"What we need is a system of carbon taxes coupled with subsidies for developing households and a stream of funding for the developing world‚" says Saudi Arabian Finance Minister. The green agenda cannot occur at scale without carbon taxes imposed on a global level‚ claimed Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan. During a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum’s annual Davos summit on Friday‚ Al-Jadaan argued that carbon taxes are the only way to generate the revenue necessary to reach the UN’s Sustainable Development goals. “There is no realistic solution to the climate transition that does not involve a globally coordinated system of carbon taxes‚” he said. Ready for more potential taxes?"There is no realistic solution to the climate transition that does not involve a globally coordinated system of carbon taxes."https://t.co/cc7736ok1r pic.twitter.com/Ap7entnq9R— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) January 20‚ 2024 Al-Jadaan dismissed critics who claim global carbon taxes are unfair and inflationary‚ arguing that “vulnerable communities” will suffer from “climate change” the most if they’re not enacted.Winter Sun Plus is NOW 40% off! Boost your natural defenses with this powerful vitamin D3 and K formula! “There’s a perception that it’s unjust‚ it’s unfair‚ it’ll lead to inflation. In fact‚ quite the contrary. If we don’t do this‚ the countries that will suffer most ultimately are the developing countries. They’re going to be the worst affected by climate change‚” he said. Al-Jadaan then insisted that taxpayers in developed countries subsidize funding for third world nations so they can pursue their own climate goals. “What we need is a system of carbon taxes coupled with subsidies for developing households and a stream of funding for the developing world. to allow them to engage in investments and mitigations and adaption that allows them to keep growing. And that’s a real opportunity‚” he explained. “It’s a fair solution and it’s the only realistic solution‚ and we can’t keep ducking it‚” he added. Joe Biden has committed the US to adhere to the UN’s climate goals of reducing carbon emissions by at least 50% by 2030. Congress this week also took a step toward passing an “inflationary” carbon tax after a Senate committee voted to propose a study aimed at calculating the carbon emissions of a range of products made in the U.S. and elsewhere. “On Jan. 18‚ the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee voted to send a proposed law to the full Senate that would require the federal government to conduct a study calculating the carbon emissions of a broad range of different products made in America and other countries. These include construction materials‚ plastics‚ and fertilizers—all vital to small businesses and corporations that power the economy‚” the Daily Signal reported Friday. Watch the full panel discussion: Follow Jamie White on X | Truth | Gab | Gettr | Minds

from ZeroHedge: If the Republicans step up‚ if the speaker steps up‚ if the relevant congressional figures step up‚ this is the chance to utterly demolish the January 6th narrative that the regime is using to weaponize the national security state against the American people‚ and to take Trump off the ballot.” Having acquitted himself extremely […]

from Health Ranger Report:  TRUTH LIVES on at https://sgtreport.tv/

from The Epoch Times: The federal government flagged transactions for religious texts‚ according to documents obtained by the House Judiciary Committee Faith leaders and religious liberty advocates are up in arms over news that the federal government encouraged banks and other financial institutions to search customers’ private accounts using the search term “religious texts.” TRUTH […]

by Bruce Fleming‚ Real Clear Wire: Applicants who self-identified as a member of a race the Academy wished to privilege—at the time I was on the Admissions Board it was African American‚ Hispanic‚ and Native American—were briefed separately to the committee not by a white member but by a minority Navy lieutenant. Briefings (a minute […]

by Linda R. Killian‚ American Thinker: The battle against DIE (diversity‚ inclusion‚ equity) in America’s educational institutions isn’t about the obvious abuses of academic integrity‚ disregard for achievement‚ or embrace of institutional racism.  It’s about power and money.  The same goes for DIE’s offspring‚ ESG (environmental‚ social and governance)‚ whose proponents have forced public and private companies […]

