Alexander the Great- Emily Eichstaedt

Alexander The Great

By: Emily Eichstaedt

Alexander the Great deserves his title because he was the greatest military leader who conquered half of Asia while spreading the influential culture called Hellenism. His intelligence and ambition caused other leaders to strive to be great like him. Alexander never lost battle in the 11 years that he was at war. He left a positive legacy on the ancient world that carried through to the modern world.

This is sculpture of Alexander made in the Hellenistic Period

Alexander spread the Hellenistic culture through his pervasive empire. The Hellenistic culture is Greek, Indian, Persian, and Egyptian culture mixed into one. The Hellenistic Period birthed many amazing artists and philosophers. It also had many advances in science and math. Hellenism took important aspects of each culture and blended them to produce one prosperous culture. After Alexander conquered the Persian Empire, he included many aspects of their culture into the Hellenistic culture.  For example, he started to dress like the Persians.  He took influential parts of their army and blended them to make an even stronger Macedonian army. While talking to the newest citizens of his Empire, the Persians Alexander said, “You are each to observe the religions and customs, the laws and conventions, the feast days and festivities which you observed in the days of Darius. Let each stay Persian in his way of life, and let him live within his city...For I wish to make the land one widespread prosperity and employ the Persian roads as peaceful and quiet channels of commerce.” (World Leaders: Alexander 59) He wanted to make the biggest and the best empire there could be so he could conquer the world.

Alexander was very bold and brave. Before he was born people were comparing him to Zeus, God of the Sky, Plutarch wrote,“A thunderbolt fell upon her womb”. (Plutarch)  He also told a story in his writing about how Alexander’s father had a dream that he had put a seal on Alexander’s mother’s womb that had a picture of a lion. They thought because of this that Alexander would be “bold and lion-like” (Plutarch) all his life. Alexander’s father won the Olympics on the day of his birth so the people thought that Alexander would always be a winner. He was very intelligent and mature. He was tutored by Aristotle, a famous Greek philosopher, and tamed a wild horse that no one else could tame. He became King of Macedonia at the age of 20 and many leaders looked up to him. People in modern day have mixed opinions about Alexander but many think that he was great. For example, in the book Ancient Greece: Dawn of the Western World  Furio Durando says “A whole new political idea- reaching far beyond the limited worlds of poleis- made its mark on Greek history.” (60) He is talking about the way Alexander lead his empire. He was very ambitious, and his goal was to conquer the world.

Map of Alexander's Empire

Alexander was the strongest military leader. He went 11 years without defeat. To the right is a map of Alexander’s  expansive empire. He conquered more than half of Asia. He was a great leader and he fought with his men.  According to British historian, N.G.L Hammond, “A most remarkable quality of Alexander’s was the concern for his men. No conqueror had so few casualties in battle, and the reason was that Alexander avoided’ the battle of rats’ by using his brain not just to win, but to win economically.”(World Leaders: Alexander 28)  He used the legendary battle formation called the phalanx. This formation is many men close together with long spear like sticks. An example of this formation is the picture down below . The strong Persian Army surrendered to him and the Egyptians called him the son of Amun, an ancient Egyptian God. They also made him the Pharaoh. His ambition caused him strive for greatness with his army and his empire.

Phalanx formation

Some of the modern world has not always agreed with me. Some people think Alexander wasn’t that great. For example many people think that he was a raging alcoholic but Plutarch wrote, “To the use of wine he was less addicted than commonly believed.” (Plutarch)  He accomplished so much when he was ruling. He used his intelligence to create a vast empire while never losing a battle. He cared for his men and fought alongside them. He spread an influential culture that shaped the modern world today. Alexander changed the way the world thinks about a leader in the ancient world and the modern world.

“Alexander considered that he had come from the gods to be a general governor and reconciler of the world. Using force of arms when he did not bring men together by the light of reason, he harnessed all resources to one and the same end, mixing lives, manners, marriages and customs of men, as it were in a loving- cup.” (World Leaders: Alexander 39 Plutarch)

Works Cited

“Alexander the Great.” Britannica, kids.britannica.com/elementary/art-87049/Alexander-the-Greats-empire?&articleTypeId=38.

“Alexander the Great.” YouTube, uploaded by Encyclopedia Channel, www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQfBinQwPGs. Accessed 25 Sept. 2016.

“Collection Online.” The British Museum, www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx

?objectId=437266&partId=1&searchText=alexander+the+great+sculpture&page=1.

Davis, Paul K., and Allen Lee Hamilton. “Macedonian Army.” ABC-CLIO eBook Collection, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/585993?terms=alexander+of+macedonia&sType=quick.

Durando, Furio. Ancient Greece: Dawn of the Western World. Vercelli, MetroBooks, 1997.

Dye, Lee. “Study Suggests Alexander Not So Great.” ABC, abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=97611.

Emmons, Jim Tshcen. “Alexander the Great.” ABC-CLIO eBook Collection, ancienthistory.abc-clio.com/Search/Display/575648?terms=alexander+the+great%27s+military&sType=quick.

“The Empire at Its Largest.” Facts on File, online.factsonfile.com/alexander-the-great/learning-modules/the-empire-at-its-largest.aspx.

“Final Years of the Empire.” Facts on File, online.factsonfile.com/alexander-the-great/learning-modules/final-years-of-the-empire.aspx.

“History of Greece: Hellenistic.” Ancient Greece,ancient-greece.org/history/helleninstic.html.

“Macedonia- Interesting Facts about Macedonia.” Macedonia, whereismacedonia.org/about-macedonia/practical-information/714-macedonia-interesting-facts-about-macedonia.

Plutarch. “The Life of Alexander.” University of Chicago, penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Plutarch/Lives/Alexander*/3.html.

Webman, Dennis. World Leaders: Alexander. Chelsea House Publishers.

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