(All the following is a re-translation back to English of a very small part of N.G.L Hammonds’ excellent work, "Phillip of Macedon" printed in England at 1995, from its greek translation -with some minor changes, explanations where that was needed.)

N.G.L Hammond is the single greatest authority in Makedonian history, and his work is considered monumental. In fact, but for some minor alterations due to later archaeological finds, his work stands out as the single, most respected authority in the world on Makedonia and its ancient past. A true giant of a historian, in whose shoulders, all those who want to know about Makedonian history, have to stand.

Philippos was a Greek of the most aristocratic origins. He was almost divine in that. His famous ancestor, Temenos, was still honored in Temenion as the founder of Argos of Peloponnesos. The origin of Temenos was from Herakles himself, son of Zeus. As Philippos was growing up in Pella, he took part in the celebrations of "Herakles Patroos" (Hercules Father), the forefather "ΠΡΟΠΑΤΟΡΑ" of the Royal family of Makedonia. Thucidides and Herodotos called it family of the Temenids. He, himself had relations with two more Herakleides, the twin kings of Sparta and the family of Aleuades in Larissa, Thessaly. His origin from Herakles was widely known. The assertion of his great grandfather Alexandros the first, had been checked from the ultimate authority, the Judges of Olympic games.

Philippos was a Greek and Makedonian in the same exact sense that Demosthenes was a Greek and Athenian. Members of his family had ruled Makedonians for 3 centuries prior to his birth at 382 BCE and it was inconceivable that the royal diadem or crown would ever go into a different family. Makedones, who Philippos was destined to rule over, belonged in the peripheric greek speaking people. Hesiodos confirms that, prior to the coming of Temenids in Makedonia. Hesiodos wrote down the family tree of "Eponymoi progonoi" or "named ancestors". According to that Deukalion had a son, "Hellenas" who in turn had 3 sons, representing the 3 main dialects of ancient greek (Dorian, Ionian and Aiolian) and a daughter, Thya, who conceived with Keraunios Zeus (Thunderbolt bearing Zeus) two sons, Makedon and Magnes, charioteers who dwelled on Pieria and Olympos. In this way, Magnes and Makedon are names of two separate groups of Greek dialects. They were sons of the supreme greek god, Zeus and first cousins of the sons of Hellenas. Their settlement location connects them directly with Zeus, as it was there, in the highest mountaintop of Olympos that Zeus and the other gods dwelled in. The oldest holy place of Makedones under that tallest of greek mountains was named Dion in honour of Zeus ( explanation: Dias the other name of Zeus in greek). Descendants of Zeus and Thya’s sons had different fortunes. Magnes’ sons, called Magnetes went lower in Thessaly, while Makedones remained in the highlands of Pieria and Olympic mont keeping their own dialect, a greek dialect. At the time Philippos was born that dialect was still alive. Constant relations with other greek speakers had already established a common greek dialect to facilitate commercial transaction and formal matters.

The induction of Makedonian kingdom within the community of Greek states was declared at 371 BCE when Sparta, with the exception of Theba, called a convention which led to general peace. In that convention, Athens sought confirmation that Chersonesos (present day peninsula of Kallipole or Chanak Kale) and Amphipolis were indeed Athenian dominions. Those were approved by all Greeks. On that occasion, rhetor Aischynes in one of his speeches in 343 BCE says that "When the Coalition of Spartans and the other greeks began its sessions, one of them was Amyntas, father of Philippos. He voted to work with the other Greeks to conquer Amphipolis, the Athenian colony, for the Athenians". There is no doubt in those words. Amyntas, father of Philippos represented Makedonians, (although he wasn’t present in the convention). When it suited the city states, Makedonia was a greek state. In the same way, 10 years later, when representatives of the shrine of Epidauros visit Greek states, among those hosting them "Makedonia" and "Kalindoia" are reported. Both were loci, parts of the greek world. So was Edessa, when Argos sought financial aid.

Makedonia was greek speaking but that didn’t mean that it had the prerequisites for being a greek state. For many centuries the hallmark of a greek state was the democratic and self ruling city state, where the citizens were free to look after politics. With the exception of Sparta, where the twin royalty existed along with a modicum degree of conservatism, this policy had lead in extreme forms of democratic rule in most states and tyranny/oligarchy in others, when Philippos was growing up. In comparison to those, Makedonian state wasn’t considered greek. It was too big in size, its political structure remained static for centuries and its people weren’t self ruling but subservient to Royal authority. Furthermore it didn’t have the structure of the city state of fourth century BCE, the basis of slaves and foreigners. Makedonians would cultivate their land with their own hands. Such past characteristics drove their neighbours to the hubris that Makedones were barbarians. "Will we be slaves of Archelaos, us Greeks, to a Barbarian?" cried a rhetor of the Democrats of Larissa, when Makedon king Archelaos involved himself in Larissa politics around 400 BCE. In this context it is easy to see why Demosthenes considered Philippos a barbarian and presenting his authority on the Athenian democrats as a brutal and authoritarian regime. In the exact same period, Athenian rhetor Isokrates addressing the world of greek city states called upon Philippos to consider all of Greece his homeland, as his ancestor did, and lead the Greeks into war against Persia.

