Hegemon: Philip of Macedonia

The Wars With Byzantion and Scythians

by Thomas K. Sundell

The events in Epeiros interrupted the Makedonian campaign in Thrakios. Philippos returned to that war, carrying the fighting far inland along the upper reaches of the Hebros River.

After seizing control of the great plain north of the Rhodope mountains through a series of combats and by establishing a string of forts, the king continued his campaign, reaching the Euxine Sea (Black Sea) coast and entering into alliance with the Hellenic coastal cities. The Getae garrison at Odessos withdrew rather than fight the Makedones, and Philippos allied with the Getae king, Kothelas (341 BC).

While Philippos attended to Thrakios, Demosthenes and the Athenian war faction worked to organize resistance to the king. In 341, they persuaded the assembly to send embassies to Athenai's former allies, Byzantion, Rhodos, and Khios. Envoys were also sent to Persia, whose Great King Artaxerxes Ochos had revived the empire's power by reconquering Phoenicia, Egypt, and Western Anatolia.

On Euboia, Kallias was able to expel the pro-Makedones, with the aid of Athenian and Megaran forces. Kallias was thanked by the Athenian assembly and made an honorary citizen.

Philippos' successes in Thrakios alarmed the city of Byzantion, on the Propontis. This city was the leading power on the Euxine Sea. Their fleet even enforced dues from Athenai for the grain ships passing through the Propontis. The Byzantines heeded the Athenian envoys. Byzantion was willing to make a stand against Philippos, provided its allies Perinthos, Selymbria, Khios, Rhodos, and Athenai offered support.

Already there was war in the Kersonesos between the city of Kardia and the Athenian settlers. Philippos marched into the Khersonesos, with his fleet paralleling him offshore (summer, 340 BC) and relieved Kardia. Then he advanced further, causing no harm but demonstrating his power. He dispatched a letter to Athenai, putting forth his case, offering arbitration, but cautioning that he would defend himself against attacks.

Without waiting for a reply from Athenai, Philippos launched an attack on the city of Perinthos. In reality, Philippos needed the straits under his control if he wanted to invade the Persian Empire. Further, a hostile Byzantion and Khersonesos could threaten the security of the conquered Thrakios.

Suffering heavy losses, Perinthos appealed to its allies, especially Byzantion. Initially, the Byzantines held back, fearful that the attack was a diversion. Eventually, they send men, catapults, and missiles. Diopeithes having died, the Athenian commander in the region was Chares. He supported Perinthos, high on its rocky peninsula, with his fleet. The Great King Aretaxerxes ordered the western satraps to send help, and a mercenary force dispatched by Arsites of Phrygia gained the besieged city, with food, money, and more arrows.

Unable to cut Perinthos off from the sea, Philippos attempted to succeed by assaults. Finally recognizing the futility, the king left a force under Parmenion to mask the city while he marched against Byzantion and Selymbria.

The king experienced the same failures before Byzantion and Selymbria, for the same reason. The Byzantine, Athenian, Rbothan and allied fleets controlled the sea. Yet for all their power, Philippos'war fleet scored a victory by seizing the Athenian grain fleet of 230 ships. The king released 50 ships so the Athenians wouldrA starve, but used the grain from the remaining ships to feed his army.

The Byzantines bottled up the Makedones fleet in the Euxine Sea. A second Athenian fleet, under Phokion, arrived. Demosthenes, who had been elected to head the navy, sent this fleet.

Finally, the king abandoned all three sieges (spring, 339 BC). By allowing a letter to fall into Athenian hands that detailed revolts in Thrakios, and by entering into lengthy negotiations for peace with Byzantion, Philippos lulled his opponents. Once they relaxed their security, he ordered his fleet to sail through the strait and make for home. The Makedones succeed in escaping.

Clearly Philippos had failed and his prestige suffered. In his rear, some of the Thrake tribes rose in revolt. Antipatros and Parmemon put down the revolt among the Tetrakhoritai. Notably, Prince Alkexandros defeated the Maidoi, who controlled a portion of the upper Strymon River valley. In his first campaign, at age 16, Alexandros already proved his ability. He also founded his first city~ Alexandropolis.

While the Athenians and Byzantines could well celebrate their victory, astute observers in both cities recognized that the Makedones had simultaneously conducted three significant sieges, put down revolts in several areas of Thrakios, and maintained the security of their kingdom. No other Hellenic state could have done the same.

Against the Scythians

Earlier in 340, Atheas, King of the Scythians, had appealed to Philippos for help against the Istri or Histriani. Philippos' ally, the city of Apollonia on the Euxine, acted as intermediary. A Makedones force was dispatched but was unneeded on arrival, because the Istri king had died. Atheas was rude in dismissing the Makedones, and refused any pay or provider for their march. Even more important, the Scythians could trouble the Getae and upper Thrakios.

The war with Byzantion ending, Philippos reacted to Atheas by informing the Scythian that he vowed to his ancestor Herakles to dedicate a statue to him at the mouth of the River Istros (Danube) and requesting safe passage to the site for his army. King Atheas, as expected, refused, and went on to offer to set up the statue himself but to state if Philippos erected it, the Skythians would melt it down to make arrowheads.

In early spring (339 BC), Philippos led his army west then north to Atheas' lands (Dobruja region of Rumania). In the* battle that followed, Atheas was killed after Philippos broke the circling Scythians with his horsemen. The Scythians were driven across the Istros River. The Makedones rounded up some 20,000 women and children and a like number of mares. Philippos granted the lands to the Getae and Istri.

From Dobruja, Philippos marched up valley through the Getae homeland, then turned toward home via the territory of the Triballoi. He demanded free passage through the Triballoi lands and they, in turn, demanded a share of the Makedones' plunder.

The Triballoi were a tribal group noted for their fierce raiding parties that in the past reached as far as Makedonis. Granting free passage without receiving payment would have seemed an acknowledgment of Makedones superiority.

In a running battle, Philippos was wounded in the thigh. The blow killed his horse. His men broke free of the Triballoi but the Scythian horse herd was lost. The army returned intact to Pella (autumn, 339 BC).

It took three months for the king to recover; though his leg remained permanently crippled. Rumors of his wound and possible demise had circulated through the Hellenic world. Having lost an eye during the siege of Methone near the outset of his reign (356 BC), and now having twice suffered severe wounds to his leg, one might have expected the king to leave the direct fighting to his generals and men. That was not his way, nor what his men expected of their king. He worked hard to restore his physical ability to lead his army in battle.

Hegemon: Philip of Macedonia

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