship timber, resin, and tar increased, and shipbuilding became a thriving industry.

The transformations of Philip II in the military affairs of Macedonia were especially great. Philip II lived for several years in Greece, in Thebes, and knew well both the advantages and disadvantages of the Greek military organization. Instead of the disorganized and poorly trained Greek militia of hoplites, collected from time to time, or capricious mercenaries, Philip II recruited his army from free Macedonian farmers, recruited from territorial districts for several years, during which they underwent a special course of training.

In the Macedonian army, heavily armed cavalry has long played one of the most important roles; the Macedonian nobility - the hetaira - served in it. Philip not only preserved, but also strengthened the importance of cavalry, which from purely auxiliary units in the Greek armies turned into a special branch of troops, capable of not only interacting with the phalanx, but also solving independent tasks. Philip II began building his own fleet, but the Macedonian fleet, not having rich traditions, was inferior in its combat qualities to the Greek fleets and performed only auxiliary tasks.

Philip also reorganized government administration. First of all, the system of semi-independent principalities was destroyed. Most of the Macedonian aristocracy was summoned to the court and formed the king's court staff, subject to his will. By distributing government and military positions to aristocrats, the tsar thereby made them dependent on the central government. The composition of the Macedonian aristocracy was expanded by new talented unborn people, who owed their promotion to the king. All these measures contributed to the centralization of government and the growth of royal power.

As a result of the reforms carried out in Macedonia in the middle of the 4th century. BC e. turned into the strongest state on the Balkan Peninsula and began actively interfering in the relations of Greek city-states, while pursuing its own goals.

Macedonia in the V-IV centuries BC. e.

Definition 1

The kings in Macedonia were elected by hetaira (comrades) - this is the name given to the king’s inner circle from aristocratic families.

Strengthening Macedonia under King Philip II

The period of strife in the country was ended by King Philip II (359–336 BC). He carried out reforms to strengthen state power and strengthen Macedonia. Philip II began with economic reforms.

He built cities and resettled residents of tribal villages in them. These cities (for example, Philippi) became strategically important military centers.
He increased iron ore production and rearmed the army.
He accelerated the development of the captured Pangean mines, received almost a thousand talents of gold a year and began minting his own coins.
He achieved prosperity in shipbuilding, increasing the production of ship timber, tar and resin.

Philip II spent several years in Thebes, so he knew well about the shortcomings and advantages of the Greek army. He decided to combine the advantages of the Greek and Macedonian army organization.

The army of Philip II was formed from free landowners, and did not consist of militia or mercenaries. The soldiers underwent military training for several years.
Philip II divided the single Greek phalanx into several detachments located not far from each other. This protected the flanks, increased the maneuverability of the heavily armed infantry and enhanced its striking power.
Philip II turned the heavily armed cavalry from the hetairas into a separate type of troops that could perform independent tasks.

The result of the military reform was the transformation of the Macedonian army into one of the strongest armies in the world. Macedonia could now claim primacy in the Greek world and compete with the Persian power.

Establishment of Macedonian hegemony in Greece

Philip II was a far-sighted politician. He first strengthened his northern borders, then entered the Holy War as defender of the Temple of Apollo.

Note 1

In 338 BC. e. near the city of Chaeronea a battle took place between the Greeks and Macedonians. The Greeks were defeated. The following year, Philip II convened a pan-Greek congress in Corinth. At the congress it was decided to create the Hellenic Union, which legislated the hegemony of Macedonia over Greece. Instead of fragmented city-states, a strong unification of the Greeks appeared.

Congress decided to start a war against the Persian kingdom. Philip II sent his army to Asia Minor, but was himself killed. His son Alexander became king and successor.