  Seventy-four thousand years ago‚ the Earth suffered a catastrophic event which‚ according to the Toba catastrophe theory‚ led to the extinction of many animals around the globe.   Ash covered the land. The sky was blanketed in darkness. Temperatures plummeted. Plants refused to grow. The few surviving human beings huddled together for warmth as the apocalyptic nightmare dragged on.   Seventy-four thousand years ago‚ the supervolcano Mount Toba on what is now Sumatra exploded. It was an extinction event that changed the world‚ and according to some academics‚ it almost wiped out the human species.   The Toba Catastrophe Theory Comparison of volcanic eruption in terms of ejected material. Source: Public Domain via US Geological Survey   Compared with other animal species‚ there is a surprising lack of genetic diversity among humans. In fact‚ there is less genetic diversity between all eight billion of us than there is in a closely related troop of 50 chimpanzees. The reason for this was a mystery for many years until theories were put forward to explain the phenomenon.   The Toba catastrophe theory and the human bottleneck hypothesis posit that around 74‚000 years ago‚ the human species almost went extinct. It resulted from a global catastrophe caused by the eruption of Mount Toba‚ the remains of which lie on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.   Climate models suggested that the average world temperature dropped by as much as 15 degrees Celsius in the wake of the eruption.   Volcano. Source: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain via Phys.org   Genetic data contributed to the theory and suggested that the human species went through a genetic bottleneck – a severe reduction in the total gene pool –  suggesting that the species was greatly reduced. Some academics posited that the species was reduced to a few thousand individuals with as few as 1‚000 mating pairs in total. This would explain why there is so little genetic diversity among our species.   The theory posits that we survived in small groups scattered in various parts of Africa before repopulating.   Once widely accepted‚ however‚ this theory has come under renewed scrutiny over the past few years as evidence paints a more confusing picture as to how humanity coped.   The Eruption Data Map showing the discovery of tephra (volcanic rock ejection) from the Toba supervolcano. Source: Erich Fisher/Phys.org   The explosivity index on which volcanoes are rated is called the Volcanic Explosivity Index. Like the Richter scale‚ which measures the power of earthquakes‚ each number increase represents a factor increase in 10. So‚ a VEI number of 5‚ for example‚ is ten times more powerful than a VEI number of 4.   The VEI number for Toba is estimated to be 8‚ the highest on the scale. For reference‚ the eruption of Mount Saint Helens measured 5. Toba was 1‚000 times more powerful than Mount Saint Helens and 100 times more powerful than the Krakatoa eruption‚ which clocked in at VEI 6. Krakatoa was so powerful the sound of the blast curled the Earth four times!   In 1815‚ the eruption of Mount Tambora‚ measuring a 7 on the VEI scale‚ spewed so much ash into the air that 1816 was known as “the year without a summer.” Crops failed the world over‚ and it snowed in Virginia on July 4! Toba was more powerful than Tambora by a factor of 10.   As Toba exploded‚ those in the immediate surroundings would have had no chance of survival. Pyroclastic flow billowed from the site‚ superheated to 1100 degrees Celsius and traveled at 320 kilometers per hour. Anybody who came in contact with it would have died instantly.   Studies show that the total amount of dense-rock equivalent (DRE)‚ the scientific term used when measuring volcanic ejection mass‚ was between 2‚800 km3 (670 cu mi) and 6‚000 km3 (1‚400 cu mi). All of this tephra (or DRE) was ejected in the space of 9 to 14 days.   This completely dwarfs all volcanic eruptions in history‚ making the eruptions of Vesuvius and Mount Saint Helens seem tiny and insignificant by comparison.   How the Climate Changed A handful of ash from India from a layer of earth dated to 74‚000 years ago. Source: Indian Express   The exact effects of the eruption are difficult to determine through studying the sedimentary layer. However‚ there seems to have been a shift in climate that may or may not have been caused by the eruption. It is likely that a climate shift was already taking place and was accelerated by the Toba eruption. Temperatures dropped or were dropping significantly‚ ushering in the start of an ice age that forced many species to adapt.   If Toba were not directly responsible for the Ice Age‚ it would certainly have contributed to speeding it up.   What Could the Apocalypse Have Been Like? A comparison of eruption sizes measured in ejected material. Source: Robert Krulwich/NPR   Many of the people who lived in Sumatra would have been killed in the initial few days of the explosion. Those unlucky enough to survive the first few days would have had a more drawn-out death as ash whipped through the air and covered the ground in several feet of its toxic mass. In India‚ 5‚000 kilometers (3100 miles) away‚ six inches of ash covered the ground‚ and even further away‚ ash deposits from the Toba eruption have been found in Africa near Lake Malawi as well as on the southern coast of South Africa‚ 8‚900 kilometers (5‚530 miles) away.   