Unit 9.
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Mesopotamian Era
Alexander the Great:
“I had rather excel others in the knowledge of what is excellent,
than in the extent of my power and dominion”.
Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander the Third of Macedon
was the king of Macedonia for 13 years from 336 to 323 BC. He was
also called the Lord of Asia, Shahanshah of Persia, Pharaoh of Egypt
and a lot more. He was Greek and was born in Pella on July 20 356 BC.
His father was Philip II of Macedon and was the regent of Macedon. He
observed his father’s transformation of Macedon into a great military
power. Alexander was tutored by Aristotle, one of the greatest
philosophers of his time and that’s where he got his love for all fields of
science, medicine, literature and philosophy. He had 6 siblings from
different mothers and in his later years he had only one child despite
having 3 different wives he found on his conquests in Persia and other
civilization. He was called Alexander IV of Macedon. Alexander’s
father was assassinated in 340 BC and Alexander was made regent at the
age of 20. Over the next 10 years he led extensive military campaigns all
over Asia and created one the largest empires of the ancient world.
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Alexander’s Early Life
Alexander was trained like any child of royalty and was taught how to
fight at a very young age. He grew up and immediately took after his
father. He was a brave child and when he was 12 he tamed an unruly
horse, named Bucephalas, which soon became his favorite horse and
served him for several years. Before his father died he had one last battle
called “The Battle of Charonea and took over Athens in 338 BC. Soon
after his reign started and he received Celtic ambassadors in the Balkan
states and started all his conquests all over Asia
His Conquests
In 344 BC, Alexander invaded the Persian empire and waged war
against them. He liberated Ephses from the Persian rule. After some time
of being at war, Sardis surrendered and was taken over. Since Alexander
was always out at war, a man named Antipater was crowned regent of
Macedon to look over more internal regions. Once Alexander captured
Baalbek he changed the name into Heliopolis. He also sacked Sidon
Alexander soon after conquered Aleppo and finally in the battle of Issus
he defeated Darius III of Persia.
After a year of fighting he went to the great oracle at Ammon at Siwa
and was declared the master of the universe and the son of Ammon
himself. In 332 BC he led the conquest of Levant and destroyed the city
of Tyre. In the same year he also conquered Syria and turned toward
Egypt. In only one year he also made Susa surrender and took over the
entire Egypt without much resistance. He also found a town on the port
of Rhakotis in Egypt and founded Alexandria.
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After winning the Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander named himself the
king of Asia. He looted and burned Persepolis and conquered Bactria
and Sogdiana. In 329 BC, Alexander wins a battle at the Iaxartes river
against the Scythians which soon led to his campaign into India.
In 327 BC, Alexander married the Bactrian girl Roxanne and stooped his
conquest outwards when he reached the bank of the northernmost river
in Punjab, India. Sadly in 326 BC Alexander’s best horse Bucephalus died
and his best friend Hephaestion also passed away.
In 323 BC Alexander the Great died. He received Celtic delegations in
Babylon. In 316, his mother Olympias died and later in 310 BC Roxanne and
Alexander IV, hi wife and son were killed.
Alexander’s Greatest Feats
Alexander was a great leader and he loved winning so he took over most
of the known world! He led his men for 15 years and never lost a battle.
He fought valiantly at the Battle of Granicus against Persian satraps and
in the Battle of Hydaspes against King Poros. One of his greatest battles
of all was the final battle against King Darius of Persia and marched into
the capital. Alexander set out to take over the world and he did which, in
his time the world surrounded by deserts and oceans. Alexander was
known for all of his great deeds and fearlessly fighting and leading his
army to ultimate victory against the Persians and anyone that they ever
fought.
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Fun Facts About Alexander
Alexander has 80 cities named after him and even one after his
favorite horse, Bucephalus.
Alexander’s body was preserved in a vat of honey.
His name in Greek, “Alexo” meaning “defend” and “Ander”
meaning “man”, literally translates to “protector of men”
Alexander was said to be Bisexual even though he had 3 wives
He had an irrational fear of cats
One of the most famous legends about Alexander is that in 333
when he was in Gordium, in Asia Minor, he undid the Gordian
knot. The prophecy about the Gordian knot said that he who untied
it would rule all of Asia. Alexander is said to have undone the knot
by slashing through it with a sword.
Bibliography
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