Famous Men of Greece · Ch. XXIV · Unit 8: Macedon and Alexander

29. Philip of Macedonia

Goal: Your child can tell how Philip made Macedonia master of Greece and describe his phalanx.

⏱ About 25 minutes · 6 steps

Open it at the Internet Archive ↗

You'll need

  • A map or globe (a free online map works well)
  • A notebook or paper and colored pencils
  • Your timeline (a long strip of paper on the wall, or a notebook page)
  • A tape measure, and about 30 small blocks, coins or toy soldiers

What's in the book

Macedonia, a kingdom north of Greece, takes the lead. Philip, who learned from Epaminondas in Thebes, becomes king, drills his army into the famous phalanx, beats Athens and Thebes at Chaeronea, and sets up a General Council of the states. He plans war on Persia but is killed at a wedding feast.

The lesson, step by step

  1. Set the scene

    Find Macedonia, north of Greece, and Chaeronea near Thebes.

    SayThe book calls Macedonia "partly Greek and partly barbarian." "Barbarian" was the Greek word for people who did not speak Greek.

  2. Read the chapter together

    Read pages 210–214 aloud, or let your child read and help with the hard names.

  3. Narration

    Close the book. Ask your child to tell the story back in their own words, from the beginning. Don't correct as they go; just listen. If they get stuck, use a prompt:

    - Where had Philip learned about armies?

    - How did Philip meet Olympias?

    - What did the woman mean by her appeal?

    - What happened at Chaeronea?

    - How did Philip treat the states he conquered?

  4. Build a phalanx

    The book says a phalanx was sixteen men deep, with shields close together and long spears in front "like a hedge." Line up blocks or coins in rows to make a small phalanx (say 16 rows of 2). Then measure 21 feet across the floor or yard: that was the length of each spear.

  5. Talk it over

    Ask:

    1. Why didn't Philip become a tyrant over the Greek states?

    2. What did Philip learn from Sparta's mistakes?

    3. What did Philip want all of Greece to do together?

  6. Remember it

    "I appeal from Philip drunk to Philip sober."

    Add Philip to the timeline (the book gives 382–336 B.C.).

Afterwards

Your child explains the phalanx to someone else using the blocks.

Answers to the book's problems

1. He knew Sparta's tyranny had made it weak, since no state was content under Spartan rule. 2. Training made Sparta strong; tyranny made it weak. 3. Make war against Persia.

Worked out for this site from the scan. If a number in your copy differs, trust the book.

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