Battle of Crannon
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Crannon fought between the Macedonian forces of Antipater
and Craterus
and rebellious Greek forces led by the Athenians
, was the decisive battle of the Lamian War
. Macedonian victory, though militarily unspectacular, convinced the Greeks to sue for peace. This marked the end of city-state freedom from Macedonian hegemony in Greece.
decided to rebel against Macedonian hegemony in Greece. Recruiting a force of mercenaries and joined by many other city-states the Athenians were at first able to bring superior numbers against the enemy as Antipater, the Macedonian viceroy in Europe, was short on troops due to the Macedonian campaigns in the east. Forced to take refuge in Lamia
Antipater called for reinforcements from Asia. The first to respond, Leonnatus
, was killed in a battle against the Greek cavalry, however this allowed Antipater to escape from Lamia and merge his army with that of Leonnatus. The arrival of a third Macedonian force under the leadership of Craterus decidedly shifted the numerical superiority to the Macedonian side.
in Thessaly
.
Relying on the high reputation of the Thessalian horse, the Athenian general, Antiphilus decided to try as in the battle with Leonnatus to win the battle by cavalry. The battle therefore opened with the clash of the Greek and Macedonian cavalry. With the cavalry of both sides occupied, Antipater ordered his infantry to charge the Greek line. The Greek infantry was driven back by the more numerous enemy and withdrew to the high ground from where they could easily repulse any Macedonian assault. Seeing their infantry in retreat the Greek cavalry disengaged from the battle, leaving the field and victory in Macedonian hands.
Antiphilus therefore sent an embassy to Antipater the next day asking for terms. Antipater however refused to conclude any general peace with the Greek alliance as a whole, insisting instead that each city sent its own ambassadors. While these terms were at first rejected the subsequent Macedonian capture of several Thessalian cities caused a rush of defections as each city strove to make a separate peace.
Athens, abandoned by her allies, was at last forced to surrender unconditionally. In the peace imposed by Antipater the Athenians were forced to accept a Macedonian garrison as well as a replacement of democracy
with an oligarchy
under the leadership of Phocion
.
Antipater
Antipater was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. In 320 BC, he became Regent of all of Alexander's Empire. Antipater was one of the sons of a Macedonian nobleman called Iollas or Iolaus and his family were distant collateral relatives to the...
and Craterus
Craterus
Craterus was a Macedonian general under Alexander the Great and one of the Diadochi.He was the son of a Macedonian nobleman named Alexander from Orestis and brother of admiral Amphoterus. Craterus commanded the phalanx and all infantry on the left wing in Battle of Issus...
and rebellious Greek forces led by the Athenians
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
, was the decisive battle of the Lamian War
Lamian War
The “Lamian War”, also referred to as the “Hellenic War” and the “War against Antipater”, was fought by the Athenians and their Aetolian, Locrian, and Phocian allies against the Macedonians in Thessaly during the winter of 323–322 BC...
. Macedonian victory, though militarily unspectacular, convinced the Greeks to sue for peace. This marked the end of city-state freedom from Macedonian hegemony in Greece.
Prelude
The Athenians upon learning of the death of Alexander the Great in June 323 BC323 BC
Year 323 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Longus and Cerretanus...
decided to rebel against Macedonian hegemony in Greece. Recruiting a force of mercenaries and joined by many other city-states the Athenians were at first able to bring superior numbers against the enemy as Antipater, the Macedonian viceroy in Europe, was short on troops due to the Macedonian campaigns in the east. Forced to take refuge in Lamia
Lamia (city)
Lamia is a city in central Greece. The city has a continuous history since antiquity, and is today the capital of the regional unit of Phthiotis and of the Central Greece region .-Name:...
Antipater called for reinforcements from Asia. The first to respond, Leonnatus
Leonnatus
Leonnatus was a Macedonian officer of Alexander the Great and one of the diadochi.He was a member of the royal house of Lyncestis, a small kingdom that had been included in Macedonia by King Philip II of Macedon. Leonnatus was the same age as Alexander and was very close to him. Later, he was one...
, was killed in a battle against the Greek cavalry, however this allowed Antipater to escape from Lamia and merge his army with that of Leonnatus. The arrival of a third Macedonian force under the leadership of Craterus decidedly shifted the numerical superiority to the Macedonian side.
Battle
Antipater and Craterus now marched their combined army south to force the Greeks to battle. The Greeks, after calling together their dispersed forces met the Macedonians near CrannonKrannonas
Krannonas , ancient Crannon , is a village and a former municipality in the Larissa regional unit, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Kileler, of which it is a municipal unit. It is located southwest of the regional capital Larissa...
in Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
.
Relying on the high reputation of the Thessalian horse, the Athenian general, Antiphilus decided to try as in the battle with Leonnatus to win the battle by cavalry. The battle therefore opened with the clash of the Greek and Macedonian cavalry. With the cavalry of both sides occupied, Antipater ordered his infantry to charge the Greek line. The Greek infantry was driven back by the more numerous enemy and withdrew to the high ground from where they could easily repulse any Macedonian assault. Seeing their infantry in retreat the Greek cavalry disengaged from the battle, leaving the field and victory in Macedonian hands.
Aftermath
While the Greek army was still intact it was clear that the Macedonians had gained the advantage in the war. After conferring with his cavalry commander Menon of PharsalusMenon IV of Pharsalus
Menon was a citizen of Pharsalus in Thessaly, and a man of great influence and reputation, took a prominent part in the Lamian war, and commanded the Thessalian cavalry in the battle with the Macedonians, in which Leonnatus was slain...
Antiphilus therefore sent an embassy to Antipater the next day asking for terms. Antipater however refused to conclude any general peace with the Greek alliance as a whole, insisting instead that each city sent its own ambassadors. While these terms were at first rejected the subsequent Macedonian capture of several Thessalian cities caused a rush of defections as each city strove to make a separate peace.
Athens, abandoned by her allies, was at last forced to surrender unconditionally. In the peace imposed by Antipater the Athenians were forced to accept a Macedonian garrison as well as a replacement of democracy
Athenian democracy
Athenian democracy developed in the Greek city-state of Athens, comprising the central city-state of Athens and the surrounding territory of Attica, around 508 BC. Athens is one of the first known democracies. Other Greek cities set up democracies, and even though most followed an Athenian model,...
with an oligarchy
Oligarchy
Oligarchy is a form of power structure in which power effectively rests with an elite class distinguished by royalty, wealth, family ties, commercial, and/or military legitimacy...
under the leadership of Phocion
Phocion
Phocion was an Athenian statesman and strategos, and the subject of one of Plutarch's Parallel Lives....
.