The Siege of Krinides occurred in 356 BC at the start of the Third Sacred War when the Macedonian general Celeas conquered the lightly-defended city of Krinides from Athens. The Macedonian capture of Krinides led to Athens, the Thessalian League, the Ionian League, and the Odrysian Kingdom of Thrace declaring war on Macedon, giving King Philip II of Macedon the pretext he needed to conquer Greece.
History[]
By 356 BC, three years into his reign, King Philip II of Macedon was ready to flex the Kingdom of Macedon's military muscles in Greece. At the start of the year, he concluded a non-aggression pact and trade agreement with the Thessalian League to the south, established friendly relations with Sparta in the Peloponnese, and established commerce with Corcyra. However, he rejected Athens' friendly overtures, including a non-aggression pact, as he had designs on the Chalcidice peninsula and Athens' other colonies in Macedonia. During the spring, Philip raised several armies across Macedon, and he personally led his army in a march on the Athenian colony of Torone in Chalcidice. Meanwhile, the Macedonian general Celeas raised an army of militia hoplites and peltasts in Amphipolis and, in July 356 BC, he marched on the Athenian town of Krinides, which was held by only 560 troops.
Battle[]
Before Philip was even in position to attack Torone, Celeas decided to attack Krinides, having already violated Athens' territorial sovereignty. His army formed up at the unfortified town's entrance, where his skirmishers overwhelmed the Athenian peltasts with their superior firepower. The Athenian garrison commander, Xeniades, proceeded to lead his hoplites in a charge against the Macedonians, hoping to slaughter their skirmishers, only for his phalanx to be charged from three sides by Macedonian hoplites. The Athenians were quickly routed, and the Krinides garrison surrendered after just a few minutes of battle. Only four Macedonians were killed in the taking of Krinides.