PHILIP A3 A YOUTH. 201 and the most scientific tactician of his day. 1 he spectacle of the Theban military force, excellent both as cavalry and as infantry under the training of such a man as Epaminondas, was eminently suggestive to a young Macedonian prince ; and became still more efficacious when combined with the personal conversation of the victor of Leuktra the first man whom Philip learnt to admire, and whom he strove to imitate in his military career. 1 His mind was early stored with the most advanced strategic ideas of the day, and thrown into the track of reflection, comparison, and invention, on the art of war. When transferred from Thebes to the subordinate government of a district in Macedonia under his elder brother Perdikkas, Philip organized a military force ; and in so doing had the oppor- tunity of applying to practice, though at first on a limited scale, the lessons learnt from the illustrious Thebans. He was thus at the head of troops belonging to and organized by himself when the unexpected death of Perdikkas opened to him the prospect of succeeding to the throne. But it was a prospect full of doubt and hazard. Perdikkas had left an infant son ; there existed, moreover, three princes, Archelaus, Aridaeus, and Menelaus, 2 sons of Amyntas by another wife or mistress Gygaea, and therefore half-brothers of Perdikkas and Philip : there were also two other pretenders to the crown Pausanias (who had before aspired to the throne after the death of Amyntas), seconded by a Thracian prince and Argaeus, aided by the Athenians. To these dan- gers was to be added, attack from the neighboring barbaric na tions, Illyrians, Paeonians, and Thracians always ready 3 to as- sail and plunder Macedonia at every moment of intestine weak- 1 Plutarch, Pelopidas, c. 26. f^wrfo yeyovevai frJofev TO Trept Tovf TroAf/zoDf Kal rdf GTpaTijylas dpaaTqpiov iauf Karavorjaaf, o uiKpbv jjv r/)f TOV av6po upeTT/f fidpiov, etc.
- Justin, vii. 4. Menelaus, the father of Amyntas and grandfather of
Philio. is sts-.jed to have been an illegitimate son ; while Amyntas himself is said to nave been originally an attendant or slave of ^Eropus ( JElian, V JI. xii. 43). Our information respecting the relations of the successive kings, and pretenders to the throne, in Macedonia, is obscure and unsatis- faetoiy. Justin (I. c.) agrees with JElian in calling the father of Amyntas Menelaus; but Dexippus (ap. Syncellum, p. 263) caUs him Aridseus; whila Diodorus (xiv. 92) calls him Tharraleus. 8 Justin, xxix. 1. 18*
