Death of Phillip Ii of Macedon
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
Phillip II, King of Macedonia was murdered in 336 BC when he attended the wedding between his daughter, Cleopatra and his brother in law, Alexander of Epirus. As he walked into the theatre where the wedding was to be held, he was fatally stabbed by a man named Pausanias, his head of guards. There were many theories behind the reason for Pausanias’ actions. Many said that it was pent up anger that drove Pausanias, while others suggested that Phillip’s wife, Olympias of Epirus and his son; Alexander had put him up to it. The Lyncestis brothers (a notable Macedonian family), Antipater (a powerful politician), Demosthenes (a prominent Greek statesmen and orator) and the Persian King Darius III were all said to be involved in the murder of Phillip.
The first supposed reason behind the murder of Phillip was the ‘lone assassin theory’. Phillip was said to have relations with Pausanias 7-8 years prior to the murder. When the affair had ended, Phillip began to have relations with another man, (also named Pausanias) who was a friend of Attalus (a good friend and potential family of Phillip). Pausanias, becoming jealous of this new relationship, insulted his rival in public. This resulted in the second Pausanias committing suicide by recklessly putting himself in danger at battle. Angered at the loss of his friend, Attalus plotted revenge against Pausanias, getting him drunk and proceeding to submit him to rape. Pausanias demanded justice from Phillip, who was reluctant to do so due to his connections with Attalus. In return, Phillip promoted Pausanias to the head of guards in the hopes of satisfying his requests. In the 7-8 years leading up to the murder, Attalus gradually becomes more and more powerful while Pausanias remains the head of guards. Some say that this could have triggered Pausanias’ built up anger from years ago, resulting in his motivation to kill Phillip as revenge. Another point to be observed was that Pausanias had supposedly gone
Phillip II, King of Macedonia was murdered in 336 BC when he attended the wedding between his daughter, Cleopatra and his brother in law, Alexander of Epirus. As he walked into the theatre where the wedding was to be held, he was fatally stabbed by a man named Pausanias, his head of guards. There were many theories behind the reason for Pausanias’ actions. Many said that it was pent up anger that drove Pausanias, while others suggested that Phillip’s wife, Olympias of Epirus and his son; Alexander had put him up to it. The Lyncestis brothers (a notable Macedonian family), Antipater (a powerful politician), Demosthenes (a prominent Greek statesmen and orator) and the Persian King Darius III were all said to be involved in the murder of Phillip.
The first supposed reason behind the murder of Phillip was the ‘lone assassin theory’. Phillip was said to have relations with Pausanias 7-8 years prior to the murder. When the affair had ended, Phillip began to have relations with another man, (also named Pausanias) who was a friend of Attalus (a good friend and potential family of Phillip). Pausanias, becoming jealous of this new relationship, insulted his rival in public. This resulted in the second Pausanias committing suicide by recklessly putting himself in danger at battle. Angered at the loss of his friend, Attalus plotted revenge against Pausanias, getting him drunk and proceeding to submit him to rape. Pausanias demanded justice from Phillip, who was reluctant to do so due to his connections with Attalus. In return, Phillip promoted Pausanias to the head of guards in the hopes of satisfying his requests. In the 7-8 years leading up to the murder, Attalus gradually becomes more and more powerful while Pausanias remains the head of guards. Some say that this could have triggered Pausanias’ built up anger from years ago, resulting in his motivation to kill Phillip as revenge. Another point to be observed was that Pausanias had supposedly gone