ABSTRACT
In 338 Philip II defeated a Greek coalition at the Battle of Chaeronea that established Macedonian hegemony over the Greeks. In 337 he formalized that military control with a Common Peace, administered by an executive arm that is commonly called the League of Corinth (a modern term). A Common Peace bound all parties together on an equal basis, with each state, among other things, forbidden to wage war against another; if that happened, then all the other states could combine against the aggressor. Given the rivalries of the various states towards one another, Philip's exploitation of Common Peace (which he enforced, unlike previous ones, which had soon broken down) was an ingenious method to keep the Greeks passive while he campaigned in Asia. Macedonia was not a member of this Common Peace, but Philip bound the Greeks together under Macedonian rule by means of the league, for each state swore allegiance to the hegemon of the League, which turned out to be Philip, of course!1 Sparta refused to join the peace, but Philip could safely leave it be as it was encircled by Macedonian allies. This combination of Common Peace and league was completely new in Greek political life. Matters affecting the Greeks were to be discussed by the league and then implemented on its authority, thus giving the Greeks some semblance of autonomy. Thus, in 337 when Philip announced his intention to invade Persia on the pretext of avenging the Athenians for what they had suffered during the Persian War (cf. Source 21) and to liberate the Greek cities of Asia Minor, he did so at a league meeting (Diod. 16.89.2, Arr. 2.14.4, 3.18.12).
