The kingdom of ancient Macedonia is a State of the Balkan Peninsula , between the mid- ^seventh century BC. BC and 168 BC. AD.

With Alexander the Great , it is causing the expansion of Hellenism in Asia in the late ^fourth century BC. BC Its territory is today north-eastern Greece ( Greek Macedonia ).

Summary 1 History 1.1 Origins 1.2 The reign of Philip II: the submission of Greece 1.3 Alexander's conquest of East 1.4 The Antigonids 1.4.1 Antigonus 1.4.2 Demetrios I. Poliorcetes 1.4.3 Antigonus Gonatas Demetrius II 1.4.4 1.4.5 Antigone Doson 1.5 The defeat against Rome and Provincializing 2 Institutions 2.1 The king (emperor) and headquarters 2.1.1 Succession 2.1.2 Finance 2.2 The Assembly (ekklesia or Koine koinon Makedonn) 2.3 The Council (Synedrion) 2.4 The regional districts (Merida) 2.5 The Cities 3 The Army 4 Religion 5 See also 5.1 Articles Related 5.2 Bibliography 5.3 External Links

History

Origins

The reign of Philip II : the submission of Greece

In 359 BC. BC , Perdiccas III , king of Macedonia, died leaving as heir a toddler, Amyntas , who was proclaimed king, while the Regency and guardianship are assigned to Philip, brother of the deceased. From the beginning of his regency, he is faced with threatening neighbors, the Illyrians , the Paeonians and Thracians he will overcome fairly quickly. Philip thinks that Greece should be unified under the direction of Macedonia, to better resist his Persian enemies. In other states, some are favorable, others distrust it. The orator Demosthenes in Athens, gave a violent speech, "Philip", where he shows that Macedonia is simply trying to dominate Greece. By Philip at war against the Greeks united against him. He beats at Chaeronea, near Delphi in 338 BC. The Greeks then agree to enter into a common league sponsored by Philip then provided to attack Persia. But the day before departure, he was assassinated.

Alexander's conquest of East

Alexander, who was then eighteen years, resumed the project of his father. He does his little kingdom the ruler of the vast Achaemenid Persian empire, advances to the banks of the Indus and founded nearly seventy cities, most of which bears the name of Alexandria.

The legacy of Alexander, marked by an attempted merger of Eastern and Greek culture, was divided among his generals to form the various kingdoms and dynasties from the Hellenistic period.

The Antigonids

Antigonus

Demetrius ^I. Poliorcetes

Antigonus Gonatas

On the death of his father, Demetrios Poliorcetes when he only has a fleet and a few possessions in Greece, Antigonus II Gonatas made a first attempt to seize Macedonia: it is repelled by Sosthene and folds to Thrace. But after a resounding victory against a band of Galatians near Lysimacheia in 277 , he earns enough to win prestige as king of Macedonia, although weakened by two decades of civil war and looting. Rejecting Asian Political ambitious but also adventurous of his predecessors, he focuses on building the kingdom, now away from major conflicts. There is little in the Aegean and southern Greece that runs into the Ptolemaic power. Symbol of his return to tradition, he brings to the royal capital of Pella and Cassandreia Demetrias where she had been successively moved outside the historic heart of the kingdom.

The power of Antigonus Gonatas was threatened first by the king of Epirus, Pyrrhus returned to Italy in 275 to rebuild his army, Pyrrhus invaded Macedonia and Antigone must withdraw to the coast, in Thessaloniki, where the fleet anchored. Pyrrhus, however, soon alienated the Macedonians leaving his Galatian mercenaries plunder the royal cemetery of Vergina. When leaving Macedonia, left in the custody of his son Ptolemy, to go to war in the Peloponnese, Antigone quickly resumed the offensive beaten once by Ptolemy, he eventually drive him from Macedonia in 272 and provides relief to Sparta threatened by Pyrrhus. While the latter decides to take the city and withdrew to the north and Argos where Antigone comes before him, despite having been around in the sea territories of the League Aetolian which is hostile to him. In the battle of Argos in 272 , Pyrrhus was killed and his son and successor Alexander II for a time to abandon any ambitions on Greece.

