Hegemon: Philip of Macedonia

Making the Peace

by Thomas K. Sundell

The Athenians rallied at Lebadeia and began a fast march home. They must reach the city before the Makedones and ready her for defense. Fast runners were sent ahead to warn the citizens.

The populous city was determined to resist. Demosthenes and other orators created frenzy. The surviving defeated general Lysikles was condemned to death. Charidemos was appointed to command. Decrees were promulgated to evacuate the Attikan countryside, arm all citizens age 60 and younger, reinstate the disenfranchised, grant citizenship to the resident aliens, free and arm the able male slaves, prohibit departure from the city, seek help from the Akre states, Troezen and Epidauros, and from the Aegean islands. Demosthenes was appointed grain commissioner, and sailed away to secure supplies.

Into this scene came Demades, freed by Philippos, to announce that the king will free all the Athenian prisoners without ransom and is seeking essentially the same conditions as existed under the Peace of Philokrates. Philippos cremated the Athenian dead and returned their ashes, an act of honor. Philippos did not seek to change Athenai's constitution or to impose a garrison. The Athenian settlers in the Khersonesos were to return home, but settlers in the islands may stay. Athenai was to remain a maritime power, although her naval alliance was dissolved.

The city and Philippos exchanged envoys: Alexandros, Antipatros, and Alkimakhos rode into Athenai; Aischines, Demades, and Phokion went to Philippos. The assembly made Philippos and Alexandros honorary citizens, and a statue of the king was raised in the agora (marketplace). Phokion replaced the hardline Charidemos as commander.

Demosthenes returned in time to deliver the funeral oration of the Athenian dead. He was not persecuted.

For Thebai, the situation differed. Philippos considered the Thebans as allies who betrayed him. Thebai no longer was represented on the Amphiktyonic Council, their seats given to other Boiotian cities. Her prisoners were ransomed off, even their dead. The existing leaders were executed or banished. Exiles from the various Boiotian cities were recalled, and the cities of Orchomenos, Thespiai, and Plataia were rebuilt. A council of 300 was established to rule Thebai, and a Makedones garrison was placed in the Kadmeia. The city of Oropos was given to Athenai. The Boiotian League was again a federal body.

The Epiknemidian Lokrians retained Nikaia. Phokis was restored, though not readmitted to the Amphiktyony. In Akarnanial the pro-Makedones came to power and exiled their opponents. In time, the same thing occurred in Leukas, Kerkyra, and Kephallenia. A Makedones garrison was imposed on Ambrakia. Kallias of Khalkis found refuge in Athenai, and the Euboian League became pro-Makedones.

Philippos led his army south, across the isthmus to the Peloponnesos (October or November, 338 BC). Like Athenai, Korinthos and Megara had initially readied themselves for defense. But they negotiated surrenders to the king. Pro-Makedones governments were formed in both, and a Makedones garrison was installed at Korinthos.

He marched to his ally, Argos, putative home of his ancestors. There he demanded that the Spartans surrender lands they disputed with Argos. The Spartans refused and the king promptly invaded Lakonia. The king made no effort to attack Sparte itself. The Argives and Eleians joined in the invasion. The Argives, Arkadians, and Messenians all received lands, furthering weakening the Spartans.

In the winter (338/337 BC), back in Korinthos, delegates from all the Hellenic states, except Sparte, gathered. A Koine Eirene (Common Peace) was established, with a federal body composed of representatives from the states proportioned by the states' respective military capacity. The new body was given authority to adjudicate disputes and disturbances. If a breach of the peace occurred, the representatives would elect a hegemon to levy forces to enforce their rulings.

At a second meeting in the spring, Philippos was elected Hegemon. And the Hellenic states declared war on Persia for offenses perpetrated 150 years earlier against Hellenic temples. Philippos was now ready to invade the Persian lands in Anatolia.

Tom Sundell is also the author of "A Bloodline of Kings", a historical novel of Philip of Macedon's rise to power. In the words of Bernard Cornwell, author of the Sharpe series and Stonehenge, "Anyone who likes historical novels must enjoy A Bloodline of Kings and anyone who likes good writing will love it." Available from Crow Woods Publishing (http://mywebpage.netscape.com/crowwoodsl) December 2001, at $28.50 plus shipping and, in IL, taxes.

Bibliography

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A History of the Greek City States 700-338 BC Raphael Sealey University of California Press Berkeley 1976

Philip and Macedonia

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    7 Farming and Fighting in Ancient Greece Lin Foxhall
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Warfare in Ancient Greece A Sourcebook Michael M. Sage Routledge London 1996
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Hegemon: Philip of Macedonia

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