Alexander The Great Chapter 4 Summary
Christina Cremmins Chapter 4
Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia, was undeniably one of the most influential leaders in history. Arguably, he is considered to be the first true super hero of Western Civilizations. He ruled with fear and conquered through strength. He controlled his military effortlessly and established a strong economy that aided to his ability to conquer the majority of the known civilization. However does this really qualify him to be considered a great leader? Is “Alexander the Great” truly worthy of this title; or is his name the basis of a flawed reputation? Alexander was only twenty years of age when he ascended into the throne. He was the son of former king, Phillip II, who was assassinated, allowing Alexander
to step into power. Before his death, Phillip had planned to invade and go to war with Persia, who was much larger and more equipped. Alexander made it his mission to fulfill his father’s dreams, knowing that the odds may not be in their favor. His army was significantly inferior to the Persians and their finances were shaky at best, but that did not stop him. He was able to motivate and persuade his troops into fighting any battle he sought fit by leading them with strength and encouragement. Unlike some leaders, Alexander fought alongside his troops, which caused him to receive the same wounds that they did, allowing a sense of trust between them. He went on to invaded Persia, and within a decade he had defeated the Persians, subdued Egypt, and pushed on to Iran, Afghanistan and even India. Not only did he manage to beat the odds, but he also went on to create the largest empire ever seen at this time. To his dismay, however, he did not live past the age of 32 due to being weakened from wounds, fever, and most likely excessive alcohol consumption. In addition to his vast conquests, Alexander is also known for how he spread Greek philosophy and education in his empire. He had a passion for knowledge and was always determined to learn more. It all started at a young age when, Aristotle, a well-known Greek philosopher, had tutored Alexander. He taught him all about Greek culture and art. Once king, Alexander sought out to spread his ideals and strived to eventually create a unity of mankind in which he attempted to integrate Persians into his administration and army. This fusion of cultures is a main reason why Alexander was successful in establishing this wide empire that stretched from Greece in the west to India in the Far East. Even after his death, Alexander went on to leave a legacy that became one of the hallmarks of what will go on to be known as the Hellenistic world: the clash and fusion of different cultures. Without his spread of ideals, who knows if this vast empire would have been as successful. It is argued that Alexander the Great is considered to be the first true super hero of Western Civilizations. Though some may feel as though he was just a reckless, headstrong war general, this essay proves he was much more than that. His charisma along with his ruthless determination, intellectual skills and great war tactics earned him the right to be forever known as Alexander the Great. He took his 13 years of ruling and established more then any leaders of this time. All leaders have positive and negative traits at times, but Alexander’s positive significantly out weighed his negative and for that he is worthy of the title “the Great”.
Alexander the Great, king of Macedonia, was undeniably one of the most influential leaders in history. Arguably, he is considered to be the first true super hero of Western Civilizations. He ruled with fear and conquered through strength. He controlled his military effortlessly and established a strong economy that aided to his ability to conquer the majority of the known civilization. However does this really qualify him to be considered a great leader? Is “Alexander the Great” truly worthy of this title; or is his name the basis of a flawed reputation? Alexander was only twenty years of age when he ascended into the throne. He was the son of former king, Phillip II, who was assassinated, allowing Alexander
to step into power. Before his death, Phillip had planned to invade and go to war with Persia, who was much larger and more equipped. Alexander made it his mission to fulfill his father’s dreams, knowing that the odds may not be in their favor. His army was significantly inferior to the Persians and their finances were shaky at best, but that did not stop him. He was able to motivate and persuade his troops into fighting any battle he sought fit by leading them with strength and encouragement. Unlike some leaders, Alexander fought alongside his troops, which caused him to receive the same wounds that they did, allowing a sense of trust between them. He went on to invaded Persia, and within a decade he had defeated the Persians, subdued Egypt, and pushed on to Iran, Afghanistan and even India. Not only did he manage to beat the odds, but he also went on to create the largest empire ever seen at this time. To his dismay, however, he did not live past the age of 32 due to being weakened from wounds, fever, and most likely excessive alcohol consumption. In addition to his vast conquests, Alexander is also known for how he spread Greek philosophy and education in his empire. He had a passion for knowledge and was always determined to learn more. It all started at a young age when, Aristotle, a well-known Greek philosopher, had tutored Alexander. He taught him all about Greek culture and art. Once king, Alexander sought out to spread his ideals and strived to eventually create a unity of mankind in which he attempted to integrate Persians into his administration and army. This fusion of cultures is a main reason why Alexander was successful in establishing this wide empire that stretched from Greece in the west to India in the Far East. Even after his death, Alexander went on to leave a legacy that became one of the hallmarks of what will go on to be known as the Hellenistic world: the clash and fusion of different cultures. Without his spread of ideals, who knows if this vast empire would have been as successful. It is argued that Alexander the Great is considered to be the first true super hero of Western Civilizations. Though some may feel as though he was just a reckless, headstrong war general, this essay proves he was much more than that. His charisma along with his ruthless determination, intellectual skills and great war tactics earned him the right to be forever known as Alexander the Great. He took his 13 years of ruling and established more then any leaders of this time. All leaders have positive and negative traits at times, but Alexander’s positive significantly out weighed his negative and for that he is worthy of the title “the Great”.