While the ash may have looked light and fluffy like snow‚ the truth is that volcanic ash is heavy. It’s thick and toxic. Fine dust breathed in forms cement-like quality in the lungs; those who inhaled the ash would have suffocated‚ some in lingering torture. It also fell over all the water sources‚ turning rivers into slushy‚ ash-filled mud.   If the eruption of Tambora blanketed the sun and turned the entire following year into a miserable winter‚ Mount Toba would have been exponentially worse‚ with some academics positing the volcanic winter could have lasted hundreds of years. If this were the case‚ there would have certainly been an era of darkness and cold‚ which would have wiped out many plant and animal species and driven many others‚ including humans‚ to the brink of extinction.   If there were a mass die-off of plants and animals‚ humans would have struggled to survive.   Controversies &; Arguments Lake Toba on the Island of Sumatra – the remains of the Toba supervolcano. Source: Google Earth   Of course‚ the theory of the catastrophic Toba eruption causing a human bottleneck is debated by academics. Widely accepted during the 1990s and 2000s‚ the theory has come under intense scrutiny as more discoveries are made pertaining to the event.   What is accepted as fact is that Mount Toba erupted with a power and force that no human being had ever witnessed before. What is debated is how it affects the human species.   The bottleneck theory posits that the volcanic winter lasted as long as ten years and would have caused a mass die-off of plants‚ leading to mass starvation as food sources dwindled. Evidence also suggests that other animals were affected or coincidentally recovered from drastically reduced populations around this time. The East African chimpanzee‚ the Bornean orangutan‚ the central Indian macaque‚ the tiger‚ and the cheetah all show signs of having recovered from a bottleneck.   Homo floresiensis survived for around 20‚000 years after the eruption of Mount Toba. Source: Flickr user Karen Neoh via Smithsonian Magazine   A 2021 study concluded that‚ according to the assumed amount of sulfur dioxide released into the atmosphere‚ the temperature drop would have been −3.5 °C (−6.3 °F)‚ and temperatures would have returned to normal within five years of the Toba eruption. This disrupts the theory that a mass die-off of plants around the tropical regions happened.   What is also significant is the survival of other human species. Neanderthals were around until around 35‚000 years ago‚ and the region in which they lived was already frigid. Further temperature drops would have made life far more difficult. But perhaps what’s most intriguing is that current theories suggest Homo floresiensis survived for at least 20‚000 years after the eruption of Mount Toba. They lived just 2‚600 kilometers (1600 miles) away on the Island of Flores.   The locations of Mount Toba and the Jurreru Valley‚ 2‚600 kilometers (1‚615 miles) apart. Source: Image created by author via Google Earth   Controversy also surrounds human survival on the Asian subcontinent‚ where significant amounts of ash blanketed the ground. India was directly in the path of the ash cloud and was one of the first substantial landmasses to be affected by the fallout. Opponents of the Toba catastrophe theory point out that there is evidence of abundant habitation in the Jurreru Valley directly before and after the eruption. Proponents of the theory‚ however‚ point out that other sites in India‚ such as the Middle Son Valley to the north of India‚ show a major population decline. They argue that people survived in the Jurreru Valley and sought refuge there as it was fed by springs – an uncontaminated supply of fresh water.   Similarly‚ evidence of thriving human populations on the southern coast of Africa may prove that humans weren’t as severely affected as previously thought or that this area may have constituted an area of refuge that was less affected than others.   Lake Toba today is an idyllic place that hides a catastrophic past. Source: Robert Harding Picture Library/National Geographic   While some evidence points to the idea that the human species almost went extinct‚ especially evidence regarding genetics‚ deep core samples‚ and climatic models could suggest otherwise. With what we know now‚ it is difficult to state anything as fact.   Whatever the case‚ however‚ Mount Toba’s eruption is the single greatest volcanic explosion ever experienced by humanity‚ and studying its effects could help us deal with the potential of another event of similar proportions.   What we do know for sure is that there are supervolcanoes that could blow their top without any warning. Whenever that happens‚ whether tomorrow or a hundred thousand years from now‚ it will be an extremely dark and terrifying day in human history.

