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Abstract

The role of mercenaries in Macedonian army of Philip’s II times are under consideration in this article. It is defi ning that the invitation of big quantity of mercenaries and regular payments for them were ensured by growing of Macedonian monarchy’s incomes which was a consequence of Philip’s economic reforms. The “soldiers of fortune” who served to Macedonian king had high fi ghting qualities thanks for some special measures for making the discipline high and combat readiness. Phillip or his commanders leaded the military operation where mercenaries were used. People from Illyria, Thrace and others regions of Greek world formed mercenary troops in Macedonian army.

At the beginning Phillip recruited lots of Greek hoplites who compensate for weakness of just forming Macedonian phalanx. Further the king recruited lightly armed “soldiers of fortune” which were peltasts, сretan archers and slingers. The research shows that fi rstly they used together with Macedonian under the king’s commander. After 346 BC when Macedonian expansion in Greece reached the higher level the mercenaries were used in minor strategic directions as the garrisons located in subordinate lands. The sourses analysis gives the information that in last ten years of Phillip’s reign the “soldiers of fortune” were a part of fi eld army and took part in main military companies. Using the light-armed mercenaries made the storm of the city and mountains wars easier and allowed to cover battle formations during the fi eld battles. In addition, Phillip had more opportunities to spend human resources for the Macedonian phalanx and the Companion Cavalry.

Keywords

Philip II, mercenaries, Macedonia, Classical Greece, warfare, military organization.

Аlexander А. Kleymeonov

Leo Tolstoy Tula State Pedagogical University, Tula, Russia

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