FREE MACEDONIA AND THE MACEDONIANS: A HISTORY PDF Andrew Rossos | 392 pages | 01 Jul 2008 | Hoover Institution Press,U.S. | 9780817948825 | English | Stanford, United States History of Macedonia (ancient kingdom) - Wikipedia The kingdom of Macedonia was an ancient state in what is now the Macedonian region of northern Greecefounded in the mid-7th century BC during the period of Archaic Greece and lasting until the mid-2nd century BC. Led first by the Argead dynasty of kings, Macedonia became a vassal state of the Achaemenid Empire of ancient Persia during the reigns of Amyntas I of Macedon r. The period of Achaemenid Macedonia came to an end in roughly BC with the ultimate Greek victory against the second Persian invasion of Greece led by Xerxes I and the withdrawal of Persian forces from the European mainland. His reign was also marked by conflict and temporary alliances with the Thracian ruler Sitalces of the Odrysian Kingdom. He eventually made peace with Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History, which formed an alliance with Macedonia that carried over into the reign of Archelaus I of Macedon r. His reign brought peace, stability, and financial security to the Macedonian realmyet his little-understood assassination perhaps by a royal page left the kingdom in peril and conflict. Alexander II r. With the use of skillful diplomacy, Philip II was able to make peace Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History the IllyriansThraciansPaeoniansand Athenians who threatened his borders. This allowed him time to dramatically reform the Ancient Macedonian armyestablishing the Macedonian phalanx that would prove crucial to his kingdom's success in subduing Greece, with the exception of Sparta. He gradually enhanced his political Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History by forming marriage alliances with foreign powers, destroying the Chalcidian League in the Olynthian War — BCand becoming an elected member of the Thessalian and Amphictyonic Leagues for his role in defeating Phocis in the Third Sacred War — BC. After the Macedonian victory over a coalition led by Athens and Thebes at the BC Battle of ChaeroneaPhilip established the League of Corinth and was elected as its hegemon in anticipation of commanding a united Greek invasion of the Achaemenid Empire under Macedonian hegemony. This pretender to the throne was eventually executed by Alexander, yet the latter eventually succumbed to an unknown illness at the age of 32, whose death led to the Partition of Babylon by his former generals, the diadochichief among them being Antipaterregent of Alexander IV of Macedon r. This event ushered in the Hellenistic period in West Asia and the Mediterranean worldleading to the formation of Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History PtolemaicSeleucidand Attalid successor kingdoms in the former territories of Alexander's empire. Macedonia continued its role as the dominant state of Hellenistic Greeceyet its authority became diminished due to civil wars between the Antipatrid and nascent Antigonid dynasty. However, the rebellion of Aratus of Sicyon in BC led to the formation of the Achaean Leaguewhich proved to be a perennial problem for the ambitions of the Macedonian kings in mainland Greece. Although Philip Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History of Macedon r. Macedonia was forced to relinquish its holdings in Greece outside of Macedonia proper, while the Third Macedonian War — BC succeeded in toppling the monarchy altogether, after which Rome placed Perseus of Macedon r. In an attempt to dissuade rebellion in Macedonia, Rome imposed stringent constitutions in these states that limited their economic growth Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History interactivity. However, Andriscusa pretender to the throne claiming descent from the Antigonids, briefly revived the Macedonian Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History during the Fourth Macedonian War — BC. His forces were crushed at the second Battle of Pydna by the Roman general Quintus Caecilius Metellus Macedonicusleading to the establishment of the Roman province of Macedonia and the initial period of Roman Greece. The Greek historians Herodotus and Thucydides reported the legend that the Macedonian kings of the Argead dynasty were descendants of Temenus of ArgosPeloponnese, who was believed to have had the mythical Heracles as one of his ancestors. The latter eventually obtained the title after settling near the alleged gardens of Midas next to Mount Bermius in Lower Macedonia. Very little is known about the first five kings of Macedonia or the first eight kings depending on which royal chronology is accepted. The kingdom was situated in the fertile alluvial plain, watered by the rivers Haliacmon and Axiuscalled Lower Macedonia, north of Mount