Alexander III The Great Research Paper

The Life of Alexander III the Great

Alexander III the Great is believed to be the greatest military genius to have ever lived He rose to be the King of Macedonia, and managed to conquer the great Persian Empire; something his predecessor could not accomplish. The list of the tasks Alexander accomplished goes on and on, but they did not all happen at once. The question most ask is… why was Alexander always known to be so great? Based on detailed research, it seems in fact that since birth, Alexander was destined for greatness. The year is 356 B.C. in the month of June. In the capital city of Macedonia, Pella, a baby boy was born to the royal family, King Phillips II, of Macedonia, and his wife Olympias. This baby boy was known
to be Alexander III. As Alexander started to grow, he began mimicking his father. “Alexander spent his childhood watching his father transforming Macedonia into a great military power, winning victory after victory on the battlefields throughout the Balkans” 1(Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). By doing so, he learned slowly how to become a great leader. At the young age of twelve Alexander showed just how great he was by taming a troubling stallion, called Bucephalus. “Bucephalus, an unruly stallion horse, unable to be ridden and devouring the flesh of all who had tried” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). As the years pass, Alexander grows older and becomes wiser. King Phillip II groups a large army and invades Thrace, leaving a sixteen year old Alexander in charge of Macedonia. “As the Macedonian army advanced deep into Thrace, the Thracian tribe of Maedi bordering north-eastern Macedonia rebelled and posed a danger to the country” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Acting quickly upon the enemy, young Alexander assembled his own army and quickly defeated the rebelling Maedi. In succeeding, he showed that even at a young age, he was more than capable. “Two years later in 338 BC, Philip gave his son a commanding post among the senior generals as the Macedonian army invaded Greece” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Thanks to Alexander’s bravery, they were able to defeat the Greeks at the Battle of Chaeronea. He did what many thought to be impossible - defeated their elite army, the Theban Secret Force. Shortly after this battle though, to some dismay, the royal family split apart. King Phillip II married Cleopatra, and Alexander fled with his mother to Epirus.
“In the spring of 336 BC, with Philip’s Persian invasion already set in motion, the king was assassinated” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). There is no known reasoning as to why Pausanias killed Phillip II. Some stated that Alexander and his mother put him up to it, while others believe he did it purely on his own. Whatever the case may have been, the King was dead and the heir to the throne, and new King of Macedonia, was Alexander III. Ascending to power did not go as easy as some may have hoped. Word of Phillip II death spread to areas outside of Macedonia. “Philip’s death caused series of rebellions among the conquered nations and the Illyrians, Thracians, and Greeks saw a chance for independence” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Alexander III had to act quickly to keep these nations under control. Acting quickly, he forced his way into Greece, conquered it, and put it back under Macedonia’s control. Alexander then pushed the Thracians and Tribalians across the river. Then, in a single week, he was able to erase the threat of the Illyrians. “Many more Greek states then turned to Alexander 's control” 2(The Conquests of Alexander the Great). After once again gaining control of the conquered nations, Alexander finished devising his plan for the invasion of Asia. While doing so, he also declared war on Persia. Alexander left Macedonia accompanied by countless soldiers, and upon arrival at Asia’s coast, he threw his spear into the ground. At this time he “declared that the whole of Asia would be won by the Macedonian spear” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). While marching through Asia, near Troy, Alexander is met by a large Persian army. Although combined with some Greek forces, Alexander easily defeated the foes. “8,000 Greeks perished on the banks of Granicus and the 2,000 survivors were sent to forced labor in Macedonia. The Macedonians lost only 120 men according to tradition” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Almost all of the Greek forces had been eliminated. The march continued, and in 333 BC, Alexander is met by King Darius III and his Persian Army. This battle was known as the Battle of Issus, a defining moment in how great the young King was. “Darius 's army greatly outnumbered the Macedonians, but the Battle of Issus ended in a big victory for Alexander.” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). After the defeat of his army, Darius III fled the battle, leaving his wife and children behind.
“In early 332, Alexander sent general Parmenio to occupy the Syrian cities and himself marched down the Phoenician coast where he received the surrender of all major cities except the island city of Tyre which refused to grant him access to sacrifice at the temple of the native Phoenician god Melcart” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Alexander was angered by the way he was denied and this started a seven-month siege of the city. The Macedonians and Alexander started to build a bridge, to connect the island city to the coast. When the walls finally broke, “7,000 people were killed, 30,000 were sold as slaves” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Thus, Tyre was now under his control. During this siege, King Darius III sent Alexander a parcel “…offering a truce with a gift of several western provinces of the Persian Empire” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Alexander refused this peace, unless one condition was met. He wanted reign over the entire Persian Empire.
Alexander’s path of destruction did not stop there.
He began to march towards Egypt and along the way came across Gaza. Gaza put up a resistance to Alexander and his army but fell short. After the defeat of Gaza, the entire Eastern Mediterranean Coast was firmly in control by the Macedonians. Alexander entered Egypt in 331 BC, and was welcomed by the Egyptian people. It is said that “…the Macedonians were welcomed by the Egyptians as liberators for they had despised living under Persian rule for almost two centuries” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). It was here that Alexander demanded a city be built as a trade and military post for the Macedonians. This area still exists today and is known as Alexandria, located at the mouth of the Nile River. Sadly, Alexander never was able to see the completion of Alexandria. “He never lived to see it built, but Alexandria will become a major economic and cultural center in the Mediterranean world not only during the Macedonian rule in Egypt but centuries after” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography).
