Clearchus of Pontica and Philip II of Macedon – a comparison of the ways and methods leading to the establishment of a divine cult of personality
Clearchus of Pontica and Philip II of Macedon – a comparison of the ways and methods leading to the establishment of a divine cult of personality

Author(s): P. Jagła
Subject(s): Archaeology
Published by: Wydawnictwa Uniwersytetu Warszawskiego
Keywords: Klearchus of Pontica; Philip of Macedon; religion; ruler cult; deification
Summary/Abstract: The aim of my article is to compare how sources describe the actions of Clearchus, tyrant of Heraclea Pontica (365/4–353/2 BC), and those of Philip II of Macedonia (360/59/58–336 BC) that may appear as attempts to create religious cults of themselves. With regard to Philip, I have founded my work here on interpretation of the sources and results of my research, which I included in my PhD thesis „Religion in the policy of Philip II of Macedonia”. They primarily refer to events in the final period of his life: from his participation in the Fourth Sacred War and Battle of Chaeronea until his assassination in Aegae/Aegae. The comparison will reveal: – significant similarities (eg. both statesmen referred to the same gods: Zeus, Dionysus and Heracles); – the possibility that Clearchus influenced Philip (eg. in the year preceding the outbreak of the Fourth Sacred War, Philip carried out military operations in the area of Scythia and eastern Thrace as well as Propontis). These similarities were not necessarily the result of influence and/or inspiration, but rather a kind of signum temporis, which was reflected in the way in which ancient historians wrote about Clearchus and Philip.

• Details
• Contents