He was born on July 20th, 365 BC, in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. He was among the sons of Philip II. He completed his education at Maiz in 340 BC. He is known as one of the most successful military commanders of his time. He conquered many territories within his 12 years of reign. Among the regions were Syria, Egypt, and Palestine. Being a student of Aristotle and son of Philip II, he grew up to be a politician and military leader. His father died when he was 20 years old. He was then appointed the king of Macedonia. This was possible because Alexander had led the Chaeronea war in 338 BC, in which his forces triumphed, thereby attracting the attention of the entire world. His father was assassinated when he was only 20 years old, which developed a spirit of revenge towards the states (Athens and Thebes) that celebrated after the death of his father, plus those termed responsible. With the support of his mother and the use of his troops, he was able to fight battles. They secured the frontlines and defeated the Greek rebellion, creating his first victory against the Persian Empire, a battle that almost cost his life.
In Persia
The Achaemenid Empire was the most significant empire in Persia, founded by Cyrus. As Alexander crossed into Asia, troops awaited him. They fought along the riverbanks of Granicus, reducing the number of Persians. This enabled him to fight many wars, and he succeeded in killing many Persian nobles. He was able to access Persian capitals, where he carried away the Persian treasuries, gold, and silver. After the murder of Darius III, he acquired the title of Great King of Persia, King of Macedonia and Asia as well. However, his conquest led to the decline of the Persian Empire. As a leader, he adopted Persian customs to win the hearts of the Persian people who seemed to dislike him. He also appointed local administrators but still faced rejection from the people. For him to remain loyal to Macedonia, he had to withdraw from Persian culture. He proceeded to the South and then returned to Persia.
In India
He went to India after conquering the Achaemenid Empire and was now the Persian King. He advanced into Punjab, creating war with the Indian King, Porus, whom he couldn’t defeat. His army then refused to proceed, claiming they were tired and afraid of the Nanda Empire. He, therefore, turned to the South, where, along the way, he conquered many states along the Indus River. He thus stabilized political power in the Indus River valley, leading to the emergence of India’s very first empire, the Mauryan Empire. In conjunction with Hellenism, Buddhism emerged, a religion that spread all the way from China to Asia. However, this religion did not reach the Persian Empire because a strong religion known as Zoroastrianism had already emerged.
In Egypt
He spent several months in Egypt as part of his campaign against Darius III. This was after he conquered Syria and Palestine. Without any army, Egypt’s Persian governor handed over to him 800 talents and all the royal instruments, remaining as one of the administrators. For so many years, Persian kings had never shown any respect for the ancient traditions. Alexander, therefore, was seen as a saviour and liberator and so became the people’s choice. As a legitimate heir, he was anointed as the Egyptian Pharaoh. He also had no difficulty in worshipping Egyptian gods, giving him greater acceptance. He thus supported Greek and Egyptian fusion in worshipping the gods of Egypt. He attracted the attention of the Egyptians. Some referred to him as “Son of the gods.” (Fox, 2004; Tarn, 2003; Baynham, 1998)
While pressing the Egyptian fort of Bhaktis, Alexander observed the waters of the formed island, which enthusiastically pushed him into working out the system of underground water and sewers. He also managed to plan for the site of the royal palace. His achievements and plans, e.g., for the Nile and Aswan dams, gave him more chances. He thus founded Alexandria, Egypt’s capital, in 331 BCE, a city which was the center of culture and commerce. It became the capital of Egypt under the Ptolemaic dynasty. Its location along the Mediterranean attracted sea trade. However, his unification with the Mediterranean promoted the slave trade as a result of the wealth attained. Unemployment due to slavery and human labour was a trend. Free peasants immigrated in search of jobs and occupations.
His Death
While considering the conquest of Carthage and Rome, he died in Babylon. He was only thirty-two years old. His legacy remained in many states. He built opportunities for Greek merchants, engineers, etc. His followers were united in respect for his monarchy. Autocracy remained his political endowment. Moreover, in his memory, they used force to build military monarchies. His vision of empire influenced even Romans as his centre of interest. His generals divided his empire after his death into three states named the Seleucid, Macedonia, and the Ptolemaic dynasties. The Seleucid state extended and captured Babylon. It was later absorbed by the Parthian Empire in the 2nd century.
His General Cultural Implications
Cultural legacies are amongst his great legacies. He developed Greek as a language for trade and commerce, from which people highly benefited. This language, moreover, led to the spread of their art, drama, and philosophy. Schools came to exist in respect to these. His conquest promoted unity and eliminated the power of city-states since people now identified themselves as individuals, not states. He developed art, literature, and architecture, which expanded into the Middle East. Urban centres he built became part of Greek culture, spreading and becoming one of the most important characteristics of the Hellenistic realm. His empire promoted trade and hence enhanced the emergence of primary routes, e.g., the Silk Route. Chinese silk, for example, was in high demand in the Mediterranean; hence, caravans along the Silk Road emerged as well.
References
Fox, R. L. (2004). Alexander the Great. Penguin UK.
Tarn, W. W. (2003). Alexander the Great: Volume 2, Sources and Studies (Vol. 2). Cambridge University Press.
Baynham, E. (1998). Alexander the Great: the unique history of Quintus Curtius. University of Michigan Press.
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