Philip II of Macedon: A Life From the Ancient Sources

Philip II of Macedon is a unique compilation of fragments of ancient writings, epitomies, and passages from the orators that together form a contemporary biography of one of the most influential figures of the ancient world. Alfred Bradford has collected, translated, and integrated all the significant classical writings about Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great, and he presents them in a readable and lively manner, telling the story of Philip from his precarious childhood, when his life was threatened by his own mother, to his bloody death, when he was murdered by a bodyguard.

Philip II, the conqueror of Athens, was the dominant man of his time. A great military tactician and strategist--as evidenced by the analysis of the Battle of Chaeronea provided in this book--Philip built the army that Alexander the Great used to conquer the known world. Knowledge of Philip's life and military achievements is requisite for an understanding of Macedonia and Greece during the Age of Philip. Illustrated with maps by Alfred Bradford and drawings (based on ancient artifacts) by Pamela Bradford, this compelling biography will be of interest to students of ancient history as well as to military historians.