Alexander and Greek Conflicts

Alexander ascended to the Macedonian throne after the murder of his father, and the kingdom was in trouble immediately. Greek cities, like Athens and Thebes, which had pledged allegiance to Philip, were unsure if they wished to do the same for a twenty-year-old boy. Likewise, northern barbarians that Philip had subdued were threatening to break away from Macedonia and wreak havoc in the north. Alexander's advisors sug gested that he let Athens and Thebes go and to be gentle with the barbarians to prevent a revolt. However, Alexander felt that the best thing to do was to be decisive and swift. Therefore Alexander marched quickly north and drove the rebelling barbarian s beyond the Danube River and out of the way.

Arrian related the story of how Alexander dealt with Thebes and Athens. There were rumors in these cities that Alexander had been killed, and that the time was right for them to separate themselves from Macedonia. Instead, in the fall of 335 B.C.E., Ale xander marched up to the gates of Thebes, and let them know that it was not too late for them to change their minds. The Thebans responded with a small contingent of soldiers, which Alexander repelled with archers and light infantrymen.

The next day, Alexander's general, Perdiccas, attacked the gates. Arrian claims that he did so before Alexander gave a signal; Diodorus says that the signal had been given. Regardless, the battle had begun. Perdiccas broke through and into the city, an d Alexander moved the rest of his force in behind to prevent the Thebans from cutting Perdiccas off from the rest. The Macedonians then stormed the city, killing almost everyone in sight, women and children included. They plundered, sacked, burned and r azed Thebes, as an example to the rest of Greece.

Athens then rethought its decision to abandon Alexander. He came to terms with them that maintained the status quo as under Philip.

While visiting Athens to seal the pact, Alexander visited the Oracle at Delphi, despite it being a day when giving prophecy was forbidden. In his attempts to drag the priestess to the place where she gave her oracles, she screamed:

"My son, you are invincible!"
That was all that Alexander wanted to hear, and he departed, in the spring of 334 B.C.E., for Asia.
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