In reality the structure of Makedonian state was much closer to the states of the tribes which were settled in the North of Greek city states. In the North west, north of Ambrakia, there were a lot of small greek speaking states from tribes which had structures same as those of Makedonia and based on that relationship, their inhabitants were called Barbarians by the Greek citizens of the city states. Some of those were not above allying with the enemies of Makedonia. In the north and east of Bottian and Chalkidian city states there were numerous non greek states from tribes in which the institution of Royalty existed by tradition. For example, Dardanioi, Paiones, Agrianes, Triballoi, Hedonoi and Odrysses. In earlier times, Phrygians too. Those tribal states were always at war. Their tendency was to acquire loot of every kind and sometimes even new lands. They were a threat to the well being of Makedonia, even its own existence, much more than any southern city state or alliance thereof.

Amyntas, Philippos’ father, was driven out of his kingdom twice by the most powerful among the Illyrian tribes on the north of his Kingdom, Dardanioi, once in 392/391 and another time at 382/381. In the end of his reign he was soundly defeated in battle and was forced to pay tribute to the Dardanioi.. The cost in lives and materiel was enormous. Those same Dardanioi defeated Molossian tribes in the west of Makedonia, killing 15.000 men in combat. (Historically they were driven back only after Epeirotes called upon the aid of their fellow Dorian Greeks, Spartans). Paiones, Triballoi and Thraikian tribes were in a position to invade from the Northern and Eastern borders of the land and reach as far down as the Makedonian coastal plain.

The Kings of Makedonia and the states that were created by the tribes lived their lives in similar manner. Their hospitality was so luxurious and show offish that they were the object of satire by Athenians. They would serve their meals in gold plates and silver cups and even gave those silver cups away to their guests. They wore the most exquisite, clothes, woven with some golden braids in them and it seems that they all followed the court fashions of the time. Their funerals were very expensive and usually they were worshipped post mortem (as for example happened with the Paiones Kings at Astibos). They were accompanied by companions who fought by their side as horsemen and foot guards (Agrianes kings had their own private hypaspists). They were the hegemons of the state at war, in religion and diplomacy and taxed their subjects so that wealth would accumulate for Royalty. Marriage arrangements and alliances among royal houses were something natural, in complete analogy to what happened in the Victorian era in Europe.

There was always a special connection between the Makedones and the Thraikes. When Makedones’ domain was limited to only Pieria and Olympos, Thraikian gentes were living in Pierian plains that ended in the gulf of Thermais, (where Salonika is now located). They, and especially Phrygians worshipped Dionysos as God of euphoria and fertility (especially grapevine and ivy). Dionysos’ followers’ especially women whould hurl themselves in an orgiastic cult which Greek city states of the South considered barbaric and horrid. The terrifying power of the Gods was passed down to us by Euripides who wrote and first staged his "Bakhai" in Makedonia. Just as important, Thraix poet Orpheus who was buried in the valley under Olympos. He along with his Muses were the gods of music and poetry. He himself was the founder of a religion-like worship, "Orphism", which explored the beginnings of Man and his world. His followers believed in the afterlife. Texts of Orphic hymns were found in tombs of the 4th century BCE. Another cult, just as powerful in Makedones and Thraikes was of Kabeiroi in Samothrake. It too was associated with euphoria in all aspects of life. Ceremonies were held, inside circular hollowings dug in the ground, with effigies of men and animals. Those were found in Samothrake and Pella.

Within the Makedonian Kingdom there were Thraikian and Paionian communitities. They took care of their own affairs, preserved their customs and religious worship and in many aspects of their daily lives were equal to the greek speaking subjects. There wasn’t exclusivity, which was the hallmark of the Southern Greek city states. Emphasis was placed on co-existence and tolerance. The Royal family itself gave the example. Its members married with all Royal families of the Balkans. Their subjects had also the right of Audience from the King. So, the Makedonian state was in a position to grow fast, incorporating new peoples, whereas in the Greek city state, its citizens negated that possibility, by limiting the right of citizenship to the Male heirs of a citizen father.

