What was the Battle of Chaeronea?

The Battle of Chaeronea was fought in 338 BC between the expanding Kingdom of Macedon under Philip II and an alliance of Greek city-states led by Athens and Thebes. Following a long and hard-fought stalemate, Macedonian forces crushed both flanks of the Greek army, resulting in a decisive victory that effectively ended Greek independence and established Macedonian dominance. This crucial conflict led directly to the formation of the League of Corinth and paved the way for a planned pan-Hellenic war against the Achaemenid Empire.

What we know

• The Battle of Chaeronea took place in 338 BC near the city of Chaeronea in Boeotia. [1, 2]
• The conflict was fought between Macedonia under Philip II and a Greek alliance led by Athens and Thebes. [2]
• The battle concluded when Macedonian forces crushed both flanks of the allied line, causing it to rout after a long fight. [2]
• The decisive victory allowed Philip II to establish the League of Corinth and position himself as the guarantor of peace in Greece. [2]

Still open

• Specific tactical details of the ensuing battle are considered scarce in the historical record.

Where to go next

• whoWho was Philip II of Macedon?
• what followedWhat was the League of Corinth?
• whereWhere is Boeotia located?
• what caused itHow did Demosthenes influence Athenian foreign policy?
• compared withWhat happened at the later Battle of Chaeronea in 86 BC?
• an unexpected connectionHow does a 338 BC military defeat connect to a 19th-century secret society?The Order of Chaeronea, a secret underground society founded in 1897 to support a homosexual ethos, took its name from this ancient battle because it was where the Sacred Band of Thebes was ultimately defeated.

Sources

• [1]Battle of Chaeronea (Wikidata Q200716) · CC0 1.0
• [2]Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Battle of Chaeronea (86 BC) · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Order of Chaeronea · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Chaeronea · CC BY-SA 4.0