Running head: ALEXANDER THE GREAT 1

Alexander the Great

Robert Horn
Liberty University
GRST !!
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ALEXANDER THE GREAT $
Alexander the Great
Synopsis
The study o' an(ient history is (onsidered in(o)*lete +ithout highlighting the great
(on,uests- +its and s.ills o' Alexander the great/ 0orn in 12 03- Alexander is one o' the
)ost ins*iration leaders +hose a(tivities and styles o' leadershi* +ere e)bra(ed by other
leaders su(h as Na*oleon 0ona*arte and 4ulius 3aesar/ Alexander +as born in the Gree. (ity
o' 5ella and gre+ under the dire(tion o' the )other as the 'ather +as al+ays a+ay in +ar
(on,uests/ He ruled the 3orinthian league bet+een 112 to 1$10( until his death 'ro)
un.no+n (onditions 60enson- $!!78/
The early life
The 'a)ily o' Alexander +as leading the dynasty o' 9a(edon +hen he +as born in
12 03 under the leadershi* o' the 'ather and the )other +ho also des(ended 'ro) a royal
'a)ily- being the daughter o' .ing Neo*tole)us/ Alexander the great had (urly hair and dar.
eyes that )ade hi) stand out 'ro) the 'a)ily during the ti)e that he gre+ u* in the *ala(e
+ith his other sisters/ Though he +as the son o' :ing 5hili* ;;- Alexander the great rarely had
a 'a)ily o((asion +ith the 'ather +ho +as in )ost instan(es- out on +ar (on,uests/ A*art
'ro) the )ilitary (a)*aigns in other regions bordering Gree(e- :ing 5hili* +as also engaged
in )ulti*le extra)arital a''airs that .e*t hi) a+ay 'ro) ho)e/ The i)*a(ts o' the absent
'ather +ho +as *reo((u*ied +ith his (on,uests and +ar (a)*aigns 'or(ed hi) to gro+
'onder o' his )other/ Ho+ever- the boy lived to resent his 'ather 'or his *hilandering and
un'aith'ulness- +hi(h .e*t hi) a+ay 'ro) ho)e 6+inter- < National =orld =ar ; 9useu) at
Liberty- $!!78/
Leonidas +as the early instru(tor o' Alexander the great a'ter he +as hired by the
young )an>s 'ather to ta.e (are o' hi) and tea(h hi) the tradition o' the .ingdo)- ho+ to
read and +rite a)ong other essential s.ills/ Su(h s.ills in(luded horse)anshi*- ar(hery and
)ath s.ills- +hi(h +ould be essential 'or the boy on(e he as(ended into the throne/ A'ter the
servi(es o' Leonidas- Lysi)a(hus +as hired in order to ta)e the boy>s restlessness and
rebellious behavior that had gro+n beyond the (ontrol o' Leonidas/ Lysi)a(hus *layed a
ALEXANDER THE GREAT 1
(riti(al role in the gro+th o' the boy and in'luen(ed his )otivation to i)*ersonate A(hilles-
the great +arrior 60enson- $!!78/
A'ter the servi(es o' Lysi)a(hus +ere no longer needed- Aristotle +as also ta.en over
to tea(h Alexander on various issues in the .ingdo)/ During )ost o' these (lasses- Alexander
the great attended +ith his (lose 'riends and +as taught a nu)ber o' to*i(s and sub?e(ts
in(luding *oetry- *hiloso*hy s(ien(e and the art o' *oliti(s/ He +as )oved by the (on,uests
and a(tivities o' ho)er and this 'or(ed Aristotle to develo* a si)ulated to)e/ This to)e +as
*resent in )ost o' the )ilitary (a)*aigns that Alexander the great +as engaged in- a 'a(t that
has been (ited to have (ontributed to his vi(tories 6Sullivan- $!%18/
0y 1&!03- Alexander +as done +ith 'or)al edu(ation as +as *res(ribed by his .ing
'ather though he +as still a teen in his +ee years/ Des*ite the young age- Alexander ?oined
the )ilitary and started his )ilitary ex*edien(y in earnest +ith the Thra(ian tribe being the
'irst vi(ti)s/ Due to his great *er'or)an(e- s.ills and enthusias)- Alexander the great +as
given the (hange to lead the (o)*anion (avalry/ ;n this *osition- he ?oined the 'ather to de'eat
the Athenian and Theban 'or(es during one o' the greatest 3haeronea +ars 6=inter- <
National =orld =ar ; 9useu) at Liberty- $!!78/
Ho+ever- this great allian(e bet+een Alexander the great and his 'ather 'ell a*art a'ter
