Philip II, the Father of Alexander the Great: Themes and Issues

Description

Philip II was not only the father of Alexander the Great, but in many respects was also the father of his son’s incredible career. It was the father who unified Macedonia into the first European nation and who created the army with which his son conquered the Persian Empire and inaugurated the Hellenistic Age. This volume is not the standard biography, but rather an examination of the major controversies concerning his life and reign. How did Philip in roughly twenty years transform a divided territory and little more than a geographical conception into a national state? How did he change the very nature of ancient Western warfare? How did he transform this formerly exploited region into the master of the Greek world? Each chapter discusses one of the major academic controversies surrounding this transformative figure, bringing new clarity to the career of a man whose reputation has been so overshadowed by his illustrious son. Cover page Halftitle page Series page Title page Copyright page Dedication Contents Preface Map Abbreviations Philip II: A Chronology Philip the Great:1 An Introduction 1 Macedonia before Philip 2 Philip II and the New Model Army 3 Philip and the Creation of the Macedonian Nation 4 Philip II and the Safeguarding of Macedonia 5 The Creation of Macedonian Hegemony in the Wider World Appendix 1: Philip’s Ambitions Appendix 2: Philip a God? Appendix 3: The Death of a King Notes Bibliography Index