He claimed Philip was a despot whose lust for power allowed him no rest while territory remained unconquered. His view was coloured by personal hatred. Demosthenes' political opponent in Athens, Aeschines, had a somewhat different view. Basically, Demosthenes preferred that Athens dominated Greece rather than either Macedonia or Sparta, and both those were therefore natural enemies. And of course his opposition gave him the stage on which to advance his own political career.
he believed that Phillip the second was a threat to greek
independence
Demosthenes of Athens warned the Athenians not the other Greeks. He was protecting Athenian interests and their hegemony over Greece because Macedonia wanted to lead the Greeks. Demosthenes harbored a personal grudge against Philip because of the humiliation he suffered when he lost his power of speech at the Macedonian court (Aischines, On the Embassy 35), Demosthenes called Philip a barbarian but he would call anyone he did not like a barbarian to insult them, including fellow Athenians (Dem. 21.150) much like someone today being labelled as "un-American".
Demosthenes was an Athenian lawyer and public speaker who opposed Philip. He warned the Athenians that Philip was a threat to Greek freedom. he urged all the city-states to join together to fight the Macedonians. The Greeks followed his advice and tried to unite, but it was too late. The Athenians joined with Thebes and a few other city-states. They battle Philip's army, but they were defeated.
Demosthenes son of Demosthenes.
Philip II and his Greek allies defeated the Athenians and their Greek allies on the battlefield of Chaeronea for the hegemony of Greece. Philip had brought peace to a war-torn Greece in 346 BC, by ending the Third Sacred War, and concluding his ten-year conflict with Athens for supremacy in the north Aegean, by making a separate peace. Demosthenes of Athens however, who harbored a grudge against Philip for humiliating him during a visit to the Macedonian court, began warning Athenians that Philip II wanted to take hegemony over Greece from Athens. Demosthenes convinced the Athenian assembly to sanction action against Philip's territories and to ally with Byzantium, which Philip was besieging. These actions were against the terms of their treaty oaths and amounted to a declaration of war. Diodorus provides the only formal account of the battle. He says that "once joined, the battle was hotly contested for a long time and many fell on both sides, so that for a while the struggle permitted hopes of victory to both."He then recounts that the young Alexander, "his heart set on showing his father his prowess" succeeded in rupturing the Athenian allied line aided by his companions, and eventually put the Athenian allies right wing to flight; meanwhile, Philip advanced in person against the Athenian allied left and also put it to flight. (Diodorus Source: Perseus Tufts)
Demosthenes led Athenians against the advance of PHilip II of Macedon, but failed to rally the other city-states to join the fight, and eventually all of Greece fell to the Macedonian. Some city-states, remembering the Delian League, may have been reluctant to support Athens. They may have felt that Athens would once again take control of them if they were able to defeat disarray that followed the Peloponnesian War, may have believed that the best option would be Greece unified, but under the umbrella of a strong foreign power, rather than one of their own small states. It s easy to argue that the failure of Demosthenes to manage the defeat of Philip was for the best. After all, the result was Alexander, the expansion of Greece, and the prosperity that brought and spread Hellenistic culture. The alternative would seem to be a group of small city-states impoverished by war with a power such as Macedon, with a unity that would eventually fail from infighting and the struggle to become a unified power with a unique culture, it is doubtful that it would have had the depth and influence of the Hellenistic era created by Demosthenes' failure. (May need proofreading, and for more answers Message Me :) 2/4/2011
Demosthenes believe that Philip ll was a threat to Athenian Hegemony over the rest of Greece.
He gauged Philip's ambition to control Greece.
He belived that Philip 2 was a threat to Greek Independence.
Demosthenes warned his fellow citizens of the looming threat from Philip II of Macedon because he believed that Philip's ambitions posed a serious danger to Athenian freedom and democracy. He urged his fellow citizens to unite and stand against this threat to protect their city-state's independence.
Demosthenes led the Athenian opposition straight to Philip. Hope this helps!
he believe that Philip ll was a threat to Greek independence
Statesman and orator, Demonsthenes wanted to destroy Macedon expansion and restore Athen's power. In order to do this, he needed to motivate his countrymen to overturn Philip. After Philip's death, Demosthenes was a key opponent and advocate against the new Macedonian king, Alexander the great.
Statesman and orator, Demonsthenes wanted to destroy Macedon expansion and restore Athen's power. In order to do this, he needed to motivate his countrymen to overturn Philip. After Philip's death, Demosthenes was a key opponent and advocate against the new Macedonian king, Alexander the Great.
An athenian orator named Demosthenes warned Athens and Greece about Philip through a series of orations known as the "Philippics"
Demosthenes of Athens warned the Athenians not the other Greeks. He was protecting Athenian interests and their hegemony over Greece because Macedonia wanted to lead the Greeks. Demosthenes harbored a personal grudge against Philip because of the humiliation he suffered when he lost his power of speech at the Macedonian court (Aischines, On the Embassy 35), Demosthenes called Philip a barbarian but he would call anyone he did not like a barbarian to insult them, including fellow Athenians (Dem. 21.150) much like someone today being labelled as "un-American".
He DID warn them, but they wouldn't listen.
Demosthenes.