  In his day‚ Philip II was arguably the most significant player in the politics of the Eastern Mediterranean. He was a wise innovator‚ a masterful tactician‚ and a shrewd diplomat‚ who carried Macedon from the periphery to the apex of Mediterranean power politics.   However‚ his life is usually overshadowed by that of his son‚ Alexander the Great. Often‚ he appears in the historical record only as a prelude or side character in his son’s path to glory‚ but Philip was a fascinating individual who deserves his own share of attention.   Early Life Bust of Philip II‚ Roman copy of Greek original‚ by Roger Mortel‚ Source: Wikimedia Commons   Like many great rulers‚ Philip was never meant to be King. Born around 382 BCE‚ he was only the third eldest son of King Amyntas III of Macedon‚ and his elder brother Alexander II was destined to succeed his father. However‚ after Alexander’s assassination by a powerful courtier‚ the young Philip was sent away as a diplomatic hostage‚ first to the Kingdom of Illyria on the coast of the Adriatic Sea‚ but then to Thebes. In Thebes‚ he learned at the feet of the legendary Theban General Epaminondas‚ and the lessons Philip learned there would reshape Greece‚ Macedon‚ and the world forever.   Philip returned to Macedon when he reached adulthood. His second-eldest brother Perdiccas III trusted Philip and appointed him as regent for his own son Amyntas while the King was out on campaign. However‚ in 359 BCE‚ King Perdiccas was killed in battle against the Illyrian ruler Bardylis. Philip became the regent for his infant nephew but quietly sidelined Amyntas to establish his own power. He was kind enough not to kill Amyntas and permitted him a life of relative comfort‚ but he never allowed his nephew anything that might challenge his own power.   Philip the Innovator The Macedonian Phalanx‚ Source: Hellenic-art.com   Philip’s time under Epaminondas honed his military skill and he embarked on a series of tactical and military reforms as king that paved the way for Macedon’s future glory. The most important was the introduction of the sarissa. The sarissa was a long spear roughly twice the length of the traditional dory used in Greek and Macedonian warfare.   Warfare in this period was based around phalanx formations — men armed with spears and shields in a tight formation‚ providing an unbreakable wall of protective shields and offensive spears. The Greeks had perfected this type of warfare and famously employed it in battles such as Thermopylae and Marathon.   Philip’s sarissa was a simple change‚ but a profound one. By doubling the length of the spear‚ he doubled the distance between his own men and the enemy’s weapons. Furthermore‚ because the spears were so long‚ additional rows of phalangites could point their spears in front of the formation‚ creating multiple layers of spears for attackers to get through. This made the Macedonian phalanx almost impenetrable.   Philip also improved the use of cavalry by forming the hetairoi‚ or Companion Cavalry. This elite heavy cavalry force was comprised of the Macedonian elites and were typically personally led into battle by the king. Usually‚ the sarissa-equipped phalanx units would hold an enemy in place while the swift hetairoi outflanked the enemy. This combination would be devastatingly effective against the Persians.   Lastly‚ Philip innovated with the use of siege equipment. He made one of history’s first use of catapults against the town of Byzantion in 340 BCE and made liberal use of siege towers‚ battering rams‚ and early ballistae named oxybeles. Although he had mixed success with them‚ his varied and sophisticated array of siegecraft equipment would be indispensable to Alexander’s later conquests.   Early Campaigns Statue of Olympias and Alexander the Great‚ by Wilhelm Beyer‚ 1779‚ Source: Schönbrunn Palace   Upon seizing power‚ Philip’s immediate political concerns were the Illyrians. Having killed his predecessor in battle‚ the Illyrians posed a unique threat as they had been emboldened by their success and might inspire others to revolt against Macedonian power. Philip marched to meet the Illyrians in the Erigon Valley in 358 BCE‚ where he decisively defeated them and slew their king on the field.   