The Epic Father-Son Battle Phillip Ii Versus Alexander...

The Epic Father-Son Battle: Phillip II versus Alexander the Great Chris L. Word Count: 1595 During the times of ancient Greece, perhaps one of the most influential and known powers was Macedonia. Macedonia’s empire existed from the 800s BC to 146 BC and is principally known for the accomplishments of it’s leaders: Phillip II and his son, Alexander the Great. Phillip II worked internally in the regions near Greece strengthening his country, while Alexander operated very far from Greece, conquering much of the known world. Both of these leaders are two very different people, which makes them hard to compare, but a question arises; to what extent was Alexander greater than Phillip II? The purpose of this essay is to examine both leaders’†¦show more content†¦He quickly created alliances and subdued anyone who opposed him. He strengthened loyalties by taking various actions such as marrying Olympia and he conquered what he saw would be beneficial for his empire. For example, he conquered the Athenian colony of Amphipolis in Thrace (357 BC), which historians see as a key move as it gave him possession to the gold mines of Mount Pangaeus, which financed his empire and Alexander’s military later on. He also conquered Potidea in Chalidice, Pynda on the Thermaic Gulf and Crenides in Thrace. With all these places under his control, he earned a seat in the Delphic council. When Thebes and Athens rebelled against him in 338 BC, at the battle of Chaeronea, he defeated them, securing his rule and thus uniting the country. Unlike Alexander, Phillip started out threatened to lose control of his country, but then he united it and gained power. Overall this is a key move that distinguishes Phillip II from Alexander. The reason Alexander would be considered greater than Phillip II is because he was able to defeat the Persian Empire and then conquered most of the known world, which Phillip failed to achieve. Alexander truly had a profound impact on history as stated by Tomas R. Martin, an American historian: â€Å"Alexander is a legend, but he’s not a myth. He’s real. What he did – for better or for worse – shows in the starkest and most exciting terms the lack of