Macedonian domination of Greece is threatened, however, soon: a leader of the party antimacdonien Athens Chrmonids, maneuvering successfully to bring Athens to Sparta in 268. The first seeks to expel the Macedonians from Attica, the second to establish its domination over the Peloponnese. Many cities in the Peloponnese and Crete endorse this covenant, which enjoys additional support from Ptolemy II Philadelphus , an ally of Sparta. This is the War chrmonidenne , whose operations take place primarily around Corinth, the highlight of the device Macedonian in Greece, in Attica. Sparta tried in vain three times between 267 and 265 to Corinth, held by the half-brother of King crater , and the Spartan king Areus ^I. was killed in the last attempt. Gonatas Antigonus besieged Athens, which provides a brief respite in a diversion caused by the attack in Macedonia of the king of Epirus Alexander II in 262 : Antigone must conduct a swift campaign to oust him from Macedonia and Epirus, before returning to the siege to Athens, starving, surrendered in 261.

The following decade saw Antigonus Gonatas, assured the domination of central Greece, conduct an aggressive policy in the islands and mingle in the wars between the Seleucids and Ptolemies , in the first ally: he won a landmark victory is important to Kos , probably 255 as part of the Syrian War , it celebrates its dedication in providing the flagship sanctuary of Apollo at Delos , where he is placed in the Neorion. Around 250 , a Ptolemaic fleet decisively defeated nonetheless Macedonians and questions their influence in the Cyclades until another victory of Antigonus, off of Andros in 245 as part of the war between the two new Kings Evergetes Ptolemy III and Seleucus II from 246. Antigone again celebrates the victory at Delos by two parties, and Soteria Paneia. Offering monumental Neorion the sanctuary of the Great Gods of Samothrace is also one of the two naval victories Antigonids.

The end of the reign of Antigonus Gonatas was marked by the revolt of the son and successor of Crater, Alexander, and the rise of the Achaean League in the Peloponnesus. Alexander, first confirmed by Antigonus in his command of Corinth, rebelled in 249 and brings with him Euboea, to which it grants broad autonomy as evidenced by the appearance of an independent currency. This secession was short lived, as Alexander died suddenly in 245 and his distraught widow, Nicaea , accepts the proposal of Antigone to marry his son Demetrius. In preparation for marriage, seizes Antigone Acrocorinth and thus restores its domination over the isthmus and Euboea. But in 243 , thanks to a daring nighttime hand, Aratus captured Corinth and causes the defection of Megara Achaean side.

Antigone does not react to the loss of this essential part of the Macedonian device and merely make peace with the League Aetolian it encourages attacking the Achaeans. When he died in 239 , Macedonia has not regained its position in central Greece and faces the two confederations powerful Aetolia and Achaea.

Demetrius II

Demetrius II, who had repelled the victorious king of Epirus Alexander II when he was crown prince, must fight against a coalition of central Greece and Peloponnese. At his death, the Macedonian situation is critical.

Antigone Doson

Cousin of Demetrius II, Antigonus Doson masterfully restored Macedonian hegemony in the Peloponnese. Indeed, he is called to the rescue by the Achaeans, his former enemies, who are concerned about the progressive reforms of Cleomenes king of Sparta; Antigone Doson the opportunity to recover Corinth, created a coalition half of Greece (whose it's called "the hegemon", where does the word hegemony). Doson defeated Cleomenes to Sellasia (222 BC) and enters Sparta, which had never been profaned by a victorious enemy.

The defeat against Rome and Provincializing

The reign of the last two kings down to a struggle (even desperate) against Rome, which is becoming increasingly powerful.

Philip V is a powerful monarch, who first participated in a war between Aetolia and Achaeans, the Allied war , which ended in 217 BC. AD. The first war between Rome and Macedonia , during which Philip V is allied to Hannibal Barca , results in the sharing of Illyria between Rome and Macedonia ( 205 BC. ).
The second war , during which almost all of Greece is allied to Rome, saw the defeat of the Macedonian phalanx Cynoscephalae ( -197 BC. ). The following year, Rome imposed peace to Philip V, who renounces Greece and Thessaly.

Perseus , son of the former, the fight resumed, but is far from having the qualities of his father. The third war between Rome and Macedonia ends with a disaster: definitively defeated Pydna ( -168 ), Perseus was captured by the Roman general Aemilius , who takes her to Rome for his triumph.

The fourth is the revolt of Andriscus that fails. In 142 BC. AD another adventurer who calls himself Philip wants to renew the attempt Andriscos, and raise a revolt similar to that in 149 BC. BC / 148 BC. AD , but with little success. Overcome by the quaestor Lucius Tremellius he was captured and killed.

Macedonia is first divided into four districts, and is grouped into a Roman province in 148 BC. AD , the Roman Macedonia.

