The Macedonian conquest and Greek upbringing

While the Greek city-states were weakened by fighting each other, King Philip II of Macedonia in the north (359–336 BCE) built a strong army. His infantry fought in a dense phalanx, up to 16 ranks deep, with long spears; cavalry protected the flanks. The famous orator Demosthenes called on the Greeks in Athens and other cities to unite against the Macedonians. Athens, Thebes and other cities formed an alliance. In 338 BCE the decisive battle took place near Chaeronea in Boeotia: the Greek army was defeated by a strike of cavalry led by Philip II’s son Alexander, then 18 years old. After that Greece fell under Macedonian dominance. In 337 BCE representatives of all cities except Sparta met at Corinth and formed a league of Greek cities, under Macedonian leadership, for a campaign against Persia; they agreed not to fight each other. But Philip II was assassinated in 336 BCE before the Persian campaign, and his son Alexander took the throne.