You are Philip II of Macedonia
You love Macedonia
• Macedonia is just North of Greece, it has
some pretty nasty terrain and a cold climate
but being from there you are very adapt to the
landscape and weather.
You and your people have always been looked
down upon by the Greeks.
Why?
What does Macedonia have?
• No great philosophers
• No great sculptors
• No great writers
• But one great king
– You, King Philip, a 23 year old, brilliant general and
ruthless politician.
Click on the picture of
Greece to check up on
the Greeks.
Check up on the Greeks
The Greeks have just finished having a war, the
Peloponnesian War. This war began in 431 BC.
The war appears to have weakened Sparta and
Athens, two Greek city-States.
Click on the
Spartan to look at
Sparta, click on the
ship to check out
Athens.
Sparta and the Peloponnesian War
• Sparta declared war on Athens
• Known for army
• Only obstacle: Wall around Athens
• In 421 BC, Spartans were tired of fighting,
signed truce.
Click on the Wall
to check out
Athens
Click on Army to
hear about
Greeks fighting
again.
Athens
• Famous Navy
– Judging from the map, why is having a good navy
a problem for Athens?
Athens and the War
• Sparta’s Army forced Athens to flee inside city
wall.
• Seven years Sparta could not get inside the
wall.
• How did Athens survive?
Athens, War, and a Plague?
• 430 BC Plague struck the city.
• 1/3 of population died
• Athenian Leader Pericles died
Why do you suppose a plague spread
throughout the city?
• Surrender in 421 BC
Click on Spartan, to see the
Spartans during the war.
Click on the white flag to see
what the Greeks did after
the war.
Greeks duke it out again
• 415 BC, Athens sent 20,000 soldiers to Sicily
– Destroy Syracuse, Sparta’s wealthiest ally.
• EPIC FAIL FOR ATHENS
– Everything is destroyed- soldiers die, ships
destroyed.
• Athens holds off Sparta for 9 years
• Forced to surrender empire.
King Philip, you are in a interesting
situation
• Reasons to attack the Greeks now?
• Reasons to attack the Greeks later?
• What should you do attack now, later, or
inspect your troops?
Later?
• The Greeks are so vulnerable and weak right
now. Your people demand that you take
attack them now.
• You must listen to your people! The last thing
you want is an uprising
• You must attack now or inspect your troops
and then attack.
Attack Now
• You learn that Athens has been warned that
you are coming, however, they are no match
for your much more superior army.
• Athens attempted to join forces with Thebes
but you crush them both. You take over
control of Greece in 338 BC.
• What does this mean for Greece now?
• If you have not yet
inspected your troops you
may want to check them
out.
• Or check out the battle
that defeated the Greeks;
the battle of Chaeronea.
Inspect the Troops
• You love your army, you have trained them to fight in a
unique manner, that is similar to the Greeks but
different enough that you can destroy them.
• Your army was once a group of untrained peasants,
however, you have trained them well enough to be a
war fighting machine.
• Your army features ground troops and cavalry.
• The army consists of phalanxes 16 men across and 16
men deep, with 18 foot long spears.
• Cavalry rides in once the phalanxes have broken
through enemy lines and scattered the enemy.
• Your phalanx! Continue onto the battle if you
haven’t.
• Figure out what to do after you have battled.
The Battle of Chaeronea
• The battle was won by you and your son
Alexander who commanded the Cavalry.
• Difficult to break through the Greek lines. Had
Cavalry retreat, Greeks rushed after, doing so
spreading out their line, allowing you to break
through the middle.
• Cavalry then turned around and jumped the
Greeks that had chased after, while you and your
phalanxes destroyed the remaining Greek Army.
What now?
• Philip, you have control of all Greece, a land
that is know for their great philosophers,
writers, architects, and soldiers.
• What are you going to do with this new
acquired land?
OH NO!!!
• At the wedding of your daughter in 336 BC
you are stabbed to death.
• Your son Alexander takes over your empire.
Alexander
• Alexander is young, only 20 years old.
Do you think he is ready to lead?
• You have trained your son well.
– He is educated in literature, geography, and
Science; taught by Aristotle
– He is a wonderful leader in battle.
• Sleeps with a copy of the Iliad each night.
First Act as King
• Thebes rebelled after your death.
• Alexander killed 6,000 Thebes, destroyed their
city, and sold the remaining people into
slavery.
• Good or bad for Alexander?
Learn More About Alexander
• Check out what Alexander did in India and in
Persia.