The effects of Alexander's conquests and politics on the West are well documented. His might secured Greece (and perhaps Europe) from a mounting Persian threat, setting the stage for the later Roman conquest and absorption of Hellenistic civilization. Had Alexander failed at Issus, Granicus, or any number of other critical battles, it is entirely possible that Persians rather than Athenians would have dictated Western thought. Moreover, until his premature death, Alexander held in his hands a power than no man, before or since, has known: the power to bring peace and stability to the known world, uniting it under one banner. This notion traveled forward through time, from Greeks to Romans, and from Romans to Europeans. His lessons of organization, acceptance, and political integration have informed the decisions of countless leaders since, and, most notably, his image has carried forward through time to become one of the most memorable figures in history: Alexander the Great, the man who sought to be a god.…