On top of his military acumen‚ Philip understood the value of marriage as a political tool. He secured the obedience of Illyria through marriage to the Princess Audata and consolidated his control of Elimeia by similarly marrying Phila of Elimeia. By far his most consequential union came from Princess Olympias of Epirus in 357 BCE. By all accounts‚ Olympias was a formidable and wilful woman‚ and together they quickly conceived a son‚ whom they would name Alexander.   Philip in Greece Macedonian Coin‚ head of Zeus with Philip II on horseback‚ 340-315 BCE‚ Source: The British Museum   Philip continued his expansion by acquiring the gold-rich territory around the city of Amphipolis in 357 BCE and that same year he conquered the city of Pydna. These actions directly defied the demands of Athens and brought Philip fully into the shifting alliances of the Greek world.   The dispute over Amphipolis and Pydna led to ten years of intermittent conflict between Philip and Athens. Philip continued to prove himself an able battlefield commander. He wrested multiple cities out of Athenian control with remarkable success‚ although the city of Methone did cost him his right eye. He then carried his campaigns into Thrace and Thessaly‚ further expanding Macedonian power at the expense of the Greek city-states.   From 356 BCE‚ Philip was dragged into the Third Sacred War as an ally of Thebes against the Phocians. Despite initial successes‚ Philip was actually defeated in battle by the Phocians but dusted himself off and redoubled his efforts. He delivered a decisive revenge upon them at the Battle of Crocus Field in late 353 or early 352 BCE where he killed or captured almost 10‚000 Phocians. The victory rewarded Philip with effective control of Thessaly and a powerful stake in Greek affairs that he would only expand.   Raising Alexander Alexander the Great (356-323 BC)‚ taming Bucephalus‚ by Benjamin Robert Haydon‚ 1826/7‚ Philip is seated on the right‚ Source: The National Trust Collections   Amid his military and diplomatic achievements‚ Philip still found time to be present in his son’s life.   Philip features in several famous anecdotes from Alexander’s early life‚ although not all of them may be true. For example‚ it was Philip who tried and failed to tame the horse Bucephalus before Alexander managed to subdue the beast and make him his loyal companion. Philip supposedly wept with joy and told his son to find a bigger kingdom because “Macedon is too small for you.” An unintentionally prophetic prediction for a future conqueror‚ or a later invention to bolster the heroic destiny in Alexander’s myth? The latter is more likely.   For his part‚ Philip appears to have trusted Alexander. In one Plutarchian tale‚ Alexander was trusted to receive Persian ambassadors while Philip was away from court. In another‚ he entrusted the 16 year old Alexander with the regency while he was on campaign‚ during which the young Alexander successfully subdued a rebellion in Macedonian territory.   Many of these anecdotes are dubious‚ but we do know that Philip made some impressive provisions for his son. Most famously‚ Philip arranged for Aristotle to personally tutor Alexander. Teacher and student enjoyed a close relationship for many years and one can think of few people in history who might be as impressive a teacher for a young man to have. Clearly‚ Philip wanted Alexander to have the best education possible.   Philip Grows His Kingdom Roman-era bust of Demosthenes‚ photo by Eric Gaba‚ 2005‚ Source: Wikimedia Commons   If Macedon really was too small for Alexander‚ then Philip was doing an excellent job in expanding it for him. From the late 350s to 340s BCE‚ Philip engaged in a string of campaigns to expand his borders. Philip secured Macedonian dominance over Balkan hill tribes to the north and east of Thrace. He also tightened his control over Epirus and Illyria in a series of short punitive campaigns after they had become restless while Philip had been focused on Greece. By 342 BCE‚ he had effectively doubled the size of his kingdom and held it more firmly than ever before.   