The object of the following is to describe the state in which Phillipos B of Makedonia would rule after his brother Perdikkas died in 359 BCE. It was basically comprised of two main parts. Olympos, Pieria (the original Makedonian homeland according to Herodotos 7.127.1, 128.1 and 131), the coastal plain which was called Hemathia and Bottiaia and its inland/hinterland called Almopia and Eordaia, those were territories exclusively Makedonian. The other, Amphaxatis, Krestonia, Anthemous and Mygdonia, North of the Lakes was inhabited by Makedonian settlers as well as Paiones, Thraikes, Phrygians and others of diverse ancestry. Within its borders, the state was rich in timber of any sorts (especially that needed for building ships), good hunting in the mountains, fruit-bearing trees in the hills, and great amounts of wheat was harvested in the plains. All around were flocks peacefully grazing, and there were tremendous amounts of running water. In essence it was as rich as Thessaly was. Furthermore, Makedonian state was rich in mineral deposits: gold in Krestonia and Mygdonia, iron in Pieria and Amphaxatis, molybdenum in Eordaia and Amphaxatis, lead in Amphaxatis and bronze in Emathia, Amphaxatis and Krestonia. It was said for iron that it "brought the wealth of Midas" and tradition has recorded that Phrygians were able smiths. Iron was needed for the construction of offensive as well as defensive weapons. Men of every walk of life within the Kingdom were trained to serve as local militia. They had to defend their homes from surprise attacks, both from Barbarians who sought plunder, as well as from the sea raiders.

The state institutions had some resilience. The Royal family, who was foreign and of divine ancestry, was unique. It had no rival within the nobility of Makedonia. Therfore the only claimants to the throne were its members. Makedonian people, throughout the centuries had evolved a healthy respect towards the house of the Temenids. As soon as a member of that family became King, he would choose his own bodyguards (Somatophulakes) and Hetairoi, he would take a vow of loyalty from every soldier, conduct recruitment of the Royal forces, and generally control all promotions and rewards and kept a firm hand in matters of discipline. Based on the fact that he ruled not by violent means but by persuasion, he was ready to put into action his near limitless powers of initiative and guidance, at a moments’ notice. And that was absolutely essential in a Kingdom so much vulnerable to constant raiding by land and sea. He was head of foreign affairs, chose his own representatives and diplomats who would go abroad. He was the wealthiest man in all of Greek world. He, among all the Hellenes, was in a position to use his wealth however he saw fit.

While the King was wrapped up in matters of general policy, his subjects were occupied with their own local matters. The great majority dwelled in extremely cohesive communities, called "poleis". The term was appropriate as the members of each community were connected to one another through marriage and common interest ties. They were citizens and could handle their own affairs. The minority would dwell in small groups of gentes or tribes, mainly in Eordaia, which had a peripheral administrative center. In this way, every Royal subject, even parts of the Royal family itself (As Ptolemaios and Euridike) was a conscripted citizen. He owed to serve in the militia of his land, for example as a citizen of Pella or Lete or even as Eordaian. One of the differences between a city of the Kingdom and a Greek city state was that the people of the Kingdom, not having any say in maters of foreign policy wouldn’t be split when difficult decisions were called for, whereas the citizens of the city were divided in so many factions that they would often fall into civil disorder. Another difference was that the men of Makedonia were all free and would all toil the land, whereas the citizens of the city states would include a large number of slaves and most civilians weren’t working, instead relied on a fixed income by their estate, or were traders and artisans. The gap between the rich and the poor citizen in a Makedonian city was much more limited than in an archetypical Greek city state. Thus, a Makedonian city had a bigger internal cohesion than a median city state of the fourth century BCE.

Men of the Royal forces would be separate from the men who served in the local militias. They and they alone, during and after the end of their term would retain a special kind of citizenship which would give them the title: "Makedones". When the King died they would pick an heir and give him a vow of faith. They were the judges, when there was an accusation of treason and the King was the public accuser. They would be the ones who would give the verdict. In all formal proceedings they would come in in full panoply. In other occasions, they would be summoned at the discretion of the King. For example, he acted in this way to gain their acceptance of his policy to attack the Illyrians in 358 BCE. Some of the matters of the state are known to be in the jurisdiction of this assembly. For example the majority of the Makedones assembly voted that the remains of Euripides remained in Makedonia, despite the petition of Athenians that they be returned to them, seeing that Euripides was Athenian. Amyntas was dethroned in 392 BCE by the Makedones, meaning by the Assembly. In a treaty between Amyntas and Chalkideans around 391 BCE there was a provision for the amount of money paid by the Chalkidians to the Makedones, meaning, again, the assembly.

The King and Makedones were the only state institutions. There was no insitutionalised advisory board. If the King desired advise, he would summon those Hetairoi that he judged capable of providing it. However, any decision was his and his alone to make. He would award his official Hetairoi by giving them military ranks and offering them incomes from the land he himself held by right of pocession – what he would called "ΔΟΡΥΚΤΗΤΟΣ ΓΑΙΑ" or land earned with the doru (=spear). Those Hetairoi Makedones, however, didn’t have an institutionalized place and had no control over any service of the community. They were totally different from the feudal lord or the Medieval Baron who had their own big number of serfs. They were very capable men, sometimes even foreigners, who would depend entirely on the Kings’ whims. This regime was perfectly suitable to a state which was always in full time war readiness, as Aristoteles would note, while comparing the institutions of Spartans and Malieoi.