Institutions

The political organization of the kingdom of Macedonia is a pyramid with three levels: at the top, the king of the Macedonians and the Community at the base, the civic unit (cities and ethne) between the two districts. The study of these institutions has been greatly renewed by epigraphy, which helped to reinterpret the information given by literary sources such as Livy or Polybius. It shows that the Macedonian institutions make it a state very close to the Greek federal states, such as the League or the League Thessalian Aetolian, but with a unitary principle reinforced in the person of the king.

The king (emperor) and headquarters

The King is the head of the central administration: he led the kingdom from his capital of Pella and his palace where records are kept of the kingdom. He is assisted by a royal secretary (basilikos grammateus), whose role is crucial, and by the Council.

The King is the head of the army , the head of the Macedonian religion, he led diplomacy, he alone is empowered to conclude treaties, it has the exclusive privilege of coining up under Philip V.

The number of officials is limited: the king directed his kingdom largely indirect, based on local magistrates, the epistates , with whom he maintains a significant correspondence.

Succession

The royal succession is hereditary in Macedonia, male, patrilineal and generally respected the principle of primogeniture. It includes an additional elective element: the king's death, his designated heir, generally but not always so, the eldest son, must first be accepted as the successor by the Board and presented to the joint assembly for be hailed as the new king. This assembly then immediately ready oath of loyalty to his new king, and for this reason should meet in plenary session, lest a rival meeting electing another suitor.

The succession is far from automatic, especially as the kings of Macedonia often disappear suddenly, even before he could arrange for their succession, or ensure they are met: it the case of Perdiccas III killed by the Illyrians, to Philip II assassinated by Pausanias of Alexander III carried away by sudden illness, Lysimachus killed Couropdion , etc.. Succession crises are frequent, especially in the ^fourth century , when the great princely families of Upper Macedonia (Lyncestide of Orestis and especially) still have the ambition to overthrow the dynasty argade to conquer the throne of Macedonia.

Finance

The king is the mere custodian and administrator of the treasure of Macedonia and the royal revenues (basilika) that belong to the Macedonians: the tributes under the treaties granted to conquered peoples are thus due to the Macedonians, not the king. Although not accountable for the management of this heritage, he may feel morally responsible enough to defend in certain circumstances. And Alexander in his speech during the rebellion of Opis ( Arrian , Anabasis) in 324 lists the possessions of his father Philip II to his death to show he has not abused his office.

According to Livy as from Polybius , basilika include the following revenue sources:

• The mines of precious metals (gold and silver Pangea eg.), whose king has a monopoly, allowing it to mint coins, a privilege he retains exclusive until the reign of Philip V. The latter grants to cities and districts the right to mint coins for smaller denominations (bronze).
• The forests, whose timber is highly prized by the Greek cities to build their ships: Athens password and agreements with Macedonia from the ^fifth century BC. BC to import the timber necessary for construction and maintenance of its fleet.
• The royal land holdings, land which the king attached to the royal domain during the conquest, and it operates directly, including through servile workforce made up of prisoners, or indirectly through a leasing system.
• Port taxes on trade (import taxes and export).

The mode of operation of these revenues is mostly farming: we know from the Pseudo-Aristotle (Economics) that the king Amyntas III (or maybe Philip II) doubled the revenues of the kingdom from the ports through Using Callistratus , then fled to Macedonia, which sent the proceeds of this farm from 20 to 40 talents a year. Port dues and were auctioned each year. We know from Livy, on the other hand, mines and forests were leased for a fixed sum during the reign of Philip V, and everything suggests that it was the same before him in the Argades : it could be the origin of the leasing system introduced in Egypt Ptolemaic.

Apart from the royal land subject to tribute, the land is free in Macedonia: Macedonians were free men and do not pay taxes on private lands. There is no special tax in Macedonia in time of war, the type of eisphora Athenian. Even when he is in financial peril, like Alexander in 334 and Perseus in 168 , King does not use tax, but raises funds by borrowing, particularly his companions, or by increasing the proceeds of the 'farming.

The king may grant ATEL, a privilege of tax exemption, as Alexander the Macedonian families of the dead of battle of the Granicus in May 334 : they are exempt from the toll on royal land - which should not be negligible because many of the dead belonged to the cavalry Companions and had therefore received the king of the royal land donations - civic liturgies due to Queen's Regulations (such as requisitions beasts of burden or charges for the repair of roads), trade taxes.

An important source of extraordinary income from the spoils of war, which is shared between the king and his men. At the time of Philip II and Alexander is of course a considerable source of revenue. An important part of objects in precious metals seized during the campaigns in Europe and Asia are melted into ingots and then sent to the mints of Pella and Amphipolis, the most active of the kingdom at that time: it is estimated that in 18 years under the reign of Alexander the workshop of Amphipolis struck about 13 million tetradrachms money.

