Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Philip II of Macedon, of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336. He was the father of Alexander the Great and Philip III. Born in Pella, Philip was the youngest son of the king Amyntas III and Eurydice I. In his youth, (c. 368 365 BC) Philip was held as a hostage in Thebes, which was the leading city of Greece during the Theban hegemony. While a captive there, Philip received a military and diplomatic education from Epaminondas, became eromenos of Pelopidas, and lived with Pammenes, who was an enthusiastic advocate of the Sacred Band of Thebes.