Battle of Krannon

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The Battle of Krannon took place on September 5th, 322 BC. Chr. Between the troops of Athens and the Aetolians on the one hand and those of Macedonia on the other hand instead. The outcome of the battle contributed to the decision of the Lamian War in Macedonia's favor.

prehistory

After the death of Alexander the Great , Athens rose against Macedonian rule in Greece. The city quickly gained further allies and achieved important initial successes: the Boiotier , allied with Macedonia, were defeated at Plataiai and Antipater , governor in the European part of the Alexander Empire , was included in Lamia by Leosthenes . In a Macedonian failure, Leosthenes fell.

course

Then the Macedonian general Krateros arrived, who was looking for the decision in the Thessalian plain near Krannon, near Larissa . By uniting the two armies, the Macedonians with 34,000 to 48,000 soldiers, depending on the information, were superior to the approximately 25,000 to 28,000 Greeks. The numerically superior Macedonian infantry were able to push back their opponents, whereupon the Greek cavalry left the battlefield. The battle ended in favor of Antipaters and Krateros. 130 Macedonians and 500 Greeks fell. However, the Greek army remained intact.

consequences

The battle was not a decisive success for Macedonia, but led to an "acceleration of the crumbling effect" on the Greek side. Strictly speaking, the opponents in the Battle of Krannon only achieved a tactical "draw". The Athenians, weaker in resources, then tried to get in touch with Antipater and to seek peace. However, after the Greek fleet, under the command of the Euetion of the Macedonian fleet under the command of Admiral Kleitos, was completely defeated in the sea ​​battle of Amorgos , the leaders of the uprising (the speaker Hypereides and the politician Demosthenes ) were executed or committed suicide. The democratic constitution of Athens had to be abandoned in favor of an oligarchical one, with Macedonia ensuring that Promakedonian politicians retained power. Athens was severely punished, it had to renounce its autonomy , the democratic constitution and its maritime rule. In addition, Phokion was installed in Athens, who should represent Macedonian interests from now on. The Aetolians were luckier: after an armistice they grew from a tribal state to a leading force in the Aitolian League . The Battle of Krannon marks the end of the independent Greek city-states.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Leonhard A. Burckhardt: Citizens and soldiers. Aspects of the Political and Military Role of Athenian Citizens in the Warfare of the 4th Century BC Chr. Steiner, Stuttgart 1996, ISBN 3-515-06832-5 , p. 136.

literature

  • Herrmann Bengtson: The Diadochi. Munich 1987.
  • Johann Gustav Droysen: History of Hellenism. New, through. Edition 1952.