Returning to Tyre, Alexander prepared for his battle with Darius III and his Persian Army. Heading toward Babylon, he found a Persian army near the plains of Gaugamela. “According to the exaggerated accounts of antiquity was said to number a million men. The Macedonians spotted the lights from the Persian campfires and encouraged Alexander to lead his attack under cover of darkness” (Alexander the Great Alexander
of Macedon Biography). Alexander did not listen to his men; instead he decided he wanted no advantage when he beat Darius. That way the Persian King would never raise his army to him again.
On the morning of October 1, 331BC the two vast armies met. “At the beginning of the battle the Persian forces split and separated the two Macedonians wings. The wing of general Parmenio appeared to be backing down, but Alexander 's cavalry rode straight after Darius and forced again his flight like he did at Issus.” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Once again, Darius fled the battle. This left Alexander to occupy Babylon, and the great Persian capital Persepolis. Alexander came to be known as the great King of Asia. “Four months later, the Macedonians burned the royal palace in Persepolis, completing the end of the ancient Persian Empire.” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography).
Alexander had done what no other man had been able to do, not even his father Phillip II. After conquering the Persian Empire, it seemed as if Alexander was not finished. The young King began his hunt for the fleeing Darius. However, when finally catching up to him, he finds that the Persian King had already been murdered. “He was assassinated by Bessus, the satrap of Bactria which now proclaimed himself "King of the Kings", assuming the title of the Persian kings” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Alexander went on to give Darius a proper funeral.
Fast forward some years later to find Alexander at it once again. He and his army were engaged in battle for two long years in Bactria, against Bessus and Sogdiana ruler Spitamenes. “Finally, Bessus was caught and executed for the murder of his king Darius III, and Spitamenes was killed by his own wife which was tired of running away. Bactria and Sogdiana, the most eastern provinces of the Persian Empire came under Macedonian control.” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). After the rightful end to the murderer of Darius III, Alexander finally was love struck and fell for the beautiful Sogdian princess Roxane.
Yet again there seemed to be no red light for Alexander, even after his marriage to Roxane.
The proclaimed King of Asia was on the move once more. In 327BC, Alexander began his march through India. “The greatest of Alexander 's battles in India was at the river Hydaspes, against king Porus, one of the most powerful Indian rulers. In the summer of 326 BC, Alexander 's army crossed the heavily defended river during a violent thunderstorm to meet Porus ' forces” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). Porus and the Indians fought with elephants, something the Macedonians and Alexander have never seen nor heard of before. Still no cause for alarm, Alexander prevailed. After his defeat, Porus was captured and pitifully allowed to continue to govern his people. Seems not everything was won in this battle, however. Alexander’s trusted stead was wounded, and died shortly after the fighting. “Alexander had ridden Bucephalus into every one of his battles in Europe and Asia, so when it died he was grief-stricken. He founded a city which he named Buckephalia, in his horse 's name.” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon
Biography).
After this victory, it appeared Alexander was finished with India. “At this point, the Macedonians refused to go any farther, so Alexander spent about a year organizing all his lands, and finishing a survey of the Persian Gulf in order to prepare for his next invasions.” (The Conquests of Alexander the Great). He returned to Susa after his long and tiring journey to hold a celebration. Alexander’s newest dream was to start an army of mixed blood between the Macedonians and Persians. Sadly, his dream would never be seen with his own eyes. “Shortly before beginning of the planned Arabian campaign, he contracted a high fever after attending a private party at his friend 's Medius of Larisa” (Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography). This fever grew worse and worse seeming to eat at the King, until he could no longer move or speak. On June 7, 323BC, the great King of Macedonia, Alexander III died at the age of 32.
“Alexander was acknowledged as a military genius who always led by example, although his belief in his own indestructibility meant he was often reckless with his own life and those of his soldiers” 3(Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BC)). It seems that even though Alexander was rash on the battlefield, not caring if his men or if he lived. A factor on why he acted like this could be depicted on how young he was. Foes like the Greeks and Darius took his young age for granted and did not think he would be such a threat.
“Above all else Alexander the Great was a commander because of his sheer bloody minded arrogance and his belief in his own superiority. He knew he was right and through his charismatic dominance he controlled, after all he firmly believed he was a direct descendent of Achilles”4 (Clode 2010) If Alexander believed he was a descendant of the great Achilles then it proves how high he sees himself to be. Like Achilles, Alexander went to great lengths to prove his worth and rightfully goes down in history as the greatest leader of all time. His father King Phillip II said to him when he was a boy “My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambition. Macedon is too small for you.” Alexander III the Great went on to build one of the largest empires the modern world has ever known, within a decade.
Bibliography
Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.historyofmacedonia.org/AncientMacedonia/AlexandertheGreat.html
Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BC). (2013, January 01). Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/alexander_the_great.shtml
Clode , G. (2010, October 10). Alexander the Great – the greatest leader of all time?. Retrieved from http://www.military-history.org/intel/alexander-the-great.htm
The Conquests of Alexander the Great. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://library.thinkquest.org/20176/alexander.htm