Adapting to Domination: The Athenian reaction to the hegemony of the Macedonian Kings, Philip II and Alexander III, 338-323 B.C.E.

The dating of the end of the classical period and the demise of the influence of Athens on the politics of the era is generally considered to arise from the events following the death of Alexander the Great in 323.1 However, the Macedonian impact on Athens was firmly established when Philip defeated the Greeks at the battle of Chaeronea in 338. Despite this, the Athenians attempted to regain their former status in the Greek world for another fifteen years. The treaty formed from the League of Corinth created a political hiatus that allowed Athens to adapt to a new era of Macedonian rule. The political and economic status of Athens at the time of the battle of Chaeronea was to prove vital to the recovery of the polis and enable the Athenians to adapt to Macedonian domination. The reaction of Philip to the Athenians after Chaeronea was also crucial to this endeavour. The terms of the League of Corinth treaty defined the relationship of Athens with the Macedonian rulers and it was only on Alexander’s death that the terms no longer applied on either side