Alexander the Great 2
"We Are Family": Alexander's Father
by CTCWeb Editors
"To Get Our Share of the World's Delights" - Pointer Sisters
Alexander’s parents were Philip II of Macedonia and Olympias of Epirus. The two were vivid characters, and their traits and actions shaped their son’s destiny. Alexander’s father, Philip, came to power at the relatively young age of 24. Philip led a coup to usurp the crown from his nephew after Philip’s brother died on the throne. Philip ruled Macedonia for more than two decades, from 359 to 336 BCE. Alexander was born in 356 BCE in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia located in Lower Macedonia, three years into his father’s reign. Thus, young Alexander’s life and aspirations were wrought by the privileges, duties, ambitions, and intrigues of imperial power. As king, Philip built a base of power and wealth that his ambitious and imperious son felt compelled to surpass. This instinctive urge to outdo his father molded and propelled Alexander’s life.
Stone Relief of Philip II, Source Unknown.
Before Philip came to power, ancient Macedonia was a war torn and fractured land. It was politically and socially fragmented and economically distressed. The country was a fractious amalgam of tribes. Illyrians armies ravaged both Upper and Lower Macedonia. Geographically, Macedonia lay between the Haliacmon River to the west and the Axius River to the east in the area around present day Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Both the Haliacmon and the Axius flowed into the Mediterranean Sea. To the north was Thrace and to the south was Attica, the region that included Athens. Macedonia was split into Upper Macedonia and Lower Macedonia. A ring of mountains encircles Upper Macedonia, a fertile land. Lower Macedonia stretched between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea.
Philip seized the throne and set about mending his broken country. He revitalized the Macedonian economy, making the country a center of trade and economic influence. He built Macedonia into a military powerhouse and reunited Upper and Lower Macedonia. He expanded the country’s borders by conquering nearby territories and consolidating them under his rule. By the time Alexander was a teenager, his father had built Macedonia into a prosperous and powerful nation.
Philip was politically astute, for his time. Although he was ruthless, he was considered an enlightened and benevolent despot. Philip gave various factions in his kingdom a modicum of autonomy, while requiring them to swear loyalty to him as their ultimate commander. Of course, oaths could be broken. So, like many rulers before and after him, Philip implemented the practice of bringing the sons of important Macedonians to his court, where these boys were educated alongside Alexander. Philip instilled loyalty into these boys by acting as their surrogate father. The political ramification, of course, was that the close physical proximity of their sons to Philip tended to assure the loyalty of important Macedonian families. The practical reality was that, as reprisal for disloyalty, Philip could hold their children ransom or inflict physical harm on them, even death.
Philip ruled Macedonia for almost a quarter of a century. Despite incessant political intrigue and social strife, his monarchy was regarded as stable. Alexander learned much from his father about how to forge and manage a prosperous regime. Later, he applied much of this practical knowledge in pacifying and governing the territories he subjugated. From the solid political and military base his father built in Macedonia, Alexander emerged to conquer the world. As a conqueror and despot, Alexander imitated many of his father regal practices.
