[SUMMARY] In contrast to a considerable number of studies on the ‘deification’ of Alexander the Great, the topic of the divine honours for Philip II, who is now often regarded as a precursor to his renowned son in many respects, has been in some way undervalued in modern research. The purpose of this paper is to place Philip within the proper context of the ruler cult in the Greek world and to clarify the historical significance of his case in the development of the ruler cult. Although there is no valid evidence that Philip actually gained divine recognition during his lifetime, he seems to have been accorded great honours of a religious nature in his relations with a few Greek cities towards the end of his reign. He thus promoted the development of a civic cult for powerful individuals as a way of expressing gratitude for benefaction conferred and hope of future benefits, the practice which had already been recognised in the cases of Brasidas and Lysander. Furthermore, Philip, who was aiming at something beyond mortal aspiration, elevated himself and his own family to a somewhat semi-divine status in the last year of his life, thereby foreshadowing later developments of the Hellenistic dynastic cult. In this respect, Philip can be regarded as a key figure in the history of the ruler cult in the Classical and Hellenistic Greek world.