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Philip of Macedon defeats Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea

338 BCE, Chaeronea. An event.

Where and when

338 BCEChaeronea

2,363 years ago

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, Chaeronea

Philip II's army beats the allied Greeks. His son Alexander, then a young man, fights in the battle.

He was also present at Chaeroneia and took part in the battle against the Greeks, and he is said to have been the first to break the ranks of the Sacred Band of the Thebans.

Plutarch, Life of Alexander 9.2Translated by Bernadotte Perrin (1919)Read the full passage (Plutarch, Life of Alexander 9.2, opens scaife.perseus.org)

Background: Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC), Wikipedia (opens en.wikipedia.org)

Why it matters

The battle has been called one of the most decisive of the ancient world. In its wake the League of Corinth made the Greek states allies of Macedon and of each other, with Philip as guarantor of the peace.

Based on Wikipedia: Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC)

The battle has been described as one of the most decisive of the ancient world.

The League of Corinth, formed as a result, made all participants allies of Macedon and each other, with Philip as the guarantor of the peace.

Wikipedia, Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC) (opens en.wikipedia.org), as of 2026-10-01. Text CC BY-SA 4.0. Our line is checked against these sentences only.

Related moments

In time order, with this one in its place. Each says why it is here.

  1. c. 350–336 BCEDuring it Young Alexander on his father's victories Also about war and empire
  2. 338 BCEThis momentPhilip of Macedon defeats Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea
  3. 338 BCESame year Diogenes before Philip, in one story Rests on this eventAlso in ChaeroneaAlso about war and empire
  4. 336 BCE2 years later Alexander becomes king of Macedon at twenty Same years
  5. c. 336 BCEabout 2 years later Alexander visits Diogenes Same years
  6. c. 336 BCEabout 2 years later Alexander on being Diogenes Same years
  7. c. 336 BCEabout 2 years later Diogenes asks Alexander to step out of his sun Same years
  8. 335/334 BCE3 years later Aristotle opens his school at the Lyceum Same years

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