Chapter 5

Hellenistic is an era in which theirs was the leading international culture but their way of life was also influenced by the peoples they ruled. Period of greek history between Alexander the Great and the Maceodonian king.
This is Macedonia

The Athenians lost the Peloponnesian War because firstly overall Spartians had a better Army then the Athens. They would train their young boys from a very very young age to fight when they are older. They made them believe that they were to do nothing with their lives but defend their city and fight. The Athenians just were not as strong as the Spartans. The geography was a disadvantage and the war was fought over water on most of it, and the Athenians did have a better navy but overall their strategics sand warriors were not as advanced or "ready" as the Spartans warriors are. The spartan army completely defeated the Athenian army and the Athenians used their navy to guard but it was pointless by then. The Athenians just did not have the same kind of fighting skills as the Spartans and they were not as tough, thus they lost the war and had to go under control of an oligarchy because of Sparta. But since Sparta lost so many men as well the Athenian people eventually went back to a democracy because the Spartans couldn't stop them, so they finally got back their independence. They had poor leadership. They were took cocky since they beat the Persians twice so they had an act of Hubris. Natural disaster and they didn't gather as many allies. They should not have gone for Sparta anyway. With help from Persia, Sparta got a huge navy.

In 359 B.C. Maceodina came under the rule of King Philip II, a ruler of broad vision who was determined to gain control of the city-states and to lead the Greeks and Macedonians in the united force against the weakening empire of Persia. He strengthed his army by adopting Greek phalanx tactics, improving weapons of his hoplites, and building up a stronger cavalry force than any city state possessed. He used his newly won power wisely, letting the Greek city states govern themselves so long as they installed oligarches and acted as loyal allies. Phillip now at the head of a powerful alliance , vowed to avenge the insults and injuries inflicted on Greek temples and sancturies by the invading Persians more than a century before. But as he stood in the very blink of fulfillment he was assassinated in 336 B.C. His son Alexandra III only twenty years old, succeeded him, and proceeded to carry out his fathers grand design. (pg 82) (West Civ Book)