ALEXANDER IN GREECE. H Not merely in Athens, but in other Grecian States also, the death of Philip excited aspirations for freedom. The Lacedos- monians, who, though unsupported, had stood out inflexibly against any obedience to him, were now on the watch for new allies ; while the Arcadians, Argeians, and Eleians, manifested sentiments adverse to Macedonia. The Ambrakiots expelled the garrison placed by Philip in their city ; the -^tolians passed a vote to assist in restoring those Akamanian exiles whom he had banished.* On the other hand, the Thessalians manifested unshaken adherence to Macedonia, But the Macedonian garri- son at Thebes, and the macedouizing Thebans who now governed that city,^ were probably the main obstacles to any combined manifestation in favor of Hellenic autonomy. Apprised of these impulses prevalent throughout the Grecian world, Alexander felt the necessity of checking them by a demonstration immediate, as well as intimidating. The energy and rapidity of his proceedings speedily overawed all those who had speculated on his youth, or had adopted the epithets applied to him by Demosthenes. Having surmounted, in a shorter time than was supposed possible, the difficulties of his newly-acquired position at home, he marched into Greece at the head of a formidable army, seemingly about two months after the death of Philip. He was favorably received by the Thessalians, who passed a vote constituting Alexander head of Greece in place of his father Philip ; which vote was speedily confirmed by the Amphiktyonic assembly, convoked at Thermopylae. Alexander next advanced to Thebes, and from thence over the isthmus of when Alexander crossed into Asia (Anian, ii. 14, 11). The first letter must iiave been sent shortly after Philip's death, when Darius was publicly boasting of having procured the deed, and before he had yet learnt to fear Alexander. Compare Diodor. xvii. 7. ' Diodor. xvii. 3. ,
- Diodorus (xvii. 3) says that the Thebans passed a vote to expel the
Macedonian garrison in the Kadmeia. But I have little hesitation in reject- ing this statement. We may be sure that the presence of the Macedonian garrison was connected with the predominance in the city of a party favor- able to Macedonia. In the ensuing year, when the resistance really oc- curred, this was done by the anti-Macedonian party, who then got back from exile.