Meanwhile‚ in Greece‚ he turned to diplomatic means to slowly increase his power. He compelled Athens to accept peace in 346 BCE and his decisive role in Greek affairs earned him membership of the Amphictyonic League‚ signaling his important place in the region.   This dominance did not go unnoticed‚ least of all by Athens. Despite the peace they’d signed‚ Athens continued to work against Philip and feared his growing power. The famous statesman and orator Demosthenes delivered five fiery speeches‚ all of which have survived‚ condemning Philip as a tyrant who would destroy Greece if given the chance. The Athenians even sent an embassy to Persia asking for support in a war against Philip but they were denied. Soon though‚ Athens would come to regret its hostility to Philip and their hopes of seeing him fall would come crashing down.   Philip Subdues Greece Thebans and Macedonians at Chaeronea‚ by Edmund Ollier‚ 1882‚ Source: Cassell’s Illustrated Universal History‚ online at The Internet Archive   In 340 BCE‚ Philip attempted to besiege the city of Byzantion. This posed a direct threat to Athens’ grain imports from the Black Sea‚ prompting them to send ships and supplies to repel Philip’s attack. Despite employing his powerful catapults in the siege‚ the Athenian intervention ultimately forced Philip to withdraw. Their short-lived peace had shattered and Philip’s retreat emboldened the Greeks who shared Athens’ anxiety over Macedon’s newfound power.   After Philip licked his wounds and reorganized‚ he marched back into Greece the following year. By this point‚ even his former Theban allies were unhappy with his dominance and would stand with Athens and several other cities to try to put an end to Philip’s power once and for all.   The Battle of Chaeronea in August 338 BCE ended Greek hopes of independence. Philip’s forces decisively defeated the Athenian and Theban-led coalition assembled against him. Details of the battle are scarce‚ but we know that Alexander himself rode in the Companion Cavalry alongside his father.   Chaeronea was a decisive moment. It established Macedonian dominance over most of Greece and Greece would spend most of the next 2‚000 years under the influence of foreign hegemons or imperial powers like those of Macedon.   Philip secured his power using a confederation known by historians as the League of Corinth. This League imposed a political order upon the various city-states‚ including a mutual peace‚ with Philip firmly as its hegemon. It was the first time that all of Greece — save initially for Sparta‚ who only joined under Alexander — was unified into one political order. Macedon itself was not represented in the League and Greek cities were free to dispute among themselves on many issues‚ which preserved some sense of independence for them‚ but Philip’s hegemonic role allowed him to rise above those disputes and‚ crucially‚ direct the League’s anger (and military resources) against something far more productive: Persia.   Eyeing Up Persia Map of Philip’s Empire and Persia at the time of his death‚ 2009‚ Source: Wikimedia Commons   The massive Eastern empire had endured a series of rebellions and regime changes in recent years‚ and this combination of vulnerability and lavish wealth made for a tempting target. Additionally‚ the Greeks were still animated by anti-Persian hatred due to their invasion in the 5th century BCE. Using his newfound position in the League of Corinth‚ Philip could muster the combined military might of Greece to strike out at their ancient enemy.   It was actually Philip‚ not Alexander‚ who sent the first troops eastward into Persia. A preliminary force of several thousand men was sent ahead under the command of Parmenion and had begun to wrest control of several Greek cities in Asia by the end of Philip’s life.   