they su((eeded to unite all the states into the 3orinthian league/ This +as be(ause :ing 5hili*
ousted his )other a'ter )arrying 3leo*atra/ =ithout the (o)'ort o' the royalty and the
*ala(e- )other and son +ere 'or(ed into exile in E*irus until a ti)e +hen the .ing and
Alexander (ould resolve the di''eren(es 6Sullivan- $!%18/
Kingship in Macedonia
During the +edding o' Alexander>s sister to the )olossain .ing- Alexander>s 'ather
+as .illed be'ore 5ausanias +ho served as a noble in 9a(edonian/ This )otivated the %7@
year@old Alexander the great to (on,uer the .ingdo) and *la(e it under the 3orinthian
allian(e/ Aollo+ing the death o' his 'ather- Alexander labored to bring together generals and
+arriors +ho 'ought besides his 'ather at the 3haeronea/ =ith the hel* o' the ar)y-
Alexander +as *ronoun(ed the 'eudal .ing and assisted to eli)inate any individual +ho +as
ALEXANDER THE GREAT &
*la(ed to inherit the leadershi* o' the (ountry/ Bly)*ia- her )other- also (ontributed to
Alexander>s as(ension to .ingshi* by .illing .ing 5hili* and 5rin(e 3leo*atra>s daughter and
'or(ing the 'or)er to (o))it sui(ide out o' 'rustration 6Sullivan- $!%18/
0e(o)ing the 'eudal .ing o' 9a(edonia did not grant Alexander the great the
leadershi* )antle o' the 3orinthian league/ The states that )ade u* the league disintegrated
'ollo+ing the death o' :ing 5hili* +ith )ost states su(h as Gree(e and Athens (elebrating the
event/ Divergent o*inion and leadershi* e)erged 'ro) the di''erent 3orinthian league states
and this *resented a (hallenge to the leadershi* o' Alexander- the 'eudal .ing o' 9a(edonia/
As a result- Alexander )ade a )ove ai)ed at (onsolidating his in'luen(e and regaining the
territory that +as on(e ruled by his 'ather by 'or(ing the Thessaly to re(ogniCe his leadershi*
6+inter- < National =orld =ar ; 9useu) at Liberty- $!!78/
Aollo+ing endorse)ent +ith Thessaly- Alexander the great engaged other )e)bers o'
the league and this granted hi) a((e*tan(e during the Ther)o*ylae )eeting o' the league
)e)bers/ States that re(ogniCed his leadershi* +ere allo+ed to re?oin the league +hile others
li.e Athens +ho de(line to re(ogniCe hi) +ere granted )ilitary *o+er in the 'ight against
their aggressors su(h as the 5ersian E)*ire/ A'ter being re(ogniCed by at Ther)o*ylae as the
leader o' the a)*hi(ytoni( league- the rebel Athenians *etitioned 'or *ardon and *ea(e and
the re,uest +as a((e*ted/
Campaigns and conquests of Alexander the great
Aollo+ing his as(ension into the throne and the (onsolidation o' the 3orinthian league
states- Alexander the great began a ?ourney o' (on,uering the northern and southern states in
one o' the great histori(al an(ient +ars/ =ith the su**ort o' the league )e)bers and ar)ed
+ith a strong troo*- Alexander began his (on,uest and (a)*aign by annexing the Thra(ian
Triballians in 11/ Ho+ever- this su((ess +as 'ollo+ed by the ne+s o' a revolt in Thebes- a
)e)ber o' the league that has de(ided to 'or(e its +ay out 'ro) the in'luen(e o' the .ing/
This (ould a(t as a *re(edent 'or other )e)ber states and lead to the disintegration o' the
league- an event that +ould +ea.en the *o+ers o' Alexander the great/ As a result- the .ing
ALEXANDER THE GREAT
)ade a *ro)*t de(ision to )ar(h its )assive )ilitary *o+er o' over 1-!!! horse riding
soldiers and 1!-!!! 'oot soldiers 6Ru'us- Dardley < At.inson- $!!78/
The 'ast a(tion and de(ision )ade by the .ing (aught the (ity o' Thebes by sur*rise
and +ere thus unable to )ount a 'or)idable )ilitary resistan(e against Alexander/ As a result-
Alexander )assa(red the (ity o' Thebes destroying it to serve as +arning to other )e)ber
states *lanning to se(ede/ As a result o' his ruthless destru(tion o' Thebes- other (ity states