The Assembly (ekklesia or Koine koinon Makedonn)

All the citizen soldiers of the Kingdom meet in a popular assembly, which meets at least twice a year, in spring and autumn, at the opening and closing of the military season.

The Assembly of the army in time of war, meeting the people in peacetime, was summoned by the king and plays an important role in the acclamation of the kings and capital cases and can be consulted (without obligation) for foreign policy (declarations of war, treaties) and the appointment of directors important. In most of these occasions, the Assembly merely ratify the proposals of a smaller body, the Council (see below).

It is also the Assembly which votes the honors, grants decrees proxenos and asylum , sending embassies, during its two annual meetings.

It is suppressed by the Romans during their reorganization of Macedonia in 167 , to avoid, according to Livy , that a demagogue can use it as an instrument of rebellion against their authority.

The Council (Synedrion)

The Council is a select group of leading figures in the kingdom, selected and assembled by the king to assist him in government. This is not a representative assembly, but may be extended on occasions to representatives of cities and units of the civic realm.

Council members (synedroi) fall into three categories:

• The smatophylaques (in Greek literally "bodyguards") were of nobles chosen by the Macedonian king, seven in number during the reign of Alexander, to serve as honorary bodyguards, but especially closest advisers. This is a particularly prestigious honorary title.
• Friends ( philoi ) or the Royal Companions (basilikoi hetairoi ) are appointed for life by the king in the Macedonian nobility.
• Major generals of the army (hegemony tn taxn) also appointed by the king.

The king has less flexibility that appearances might suggest about the composition of the Council, since many members of the aristocracy of the kingdom shall be members ex officio rights.

The Council is overwhelmingly a function probouleutique vis--vis the Assembly: it develops and offers the decisions she must then discuss and vote in many areas such as the designation of kings and rulers, but also great administrators , declarations of war. It is the Council conducting the criminal investigation of capital cases. It is also the first and last instance for cases not involving capital punishment.

The Council meets frequently and is the principal organ of government. Every major decision the king is first subject of deliberation.

Within the Council's democratic principles prevail isgoria (equality of speech) and parrhesia (freedom of speaking), whom the king undergoes as other members.

After the destruction of the monarchy Antigonid by the Romans in 167, it is possible that the Synedrion has survived, unlike the House, and remained as the sole federal authority in Macedonia divided into four merids.

Regional districts (Merida)

The creation of an intermediate territorial administrative level between central government and cities should probably be attributed to Philip II: this reform is the need to adapt political institutions to the considerable expansion of the kingdom during his reign. It is then possible to easily gather all the Macedonians in a single assembly primary, and the creation of four regional districts, each having such a meeting is probably the answer to this problem. It is not territorial divisions cutting across tribal groups, but an artificial administrative boundaries. Nevertheless, it should be noted that the existence of these districts is actually attested (by numismatics) until the beginning of the ^second century BC. AD.

The districts are Antigonid at the time, where their number is provided by numismatics:

• First Meris: Amphipolis or Parastrymonia and Paroreia. The district takes its name from the only city to make a contribution to the Macedonian national exercise in the late ^fifth century BC. AD. Its inhabitants are engaged in non-Hellenized separate units, called Bisaltiens while recruits of Amphipolis, Philippi and Oesym integrate the phalanx. It is the policy of the Macedonian kings do not mix with the Macedonians hellnophones soldiers within units.
• Second Meris: Amphaxitide. It also borders the Axios West and Strymon in the east, the capital is Thessaloniki.
• Third Meris: Bottie. It corresponds to Pieria and the Imathia , the heart of the historic Macedonian kingdom, and the coastal region between the Axios and Pnios ; is the capital Pella.
• Fourth Meris: Upper Macedonia. It brings together the Lyncestide the Tymphe the Atintania. Orestis The fate of the early kingdom itself, in Roman times, the capital is Pelagonia.

The primary function of these districts is to provide a land base of recruitment for the army.

The existence of a currency specific to these districts requires financial autonomy and own political institutions, poorly known. According to the inscriptions, we can assume that each Meris had a primary meeting bringing together all Macedonians in the region, and elected annually Stratgos, eponymous magistrate, whose dual purpose was to represent the Assembly and the Center ( especially in military matters).

These meetings have continued to exist in Roman times, where they have even become the main primary assemblies of Macedonia after the abolition of the Common Assembly.

Cities