What was the Fourth Sacred War, and how did it bring Philip II into Greece?

The Fourth Sacred War was a conflict declared against the city of Amphissa, which served as the pretext for Philip II of Macedon to enter Greece in 339 BCE.1

While the term "Fourth Sacred War" is used to describe this specific event, it is important to note that Philip II had already established a significant presence in Greece years earlier during the Third Sacred War (355–346 BCE). During that earlier conflict, Philip intervened as an ally of Thebes and the Thessalian League, eventually securing a position of influence within the Delphic Amphictyony—an association of neighboring states that managed the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.2314

By the time the Fourth Sacred War began, Philip had been designated as the leader of the Amphictyonic council. His entry into Greece in 339 BCE under this authority led directly to the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BCE, where his victory over a coalition of Greek states, including Athens and Thebes, effectively established Macedonian hegemony over Greece.1