Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)
Article
July 3, 2022
The Battle of Chaeronea (August 2, 338 BC) is a battle in Greece near Chaeronea in Boeotia, during which the Macedonian king Philip II defeated the united army of the Greek city-states. The battle took place between comparable forces of opponents. The Greeks had a number of advantages - on the swampy plain, the actions of the Macedonian phalanx and cavalry were difficult. Greek strategists assumed that the outcome of the battle would be decided in a head-on collision. In the event of a defeat, they could retreat through a narrow gorge and save most of their army. Thanks to several maneuvers of Philip II and the decisive actions of his son Alexander, the Macedonians were able to utterly defeat the allied forces of the Greeks. The Battle of Chaeronea was of great importance both for Philip II, his son Alexander, and for all of Greece. After the battle won, Philip was able to subjugate almost all of Greece under his hegemony. The young prince gained a reputation as a successful commander and strengthened his position in Macedonia. The ancient Greek policies lost their independence, which became one of the factors that ended the era of classical Greece.