The League of Corinth was created by Phillip II of Macedon during 338bc, after the devastating Macedonian victory over the Greeks during the battle of Chaeronea.
The purpose of creating such an entity was two-fold; to soldify Macedonian control over the Greeks, and to obligate the Greeks to provide a (token) force of soldiers for the Asian expedition. Isocrates had unwittingly provided Phillip with the avenue he needed to coerce the Greeks, through the pretext of 'revenge' against Persia for wrongs committed years prior.
Most of Greece had entered the league, the Spartans being the largest exception, as Justinus put it:
One of the terms that the league had to abide by was the following:
Each city-state had elected delegates proportionate to its military and naval strength, and decided on all matters of federal government, including foreign policy. Greece was indeed unified, and Macedonian garrisons were sent in to ensure that the 'unity' remained along with the Macedonian yoke. The Macedonian occupation of Greece was completed with the establishment of the league.
As a foreigner, the Macedonian king was not represented on the League's council and he did not have an official voice in deliberations and decisions. Macedonia was not a part of this league, which was, realistically, an instrument of Macedonian domination over the Greeks. This in itself is proof that Macedonia and 'Greece' were two distinct entities, if the latter would qualify as one.
Shortly after the creation of this entity, Phillip announced his plan of invading Asia to the league's council, and requested their military assistance. The council could hardly refuse the request of its creator and master, and Phillip was 'appointed' commander-in-chief of the league's forces that would take part in the invasion. The Greek contribution of soldiers to Alexander’s Asian campaign was neither significant nor dependable. Nor were they comparable to the tens of thousands (some estimates at 50,000) of Greeks that fought for the Persians against the Macedonians.
The league broke up after Alexander’s death (323) and was unsuccessfully restored for a short time by Demetrius I (302).
So much for Greek 'unity'.
The purpose of creating such an entity was two-fold; to soldify Macedonian control over the Greeks, and to obligate the Greeks to provide a (token) force of soldiers for the Asian expedition. Isocrates had unwittingly provided Phillip with the avenue he needed to coerce the Greeks, through the pretext of 'revenge' against Persia for wrongs committed years prior.
Most of Greece had entered the league, the Spartans being the largest exception, as Justinus put it:
......they considered that a settlement imposed by the victor instead of being agreed on by the states concerned meant enslavement, not peace.
http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexande...ander_t43.html
I will not break the agreements with Philip the Macedonian
I will not break the agreements with Philip the Macedonian
As a foreigner, the Macedonian king was not represented on the League's council and he did not have an official voice in deliberations and decisions. Macedonia was not a part of this league, which was, realistically, an instrument of Macedonian domination over the Greeks. This in itself is proof that Macedonia and 'Greece' were two distinct entities, if the latter would qualify as one.
Shortly after the creation of this entity, Phillip announced his plan of invading Asia to the league's council, and requested their military assistance. The council could hardly refuse the request of its creator and master, and Phillip was 'appointed' commander-in-chief of the league's forces that would take part in the invasion. The Greek contribution of soldiers to Alexander’s Asian campaign was neither significant nor dependable. Nor were they comparable to the tens of thousands (some estimates at 50,000) of Greeks that fought for the Persians against the Macedonians.
The league broke up after Alexander’s death (323) and was unsuccessfully restored for a short time by Demetrius I (302).
So much for Greek 'unity'.
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