su(h Athens de(ided to *ledge allegian(e to the 9a(edonian e)*ire or re)ain neutral/
Aollo+ing the su((ess at Thebes- Alexander the great des(ended on his Asiati( )ission
beginning the (a)*aign in the (ity o' troy +here he 'a(ed o'' +ith .ing Darius 6Denne-
$!%!8/
The ar)y o' Darius did not +age a *rotra(ted resistan(e and +as de'eated by early
11& 03/ A'ter su((ess'ul (on,uest o' the 5ersian region under the leadershi* o' Darius-
Alexander the great led his troo*s to the Asia 9inor at the (ity o' Gordian/ Though Alexander
the great underesti)ated the nature o' resistan(e he +ill re(eive 'ro) the Gree. (oastal (ities-
the +ar slo+ed his *rogress/ This +as as a result o' the great resistan(e that the Gree. (ities
'ronted under the leadershi* o' 9e)non- an en(ounter that led to the de)ise o' a nu)ber o'
9a(edonian 'ighters 6Holt- $!!18/
Ho+ever- the resilien(e o' the 9a(edonian +arriors enabled the) to +in the battle
and the grou* )oved to the (entral *arts o' Asia 9inor in a *la(e .no+n as Gordian +here
the grou* too. days to re*lenish and rest/ The (ity o' Gordian +as .no+n 'or the *resen(e o'
the Gordian .not that had not been untied by any other individual be'ore/ Ho+ever-
Alexander the great did not ta.e his ti)e to untie the .not des*ite the belie' that +hoever did
+ould rule the +orld- instead o*ting to slash it o'' and unravel the ends/ Aro) the Asian
)inor- Alexander the great en(ountered the 5ersian under .ing Darius 'or the se(ond ti)e and
though the 5ersians 'ronted a )ore su*erior )ilitary- Alexander out+itted the) and drove the
.ing a+ay 6Ru'us- Dardley < At.inson- $!!78/
The su((esses o' the +ar (on,uests and (a)*aigns by Alexander )otivated hi) to
enter the ne+ Egy*tian territories through the region o' GaCa/ Due to the vulnerability o'
ALEXANDER THE GREAT 2
Egy*t a'ter the (on,uest o' GaCa by Alexander- the .ingdo) +as de'eated and the (ity o'
Alexandria (reated in the (ountry- a (enter that has re)ained as a Gree. (ulture and
3o))er(e 3ity/ ;n the sa)e year- Alexander 'ought and de'eated the 5ersian at the
Gauga)ela battle- a (on,uest that enabled hi) to be de(lared the .ing o' 0abylon- Asia and
the overall .ing o' the 'our ,uarters o' the +orld 6Denne- $!%!8/
Aollo+ing vi(tory in Egy*t- 5ersia- Gree(e and Thebes- Alexander the great +as no+
le't +ith the only o*tion o' ;ran and the ;ndian region/ 0y 1$E 03- Alexander had (on,uered
and de'eated the states o' ;ran and this enabled hi) to (reate the 9a(edonian (olonies/
Ho+ever- the aria)aCes +ar o' 1$E 03 in +hi(h Alexander>s 'or(es +ere able to de'eat
*rin(e oxyartes enabled hi) to )arry his daughter- *rin(e Roxana/ Alexander )ar(hed
to+ards ;ndia and de'eated 5orus- the ;ndian .ing though he later reinstated hi) to the sa)e
*osition a'ter being i)*ressed by his abilities and +ining his royalty and 'orgiveness/
His advan(es to+ards Ganges +as unsu((ess'ul ad the 'or(es de(lined to )ove any
'urther due to 'atigue- hunger and si(.ness- a situation that 'or(ed the) to )ar(h ba(.+ards/
Ho+ever- on his +ay ba(. to the 9a(edonian (a*ital +hile )ar(hing along the ;ndus- the
.ing +as +ounded during an en(ounter +ith the 9alli +arriors/ This slo+ed their *rogress
ba(. ho)e and in(reased the (hallenges that they 'a(ed +hile resting and the .ing re(overing
along the ;ndus 6Denne- $!%!8/
The fall of Alexander the great
The 'irst sign o' de(lining su**ort +as +itnessed +hen the soldiers de(lined to )ar(h
to+ards the Ganges- a situation that 'or(ed hi) to 9ar(h ba(. ho)e/ A'ter re(overing 'ro)
the in?ury- the troo* )ar(hed to+ards Susa along the 5ersian Gul'- a ?ourney that +as )ar.ed
+ith signi'i(ant (hallenges/ 9ost o' the soldiers +ere in?ured and be(a)e generally si(.
