Macedonia and the countries of Greece
Athena sent Pukes to hand over Delphi to the AFC in order to end the crisis. Philip II asked Athena to send a military force involved in the war against "Phocis" , but Athens refused to send the force. Because of Athena's behavior, the Macedonian king sent his forces to "Phocis", attacked and seized them, captured her king, and exiled him to Crete until he died there. "Phocis" was handed over to the Holy Synod and issued sanctions against it, by converting it to a demilitarized zone and fining a large fine. For this reason, both Athens and Sparta allied against Macedonia, and were supported by Greek cities. Philip set out to remind Athena of peace, but the matter ended because of his interference in Greek affairs, and that he had previously obtained a seat in the Amphitheater Alliance. Athens began to launch an offensive campaign against him led by orator Demosthenes.
Philip II began to confront the Athena and Thebes alliance by making alms with "Megara" to stand neutral while in control of Greece. Then he imposed his authority on Thessaly, and divided it into four major provinces, at the head of which each Macedonian ruler. In 343 BC, the king was able to control Thrace, and in this way violated the peace of "Velocrates", where Thrace was subject to the second Athenian Empire. As for "Epirus", Philip sacked her king and appointed his wife's brother Olympias, king of "Epirus", due to the sympathy of the isolated king of "Epirus" with Athena.
In 340 BC, Philip was able to capture the islands of "Rhodes and Khios" (Eritrea). In 339 BC, he besieged the cities of "Perinthus" and Byzantium because of their refusal to participate in the war against Athens; in that campaign he participated with him His first son, Alexander, was sixteen years old, but Philip could not take them.
Philip Macedon and the unification of Greece against the Persians
Philip Macedon wanted to interfere in Greek affairs again, especially after his failure to control the cities of "Perthos" and Byzantium. The conditions were conducive to him with the emergence of Athena's position on the city of "Amphissa", which split from the "Amphicion" complex, due to the city's request to amend its borders with Delphi, and Delphi rejected this request, so the city split from the complex. The Synod asked Athens for help to subdue it but refused. The compound is nothing but Philip to be required to control the city, so Philip agreed to achieve his goal.
In 339 BC, the Macedonian army, consisting of thirty thousand infantry and two thousand cavalry, arrived at "Phocis", and established a military base there. Alexander joined his father in that battle. Philip II asked the city of Thebes to stand neutral, but she refused and made an alliance with Athena against Macedonia. Their alliance stipulates that Athens bear one-third of the war’s expenses, the leadership of the alliance will be good, Athens’s recognition of good sovereignty over the territory of "Butia", and its ceding of its right to claim the city of "Oropus", which is located in the territory of "Elateia", which is subject to Thebes. It is noteworthy that most of the countries of Greece stood neutral, led by" Sparta and Arcadia". But the clash became inevitable, due to Thebes alliance with "Amvisa" against Macedonia. So Philip began preparing for war, so he made a treaty with the Persians.
The Battle of Khayronieh
The Battle of Khayronje ended with the sending of Athena a delegation led by Eichenes to a peace treaty with Macedonia known as Salam Dimadis. The peace provides for the stationing of the Macedonian fleet in the Athenian territorial waters, and Athens ceding all its external possessions except Delos and Samos, and the absence of a Macedonian garrison within Athenian lands. The recognition of all the states of Greece, led by Macedonia, except for Sparta, which chose the policy of isolation and pride. As for Corinth, it accepted sending a Philip Macedonian garrison near its bay to secure the movement of Macedonian forces. After the peace contract, Philip II went to Olympia to celebrate the victory. (Phillippeion)
King Philip became the leader of Greece, and began inviting Greek cities for a general conference in Corinth. Greek states responded to the request for invocation except Sparta, and during the conference Philip II began discussing Greek cities by leaving their internal disputes, as he offered them a joint defense treaties between them and Macedonia, provided that the leadership is for Macedonia, that he takes over the general command of the allied forces, and that it be Corinth The headquarters of the council, and the representation of Greek cities in the council according to its military forces. The council was also decided to convene in any city of importance like Corinth. He also approved the formation of a five-member committee to oversee the alliance, and Macedonia would be a permanent member of that committee. The alliance agreed to impose sanctions on cities that violate the federation. The council approved the supply of Macedonia with any military forces in any war it fights. With this, Philip ensured Greece's entire loyalty to Macedonia. With this, King Philip took control of Greece, and laid the first step to eliminate the Persian Empire.
The death of King Philip II
King Philip II died at the age of forty-six. Philip is considered one of the greatest politicians of his time, because of the unification of the countries of Greece under his leadership, and laying the foundation of the Macedonian Empire, through his use to his own diplomacy, which is represented in his use of cunning and the political cunning that was characterized by it. And his use also of bribery weapon for Greek politicians. This is in addition to his use of the policy of appeasement with some Greek states while attacking other states. King Philip died after ruling Greece 24 years. King Philip's era ends after a long struggle and major battles, he got out of one of his eyes, paralyzed one of his arms and was shot in the leg, and he became addicted to drinking wine, and thus became ineligible to lead a major campaign against the Persian Empire. With the death of King Philip, an old era ends and a new era begins for Greece in particular, and the old world in general is the Hellenistic era.