Macedonia.
Macedonia lay north of greece. The macedoinians raised sheep and horses and grew crops in their river valleys. They were a warrior people who fought on horseback. The Greeks looked down on them, but by 400 b.c Macedonia had become a powerful kingdom.
a plan to win greece.
In 359 b.c. Phillip II rose to the throne in Macedonia. Phillip had lived in Greece as a young man. He admired everything about the Greeks. Although Macedonia was influenced by greek ideas, Phillip wanted to make his kingdom strong enought to defeat the mighty Persian Empire. In order to acheive this goal, Phillip needed to unite the Greek city-states with his own kingdom.
Demosthenes
During the fourth century, the Greek towns were even more divided than in the
fifth century, when the Peloponnesian League and Delian League had given some semblance of order
to the Greek world. During the Peloponnesian War (431-404), however, Persian
gold started to play a role and this was usually sufficient to ensure an
endless series of wars among the "Yaunâ". Meanwhile, Macedonia was united by king Philip II, gained strength, and after 346, it
was clearly the strongest power in Europe.
The Athenian
politician Aeschines
(c.390-c.315) tried to make the best of it. In his view, the best way to
protect Athenian independence was peaceful coexistence with Macedonia. A war
could not be won. With the benefit of hindsight, we know that this was the
correct reading of the signs of the times, but not everyone agreed. Aeschines'
main opponent was the orator Demosthenes, who proposed resistance to Macedonian
imperialism.
His father had been a producer of arms and died in 377, leaving the family
fortune to his six or seven year old son. His mother educated him, while
relatives and friends took care of the money. According to Demosthenes, they
actually stole it, and he therefore accused them as soon as he was old enough.
The guardians were convicted in what became a famous lawsuit. There's something
strange about the incident, however. Demosthenes had been taught speaking by a
man named Iasus; even if he did it for free, Demosthenes must have had
sufficient time to be with him, which can only mean that he was richer than he
wanted to admit, and this in turn can only mean that the guardians had not
embezzled a very great deal.
Demosthenes continued his studies in the school of
Isocrates, one of the greatest orators of the mid-fourth century. Stories about
a study at the Academy of Plato are probably later inventions.
fifth century, when the Peloponnesian League and Delian League had given some semblance of order
to the Greek world. During the Peloponnesian War (431-404), however, Persian
gold started to play a role and this was usually sufficient to ensure an
endless series of wars among the "Yaunâ". Meanwhile, Macedonia was united by king Philip II, gained strength, and after 346, it
was clearly the strongest power in Europe.
The Athenian
politician Aeschines
(c.390-c.315) tried to make the best of it. In his view, the best way to
protect Athenian independence was peaceful coexistence with Macedonia. A war
could not be won. With the benefit of hindsight, we know that this was the
correct reading of the signs of the times, but not everyone agreed. Aeschines'
main opponent was the orator Demosthenes, who proposed resistance to Macedonian
imperialism.
His father had been a producer of arms and died in 377, leaving the family
fortune to his six or seven year old son. His mother educated him, while
relatives and friends took care of the money. According to Demosthenes, they
actually stole it, and he therefore accused them as soon as he was old enough.
The guardians were convicted in what became a famous lawsuit. There's something
strange about the incident, however. Demosthenes had been taught speaking by a
man named Iasus; even if he did it for free, Demosthenes must have had
sufficient time to be with him, which can only mean that he was richer than he
wanted to admit, and this in turn can only mean that the guardians had not
embezzled a very great deal.
Demosthenes continued his studies in the school of
Isocrates, one of the greatest orators of the mid-fourth century. Stories about
a study at the Academy of Plato are probably later inventions.