Demostini's Anti-Macedonian Policy

Demosthenes was a famous politician and orator of Athens. When he was young, he studied oration diligently and determined to be devoted to Athenian politics. Finally he became the one who influenced Athenian foreign policy to a great extent. Demosthenes Time was the last period of Greek freedom, when Greek states faced crisis both from domestic problems and foreign invasions. Demosthenes foresaw the largest threat to Greek freedom was Macedon, uprising by leading of Philip Ⅱ. Therefore, he insisted unchangeable and fierce anti-Macedon policy in most of his political career. This article, based on existing materials, tries to analyze and summarize Demosthenes’ anti-Macedon policy.The article includes Introduction, Main Text and Conclusion. Introduction sums up the comprehensive commentary on the study of Demosthenes about its relevant historical data and modern research in the world. Chapter Ⅰ introduces the Greek political situations before he got involved into politics-- states fought with each others inside Greece; outside of Greece, Macedon suddenly appeared on the horizon and Persia interfered. And the political conditions in Athens-- the restoration of democracy in the 4 century B.C. offered the platform for Demosthenes to play a role. Chapter Ⅱ mainly discusses the development process of Demosthenes’ policies by analyzing the classified orations of Demosthenes. Especially depicts how his anti-Macedonia policy originated, developed and its result. Chapter Ⅲ focuses on the estimate to the nature of Demosthenes’policy. There’s a dispute all long about whether Demosthenes was a "Pan-Hellenist" in academic field. By studying Demosthenes’political orations, it can be concluded that although some of his assertions may show his inclination of "Pan-Hellenism" in a way, Demosthenes himself worked for Athenian benefit, and he was a Athen-centrism. Conclusion part tells the wisdom of Demosthenes as a politician as well as an orator, which is still worth learning by us.