Philip II of Macedon

Philip II of Macedon
Basileus of Macedon
Bust of Philip II of Macedon from the Hellenistic period; Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek
Reign	359–336 BC
Predecessor	Perdiccas III
Successor	Alexander the Great
Born	382 BC Pella, Macedon
Died	October 336 BC (aged 46) Aigai, Macedon
Burial	Aigai, Macedon
Wives	Audata Phila Nicesipolis Philinna Olympias Meda of Odessa Cleopatra Eurydice
Issue	Cynane Philip III Alexander the Great Cleopatra Thessalonica Europa Caranus
Greek	Φίλιππος
House	Argead dynasty
Father	Amyntas III
Mother	Eurydice I
Religion	Ancient Greek religion

Philip II of Macedon (Greek: Φίλιππος Β΄ ὁ Μακεδών, Phílippos II ho Makedṓn; 382–336 BC) was the king (Basileus) of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, the third son of King Amyntas III, and father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.

Philip was the youngest son of the king Amyntas III and Eurydice I. In his youth (c. 368 – 365 BC), Philip was held as a hostage in Thebes, which was then the leading city of Greece. While a captive there, Philip received a military and diplomatic education from Epaminondas, became eromenos of Pelopidas, and lived with Pammenes, who was an enthusiastic advocate of the Sacred Band of Thebes.

In 364 BC, Philip returned to Macedon. The deaths of Philip's elder brothers, King Alexander II and Perdiccas III, allowed him to take the throne in 359 BC. Originally appointed regent for his infant nephew Amyntas IV, who was the son of Perdiccas III, Philip succeeded in taking the kingdom for himself that same year.