Page:History of Greece Vol XII.djvu/99

 PEKCAUTIONARY EXECUTIONS BY ALEXANDER. 07 operate for one end, is the great fact of Macedonian history. Nothing of the same kind and magnitude had ever before been seen. The Macedonians, like Epirots and -35tolians, had no other aptitude or marking quality except those of soldiership. Their rude and scattered tribes manifest no definite political in- stitutions and little sentiment of national brotherhood; their union was mainly that of occasional fellowship in armsr under the king as chief. Philip the son of Amyntas was the first to orga- nize tliis military union into a system pei-manently and effica- ciously operative, achieving by means of it conquests such as to create in the Macedonians a common pride of superiority in arras, which served as substitute for political institutions or nationality. Such pride was still farther exalted by the really superhuman career of Alexander. The Macedonian kingdom was nothing but a well-combined military machine, illustrating the irresistible superiority of the rudest men, trained in arms and conducted by an able general, not merely over undisciplined multitudes, but also over free, courageous, and disciplined, citizenship with highly gifted intelligence. During the winter of 335-334 b. c, after the destruction of Thebes and the return of Alexander from Greece to Pella, his final preparations were made for the Asiatic expedition. The Macedonian army with the auxiliary contingents destined for this enterprise were brought together early in the spring. Anti pater, one of the oldest and ablest officers of Philip, was appointed to act as viceroy of Macedonia during the king's absence. A military force, stated at 12,000 infantry and 1500 cavalry,' was left with him to keep down the cities of Greece, to resist aggres- sions from the Persian fleet, and to repress discontents at home. Such discontents were likely to be instigated by leading Mace- donians or pretenders to the throne, especially as Alexander had no direct heir : and we are told that Antipater and Parmenio advised postponement of the expedition until the young king could leave behind him an heir of his own lineage.2 Alexander overruled these representations ; yet he did not disdain to lessen the perils at home by putting to death such men as he principally ' Diodor. xvii. 17. * DioJor. xvii. 16.