Philip II of Macedonia (382-336 BCE), unifier of Greece, author of
Greece's first federal constitution, founder of the first territorial
state with a centralized administrative structure in Europe, forger of
the first Western national army, first great general of the Greek
imperial age, strategic and tactical genius, and military reformer who
revolutionized warfare in Greece and the West, was one of the greatest
captains in the military history of the West. Philip prepared the
ground, assembled the resources, conceived the strategic vision, and
launched the first modern, tactically sophisticated and strategically
capable army in Western military history, making the later victories of
his son Alexander possible.
Philip's death marked the passing of the classical age of Greek history
and warfare and the beginning of its imperial age. To Philip belongs the
title of the first great general of a new age of warfare in the West, an
age that he initiated with his introduction of a new instrument of war,
the Macedonian phalanx, and the tactical doctrines to ensure its
success. As a practitioner of the political art, Philip also had no
equal. In all these things, Philip exceeded Alexander's triumphs.
This book establishes Philip's legitimate and deserved place in military
history, which, until now, has been largely minimized in favor of his
son by the classicist writers who have dominated the field of ancient
biography. Richard Gabriel, renowned military historian, has given us
the first military biography of Philip II of Macedonia.
