Philip's Acarnanian allies, while he is involved…
201 BCE
Philip's Acarnanian allies, while he is involved in the campaign in Asia Minor, become involved in a war against Athens after the Athenians murder two Acarnanian athletes.
The Acarnanians complain to Philip about this provocation, and he decides to send a force under the command of Nicanor the Elephant to assist them on their attack on Attica.
The Macedonians and their allies plunder and loot Attica before attacking Athens.
The invaders make it as far as the Academy of Athens when the Roman ambassadors in the city order the Macedonians to retreat or to face war with Rome.
Philip's fleet has just escaped from the allied blockade and Philip orders that a squadron head to Athens.
The Macedonian squadron sails into Piraeus and captures four Athenian ships.
As the Macedonian squadron is retreating, the Rhodian and Pergamese fleet, which has followed Philip's ships across the Aegean, appears from the allied base at Aegina and attacks the Macedonians.
The allies defeat the Macedonian fleet and recapture the Athenian ships, which they return to the Athenians.
The Athenians are so pleased by the rescue that they replace the recently abolished pro-Macedonian tribes, the Demetrias and Antigonis tribes, with the Attalid tribe in honor of Attalus.
Attalus and the Rhodians persuades the Athenian assembly to declare war on the Macedonians.