EVIO Presents: The King from the Edge of Greece

Feb 10, 2026

34:00

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🎙️ The Ides of April — Two-Part Series

Philip of Macedon: The Father Behind the Empire

Before the legend of Alexander the Great, there was the man who made his rise possible.

In this two-part series of The Ides of April, we travel to the rugged northern kingdom of Macedonia to explore the life, ambition, and violent death of Philip II of Macedon — the ruler who transformed a dismissed frontier state into the dominant power of the Greek world.

Part One — The King from the Edge of Greece

Long before Macedonia commanded armies and alliances, it was considered backward by the great city-states of southern Greece.

This episode traces:

• The harsh frontier culture that shaped Philip’s early life

• His time as a political hostage in Thebes — where he studied the future of warfare

• The military revolution that created the Macedonian war machine

• The rise of Philip’s power across Greece

• The complex royal family dynamics that shaped succession

• The early signs of greatness in his young son — including the famous taming of Bucephalus

By the time Philip stands at the height of his power, Greece is unified under his leadership and a massive invasion of Persia is within reach.

But success has created enemies — both abroad and within his own court.

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