Greek Lecture 12

Know dates

431-404 Peloponnesian War

Phase 1 431-421 The archidamian war

Phase 2 Peace of Nicias 421-413

Phase 3 Ionian War 412-404

The Fallings of Empire

First Sparta, then Thebes, and even Athens try to gain hegemony

Persia+Powerbroker

Easy come easy go alliances

Warfare becomes more specialized

Full time elite units at Thebes and in League of Arcadian cities

New Athenian Sea League (377)

To the north the sleeping giant of Macedonia stirs

Sparta as Imperial Power 404-387

404 Sparta defeats Athens with Persian money

Spartan rule harsh

399 Sparta at war with Persia

395-387 Corinthian War

Athens Thebes and Corinth join Persia vs Sparta

387 King’s peace

Fall of Sparta and Thebes, Rise of Macedon

377 Athens found Second Sea League

371 Thebes defeats Sparta at Leuctra

370 Epaminondas invades Laconia and frees Messenia

362 Battle of Mantinea causes death of Emaninondas

350 Phillip II becomes king of Macedon

356 Birth of Alexsander-

Macedon

No polises

Powerful noble class

Farmers/pastoralist

Macedon rich in gold, silver, timber, and manpower

Vulnerable border

Imitated Greek culture

Phillip II and Macedonian monarchy

King absolute but also first among equals

Institutionally weak

Only 2 kings prior to Philip died of natural causes

Tension with Athens over control of coastal citites

Constant threats from barbarian neighbors

In 360 Philip’s older brother killed in battle with 4000 troops

Philip takes throne as Athenians, Illyrians among others were set to invade

Philip’s military reforms

Developed seige warfare, torsion catapults and corps of engineers

Specially trained light rmed troops for scouting and skirmishing

New equipment for heavy infantry

Enormous spear up to 18 feet

Small shield hung around neck

Used cavalry as striking arm

Set up a second elite corps of Foot Companions

Philip solidifies hold on throne

Uses diplomacy to persuade Athens and Thrace to back off

Smashed Illyrians and other invaders

Alliance via marriage wit Molossians

Grabs Greek cities in SW Thrace

Controls Macedonian barons

Became power in Greek world by intervening in dispute between Thessalian cities

Then takes sides in dispute between Phocis and Thebes

Philip becomes master of Greece

353 Philip elected archon of Thessalian cities

Athenians worried about route to Black Sea but do nothing

Demosthenes, Arthenian orator tries but fails to rouse Athens to action

Philip exploits Greek rivalries

Demosthenes patches together Greek alliance

Philip defeats Greek army in 338 in Boetia at the town of Charioneia

Philip and Persia

After Chaeronea Philip deals harshly with Thebes but gently with Athens

League of Corinth invades Persia

Greek cities of Ionia in Persian hands since 387 BC

336 Philip sent advance force across to Asia to secure toehold

336 Philip assassinated by bodyguard at wedding of daughter while in procession in theater at Aegae

Alexander acclaimed king by army