The Role of Hermias and Aristotle, Advisor to Philip II, in the Relations between the Achaemenid Empire and Macedonia (347-336 BC)

Karbasi, Alireza; Pashazanous, Hamidreza; Sangari, Esmaeil

doi:10.22059/jhss.2025.392841.473795

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

¹ Ph.D. Candidate in Ancient History of Iran,University of Esfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

² Assistant professor of Ancient History of Iran, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran.

³ Associate professor of Ancien History, Languages and Civilization, University of Isfahan. Isfahan, Iran.

https://doi.org/10.22059/jhss.2025.392841.473795

Abstract

In the narratives of Aristotle's life, it is mentioned that he traveled and stayed in the cities of Atarneus and Assos in northwest Asia Minor, under the rule of a local ruler named Hermias, after the death of Plato. At the end of the Achaemenid period and after the changes of the era of Artaxerxes III (359/58 - 338 BC), Hermias was able to gradually expand his power in that region and through Aristotle and some other students of Plato's Academy, he became an important factor in Philip II - the ruler of Macedonia - becoming aware of the internal condition of the Achaemenid Empire; to the extent that his political alliance with Philip faced a harsh reaction from the Persians and he lost his life over that pact. Although Aristotle praised Hermias and slandered Persians in his writings, by carefully examining the political and diplomatic developments between the ruler of Atarneus and the king of Macedonia, it can be concluded that the Achaemenid Empire had accurate and clear information about the political events of the Greek city-states and Macedonian kingdom and by removing Hermias, and probably Philip himself, has helped the Greeks a lot to gain their lost independence. However, the Greeks did not take advantage of the opportunity for unity and lost the independence of their city-states to Philip's son, Alexander, shortly after. In this research, it has been tried to show, based on the analytical method and using library sources, that the Achaemenid Empire, to strengthen the Treaty of Antalcidas, made its efforts to maintain the independence of the Greek city-states against the Macedonian hegemony before the emergence of Alexander by removing the Macedonian-oriented elements, but the conflicts among the Greeks and Alexander's promptitude and violence in suppressing his Greek opponents caused the loss of this historical opportunity.

Keywords

Main Subjects

History

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Historical Sciences Studies

The Role of Hermias and Aristotle, Advisor to Philip II, in the Relations between the Achaemenid Empire and Macedonia (347-336 BC)

References

References

Volume 18, Issue 1 - Serial Number 41
April 2026
Pages 255-277

The Role of Hermias and Aristotle, Advisor to Philip II, in the Relations between the Achaemenid Empire and Macedonia (347-336 BC)

References

References

Volume 18, Issue 1 - Serial Number 41April 2026Pages 255-277

Volume 18, Issue 1 - Serial Number 41
April 2026
Pages 255-277