In anticipation of this invasion‚ Philip sought another marriage with a Macedonian woman named Cleopatra to secure an additional heir in case Alexander died on the campaign. It was a sound move‚ but for Alexander‚ it was a wound to his pride‚ a sign that his father possibly wanted to replace him. After all‚ Alexander’s mother was from Epirus‚ so a son from this marriage would technically have a more legitimate Macedonian claim.   According to Plutarch‚ an argument broke out about this during the wedding in 337 BCE which led to Alexander openly mocking his father. The resulting rift in the family made Olympias and Alexander enter voluntary exile in her homeland of Epirus for several months‚ but Alexander was later recalled as the time for the Persian expedition drew near — an expedition that Philip would never see.   The Assassination of Philip Depiction of Assassination of Philip II of Macedon‚ Source: The Story of the Greatest Nations‚ from the Dawn of History to the Twentieth Century‚ by Edward Sylvester Ellis and Charles Francis Horne‚ 1900‚ online at The Internet Archive   In October 336 BCE‚ Philip celebrated the marriage of one of his daughters in the city of Aegae. While entering an amphitheater‚ one of his bodyguards‚ a man named Pausanias‚ suddenly stabbed him with a dagger. Philip fell and quickly died‚ ending the life of one of the ancient world’s greatest military minds.   Pausanias was quickly killed by Philip’s soldiers and Alexander was enthroned as Philip’s successor.   Our sources disagree on the motive for the attack and who was involved. The simple explanation by Diodorus Siculus is that Pausanias was a spurned lover who killed Philip in a fit of jealousy and rage. In his Politics‚ Aristotle instead blames a dispute between Pausanias and another Macedonian courtier that Philip failed to resolve in his would-be assassin’s favor.   Others point the finger at Olympias and Alexander. Plutarch says that it was Olympias who fanned the flames of Pausanias’ anger and made him strike down the king. The fact that she was still in exile in Epirus gave her plenty of motive to hate Philip and seek to hasten her son’s rise. Plutarch and Justin both implicate Alexander‚ although always at arm’s length — he did not plan or order the assassination‚ but he might have known of the plan and chosen not to stop it.   Modern analyses have failed to settle the debate. Some historians note that Alexander gained nothing from the assassination that he wouldn’t have received by simply waiting‚ but then again‚ Alexander was not a man renowned for his patience. While there’s no actual evidence linking Alexander to the crime‚ that has not stopped over 2‚000 years of speculation that Alexander earned his throne by murdering the man who raised him.   A Legacy for the Ages Entrance to the Tomb of Philip II‚ Vergina‚ Greece‚ photo by Sarah Murray‚ Source: Wikimedia Commons   Whatever or whoever motivated Pausanias to kill Philip‚ we will probably never know. After his assassination‚ Philip was interred in a marvelous tomb in the city of Aigai‚ modern-day Vergina in Greece‚ which archaeologists discovered untouched in 1977. Newspapers ran headlines celebrating the discovery of the tomb of “Alexander’s father‚” a man whose modern relevance is almost always bound up with that of his son.   Philip achieved much in his own right. He took the peripheral kingdom of Macedon and turned it into the hegemon of Greece and one of the greatest powers in the Mediterranean. It was Philip who introduced the sarissa that revolutionized warfare for centuries to come‚ who formulated the League of Corinth‚ who had first appointed men like Parmenion to positions of power‚ and it was Philip who had conceived of the Persian campaign in the first place.   Alexander may have built the empire‚ and he deserves his credit for doing so‚ but the foundations he stood upon and even the tools he used had been crafted for him by Philip. While he might not be as well remembered as his son‚ Philip’s achievements echo throughout history all the same.