+hile others died 'ro) various in'e(tions- a situation that a''e(ts the strength o' the ar)y/ 0y
1$&- Alexander and his troo*s arrived in Susa and atte)*ted to (onsolidate his ar)y by
re(ruiting )ore soldiers and (onne(ting the 5ersian nobles and the 9a(edonian ruling (lass
to eli)inate dis(ontent a)ong the leadershi* 6Sullivan- $!%18/
ALEXANDER THE GREAT E
As a result- Alexander )ade a 'ranti( e''ort and ordered that all 9a(edonian )en
should )arry the 5ersian *rin(esses/ A de(ision that enabled hi) to re(ruit )ore soldiers
'ro) the 5ersian states/ He +as )oved by the (on,uests and a(tivities o' ho)er and this
'or(ed Aristotle to develo* a si)ulated to)e/ This to)e +as *resent in )ost o' the )ilitary
(a)*aigns that Alexander the great +as engaged in- a 'a(t that has been (ited to have
(ontributed to his vi(tories/ Ho+ever- the entry o' the 5ersian soldiers )ade hi) dis)iss
)ost o' his 9a(edonian soldiers- a de(ision that did not go +ell +ith these soldiers/ He +as
a((used by the 9a(edonians 'or ignoring his (ulture and (usto) and instead e)bra(ing the
5ersian (ulture and )anneris) 6Sullivan- $!%18/
Ho+ever- Alexander de(ided to .ill %1 )ilitary leaders to *rove that he +as still
9a(edonian and lived by their tradition/ Aollo+ing this rushed de(ision- Alexander the great
(alled 'or than.sgiving 'east to bring together and bond the 5ersian and 9a(edonians- an
event that instead disintegrated his leadershi* and led to his 'all 6Sullivan- $!%18/
The death and legacy of Alexander the great
A'ter su((ess'ully bringing together the 5ersian and 9a(edonian )iddle)en-
Alexander +or.ed to+ards the (reation o' a grou* o' +arriors +ith a )ixed blood 'ro) the
t+o tribes/ Ho+ever- he never lived to lead this breed o' soldiers as he develo*ed a
(o)*li(ated 'ever i))ediately be'ore the start o' their (a)*aign in the Arab states/ Though
the sour(e o' the 'ever has re)ained (ontroversial- his (on,uest o' the 3arthage and Ro)e
)ay have led to )alarial in'e(tion/ ;n the 9a(edonian )onth o' Daisies- Alexander the great
died a'ter the 9a(edonians *aid their last res*e(t though he +as only 11 years old/ Alexander
died +ithout designating an heir and +ithout an adult (hild to ta.e over 'ro) hi) and
(ontinue +ith his (on,uest or rule the states he had (on,uered 6Sullivan- $!%18/
Des*ite the sudden death- his in'luen(e led to the synthesis o' the orient and Gree(e
(ultures- a ne+ (usto) that thrived as a result o' his leadershi* and (on,uests/ A*art 'ro) his
+ar ta(ti(s that )otivated other leaders li.e 4ulius 3aesar and Na*oleon 0ona*arte- the
ALEXANDER THE GREAT "
in'luen(e and leadershi* o' Alexander the great (ontributed to the s*read o' the *anhellenis)
s*irit in Gree(e and the neighboring states/
ALEXANDER THE GREAT 7
Re'eren(es
Denne- 0/ 6$!%!8/ Alexander the Great: Lessons from History's Undefeated General/ Ne+
Dor.: 5algrave 9a()illan/
=inter- 4/ 9/- < National =orld =ar ; 9useu) at Liberty- 9/ 6$!!78/ The Legacy of the
Great War: Ninety Years on/ 3olu)bia: University o' 9issouri 5ress/
Ru'us- 3/F/- Dardley- 4/- < At.inson- 4/ E/ 6$!!78/ Histories of Alexander the Great/ Bx'ord:
Bx'ord Univ/ 5ress/
0enson- A/ :/ 6$!!78/ Great Lives from History/ 5asadena- 3ali': Sale) 5ress/
Holt- A/ 6$!!18/ Alexander the Great and the Mystery of the le!hant Medallions/ 0er.eley-
3ali': University o' 3ali'ornia 5ress/
Sullivan- G/ 6$!%18/ Alexander the Great as HLord o' AsiaI and Ro)e as His Su((essor in
9a(hiavelliJs 5rin(e/ "evie# of $olitics- %&6&8- %@1E/ Doi:
%!/%!%E#S!!1&2E!%1!!!27