Olympus. Around the time of Alexander I, the Argead Macedonians started to expand into Upper Macedonia, lands inhabited by independent Greek tribes like the Lyncestae and the Elimiotaeand to the west, beyond the Axius river, into the EmathiaEordaiaBottiaeaMygdoniaCrestonia and Almopia ; regions settled by, among others, many Thracian tribes. After Darius I of Persia r. The Macedonian kingdom was largely autonomous and outside of Persian control, but was expected to provide troops and provisions for the Achaemenid army. Alexander I, who Herodotus claimed was entitled proxenos and euergetes 'benefactor' by the Athenians, cultivated a close relationship with the Greeks following the Persian defeat and withdrawal, sponsoring the erection of statues at both major panhellenic sanctuaries at Delphi and Olympia. War broke out in BC when Athens, perhaps seeking additional cavalry and resources in anticipation of the Peloponnesian War — BCallied with a brother and cousin of Perdiccas II who were in open rebellion against him. In BC, Perdiccas began to play a prominent role in the Peloponnesian War by aiding the Spartan general Brasidas in convincing Athenian allies in Thrace to defect and ally with Sparta. Perdiccas II was obliged to send aid to the Athenian general Cleonbut he and Brasidas died in BC, and the Peace of Nicias struck in the following year between Athens and Sparta nullified the Macedonian king's responsibilities as an erstwhile Athenian ally. Archelaus I maintained good relations with Athens throughout his reign, relying on Athens to provide naval support in his BC siege of Pydna, and in exchange providing Athens with timber and naval equipment. Historical sources offer wildly different and confused accounts as to who assassinated Archelaus I, although it likely involved a homosexual love affair with royal pages at his court. The Greek historian Diodorus Siculus provided a seemingly conflicting account about Illyrian invasions occurring in BC and BC, which may have been representative of a single invasion led by Bardylis of the Dardani. Philip II of Macedon r. The exact date in which Philip II initiated reforms to radically transform the Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History army 's organization, equipment, and training is unknown, including Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History formation of the Macedonian phalanx armed with long pikes i. The reforms took place over a period of several years and proved immediately successful against his Illyrian and Paeonian enemies. It is perhaps more likely that his years of captivity in Thebes during the Theban hegemony influenced his ideas, especially after meeting with the renowned general Epaminondas. Although Macedonia and the rest of Greece traditionally practiced monogamy in marriage, Philip II divulged in the ' barbarian ' practice of polygamymarrying seven different wives with perhaps only one that didn't involve the loyalty of his aristocratic subjects or the affirmation of a new alliance. This marriage would bear a son who would later rule as Alexander III better known as Alexander the Great and claim descent from the legendary Achilles by way of his dynastic heritage from Epirus. The conflict began when Phocis captured and plundered the temple of Apollo at Delphi as a response to Thebes' demand that they submit unpaid fines, causing the Amphictyonic League to declare war on Phocis and a civil war among the members of the Thessalian League aligned with either Phocis or Thebes. For the next few years Philip II was occupied with reorganizing the administrative system of Thessaly, campaigning against the Illyrian ruler Pleuratus Ideposing Arybbas in Epirus in favor of his brother-in-law Alexander I through Philip II's marriage with Olympiasand defeating Cersebleptes in Thrace. This allowed him to extend Macedonian control over the Hellespont in anticipation of an invasion into Achaemenid Asia. After the Macedonian victory at Chaeronea, Philip II imposed harsh conditions on Thebes, installing an oligarchy there, yet was lenient to Athens due to his desire to utilize their navy in a planned invasion of the Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History Empire. After his election by the League of Corinth as their commander-in-chief strategos autokrator of a forthcoming Macedonia and the Macedonians: A History to invade the Achaemenid Empire, Philip II sought to shore up further Macedonian support by marrying Cleopatra Eurydiceniece of general Attalus. When Alexander intervened and proposed to marry Ada instead, Philip cancelled the wedding arrangements altogether and exiled Alexander's advisors PtolemyNearchusand Harpalus. Before Philip II was assassinated in the summer of BC, relations with his son Alexander had degenerated to the point where he excluded him entirely from his planned invasion of Asia, choosing