He was born on July 20th, 365 BC, in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. He was among the sons of Philip 11. Completed his education at Maiz in 340 BC. He is known as one of the most successful military commanders of his time. Conquered many territories within his 12 years of reign. Among the regions are Syria, Egypt, and Palestine. Being a student of Aristotle and son of Philip 11, he grew up a politician and a military. His father died while 20 years. He was then appointed the king of Macedonia. This was possible because Alexander had led the Chaeronea war in 338 BC, in which they triumphed, thereby attracting the attention of the entire world. His father was assassinated when he was only 20 years old, developing a spirit of revenge towards the states (Athens and Thebes) who celebrated after the death of his father, plus those termed as responsible. In 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 Persia 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 to Asia, troops awaited him. They fought along the River banks of Granicus, minimizing 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 the Persia treasuries, gold, and silver. After the murder of Darius 111, 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 welcomed the 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 the Persian culture. He proceeded to the South and then returned to Persia.
In India
He went to India after conquering the Achaemenid Empire and is now the Persian King. He advanced into the city of Punjab creating war with 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 so stabilized the political power in the Indus River valley, leading to the emergence of India’s very first empire, Mauryan. In conjunction with Hellenism, there emerged Buddhism. 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 111. This was after he conquered Syria and Palestine. Without any army, Egypt’s Persian governor handed him over 800 talents and all the royal instruments, keeping him 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 higher chances. He so supported Greek and Egyptian fusion in worshipping the gods of Egypt. He attracted the eyes of the Egyptians. Some referred to him as “Son of the gods.”
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 so 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. At the age of thirty-two years only. His legacy remained in many states. He builds opportunities for the Greek merchants, engineers, etc. His followers were united in respect to his monarchy. Autocracy remained as 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 death into three states named the Seleucid, Macedonia, and the Ptolemaic dynasties. Seleucid extended and captured Babylon. It was later on 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. The school 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. 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 hence enhanced emergence of primary routes, e.g., 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.
