The Rise of Macedonia, 359–323 B.C.E.

The kingdom of Macedonia’s rise to superpower status counts as one of the greatest surprises in ancient military and political history. Located north of central Greece, Macedonia rocketed from being a minor state to ruling the Greek and Near Eastern worlds. Two aggressive and charismatic Macedonian kings led this transformation: Philip II (r. 359–336 B.C.E.) and his son Alexander the Great. Their conquests ended the Greek Classical Age and set in motion the Hellenistic Age’s cultural changes.