The Macedonian Empire

The Macedonian Empire lasted only 36 years, beginning with Philip II’s assumption of the throne in 359 B.C. and ending with the death of his son Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. In that span, the two leaders changed the map in the known world. Philip established new tactics that forever ended the highly stylized mode that had characterized Classic Greek warfare, and Alexander’s superb leadership made the army an unstoppable force. This work first examines the 11 great armies and three great navies of the era, along with their operations and logistics. The primary focus is then on each campaign and significant battle fought by Philip or Alexander, detailing how the battles were fought, the tactics of the opposing armies, and how the Macedonians were able to triumph.

Writer James R. Ashley worked for 21 years in various aspects of the banking industry. He now writes full-time in Racine, Wisconsin.

James R. Ashley
Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 496
Bibliographic Info: maps, appendices, notes, glossary, bibliographies, index
Copyright Date: 2004 [1998]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-1918-0
eISBN: 978-1-4766-1282-9
Imprint: McFarland

List of Maps by Subject      ix
Preface      1
Introduction      5

Part I: Ancient Warfare
1. The Armies      13
Athens      15
Boeotia      16
Illyria      17
India       18
Macedonia       22
Persia      55
Phocia      64
Scythia      65
Sparta       67
Thessaly       71
Thrace      71
2. Siege Operations      73
3. Logistics      80
4. Naval Operations      83
The Trireme      83
Naval Tactics      86
Athenian Navy       87
Macedonian Navy      91
Persian Navy       104

Part II: The Reign of Philip II
5. Campaigns of Philip II      111
Illyria      111
Third Sacred War      115
The Macedonian Coast      126
Chalcidice      126
Thessaly      130
Thrace      133
Epirus      144
Euboea      145
Scythia      148
Fourth Sacred War      149
Phocis      151
Peloponnesus      158
Asia Minor      160

Part III: Campaigns of Alexander the Great
6. Greece      165
Thessaly      165
The Balkans      166
Central Greece       175
The Peloponnese      181
7. The Western Persian Empire      184
Asia Minor      185
Cilicia      219
Phoenicia      235
Egypt      251
Mesopotamia      255
Susiana      270
Persis      271
Media      279
8. The Eastern Persian Empire      282
Hyrcania       282
Areia       285
Drangiana      287
Arachosia      289
Parapamisadae      289
Hindu Kush      289
Bactria       289
Sogdiana       294
Pareitacae      302
Scythia      303
9. India      306
Bajaur      309
Swat      311
Upper Punjab      317
Lower Punjab      333
10. The Southern Persian Empire      342
Gedrosa      342
Carmania      351
11. Return to Babylon      352
Persis      352
Susiana      352
Media      353
Babylonia      355
12. Arabia      357

Appendices
A. Peace of Philocrates      361
B. Assassination Attempts Against Alexander      365
C. Macedonian Army Mutinies      369
D. Hephaestion’s Funeral      374
E. Mileage of Alexander’s Campaigns      376
F. Alexander’s Income and Expenses      377
G. Alexander’s Funeral Train      383
H. Kings and Satraps      385
I. Chronology of the Macedonian Empire      392

Glossary      407
Notes      441
Bibliography      467
Index      471

• “massive…well-argued study…thoroughly footnoted”—ARBA
• “brings together everything known about the military campaigns of Alexander and his father Philip II. Unlike many other histories, [this book] gives ample attention to Phillip’s generalship”—C&RL News; “useful”—History
• “thoroughly research[ed] military history”—Reference & Research Book News