...Alexander, son of King Philip II of Macedon, is known as Alexander the Great. However, was he truly great? One may look at his many accomplishments to decide if he deserves the title. Sometimes character is the test of determining if a man is great. Alexander meets both standards with his philosophic background, conquering abilities, victories in battle, and outstanding accomplishments; therefore, he truly meets his title as Alexander the Great Alexander was born in 356 B.C. to King Philip II f Macedon, and Olympias, princess of Epirus. King Philip was one of Alexander’s main influences. Philip was a man of action: he built cities, navies, roads, armies, conquered Athens, and created the League of Corinth, which he treated fairly. At age 13, Alexander’s father hired Aristotle to tutor his son. Aristotle’steachings encompassed all aspects of Greek life: art, poetry, science, and philosophy. Aristotle would become Alexander’s second greatest influence in life, one that would inspire him to live a good, moral life. Another tutor of Alexander’s, before Aristotle, was the Acarnian Lysimachus. He created a game with Alexander in which he would pretend to be the great hero Achilles. Alexander believed Achilles was the true example of a great aristocratic warrior, and he modeled himself after him. Later in life, Alexander would carry with him a copy of Homer’s Iliad and traded his armor for, what he believed to be, Achilles’ armor. When King Philip was assassinated, Alexander was...
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...Alexander the Great’s Legacy The story of Alexander the Great’s legacy is one of courage, genius, and great accomplishment; that ended so sadly with his tragic death in the prime of his life at only thirty-two. Alexander is known as a great conqueror, in thirteen short years he amassed the largest empire in the entire ancient world. He was very smart, Alexander conquered all this with no modern technology and weapons. In this day all troops moved by food and communication was all face to face. Many of his accomplishments were made possible by his father, Philip of Macedon. In twelve short years Alexander the Great conquered a lot of territories and dominated lands from west of the Nile to east of the Indus. He brought the Persian Empire,...
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...all.” These are the words of Alexander the Great. These words spoken so truly to reflect his passion of Greek culture, Alexander the Great expressed these words throughout his entire being. This famous man, who to some, was like a god, accomplished many impossible tasks to any ordinary person while spreading his love of Greek culture around the world. On July 20, 356 BC, a legend was born to King Philip II and Queen Olympia. Alexander the Great was recognized early that he could change the world. He studied under an astonishing, Greek philosopher, Aristotle where he learned literature, exceptional writing skills and knowledge that broaden Alexander III into horizons that not many could imagine. Alexander had an obsession for knowledge which showed throughout his battles in his later years. He had very skilled military tactics and which he combined his vast knowledge to conquer all that he put his mind to. At the age of 18, Alexander took charge of the Companion Cavalry and helped his father in defeating the Athenian and Theban armies of Chaeronea. Learning from past warriors, from their feats to their fails, he was able to figure out how to achieve his own goals on the battle field along with skilled decision making. Alexander the Great wanted to continue the expansion of Macedonia in which is father, King Philip was doing when Alexander was younger. After the death of his father, the Macedonian army supported Alexander the Great. When Alexander expanded Macedonia, he decided...
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...Alexander the Civilizer or Alexander the Tyrant? THESIS: Alexander the Great was only 20 years old when he became king in 336, BC and, thanks to his father Philip II and to his education under Aristotle, he was a very competent and able commander. He learned early how to ride a horse, use weapons and command troops. He conquered the Greeks and then led them into battle against the Persians. He liberated Egypt. He then defeated Persia and marched his troops across Iran and Afghanistan, and could go no further because he got sick and died. According to most accounts, he was intelligent, handsome, and a successful military leader, one who cared about his men and paid attention to even the lowest soldier. He respected his enemies by giving them glorious funerals (Darius of Persia) and/or awarding them large expanses of territory after defeating them (King Porus of Paurava). He is credited with playing a huge part in the spread of Greek culture into all the regions he conquered, leading to a flourishing of trade, cultural diversity, art and architecture, education, philosophy, math and science up until the rise of the Roman Empire. By some accounts his quests reached as far north as the Arctic Ocean and as far east as China and he died at the age of 33. Despite all of his accomplishments, both contemporary historians and historians through the ages have seen Alexander in a different light. In this light, Alexander's military prowess were only possible due to the actions...
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...Alexander The Great Alexander the Great is arguably the most famous King that has ever lived. Alexander’s historical perception is without a doubt not entirely accurate, but in the facts of his Kingdom, and in reading the few historically relevant sources, we can interpret something about the life of this man. Through the writings of Plutarch, Arrian, Curtius Rufus, and Pliny, I see Alexander the Great as a justly motivated, intelligent military hero. We will never truly know how Alexander would have turned out as a ruler due to his early death, but in his fifteen years as king he motivated people from different cultures and different countries to come together and execute, under his rule, the most impressive military conquests the world has ever seen. Many modern historians, including those in the ETEP module, have differing views of Alexander the Great. Some claim that he was a deranged, bloodthirsty general who only sought personal triumph, while others thought that he was a military hero who sought unity among all men. W.W. Tarn was a proponent of the latter statement, who wrote about Alexander’s lasting impact of blending culture in the East. Tarn notices that there are many conflicting sources with regards to Alexander’s triumph, and focus’s more on the positive impact that Alexander left on the Eastern world. I agree with Tarn in that Alexander’s conquers led to cultures coming together and advancing at a rate that otherwise would have been unattainable....
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...Alexander Hamilton was a man who was quite an influence in our country. Even at his young age, he wowed the other famous men in his time with his amazing literary skills, eventually gaining himself a spot in the Continental Congress. Still today Hamilton is still a well known figure in and throughout American history. He did not sign the Declaration of Independence but is considered a founding father due to his helping in the framing of that document. Despite his many accomplishments Hamilton had a hard early life. Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, either 1775 or 1777, the exact year was never known. He was born out of wedlock and after being abused by his real father, Alexander's mother left to St. Kitts. Rachel (Alexander’s mother) soon met and moved in with James Hamilton and had another son named James who was Alexander’s older brother. She then moved back with Alexander to live with James Sr. He left them again and they lived in poverty forcing Alexander at the young age of 11 to find a job. After working as hard as she could, Rachel died at the age of 38. Leaving Alexander and his brother orphans, as their step father had abandoned them. “Our great error is that we suppose mankind to be more honest than they are.” - Alexander Hamilton - 1787 Later in his life Alexander was able to work as an...
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...THE STORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT IS ONE OF COURAGE, GENIUS, AND GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT; BUT IT IS ALSO SOMEWHAT BITTERSWEET, ENDING WITH HIS TRAGIC DEATH DURING THE PRIME OF HIS LIFE, AT THIRTY-TWO. ALEXANDER WAS BORN TO PHILIP II OF MACEDONIA AND OLYMPIAS, IN 356 BC. PHILLIP II WAS THE KING OF MACEDONIA UNTIL HE WAS ASSASSINATED IN 330 BC. PHILLIP KNEW THAT ONE DAY ALEXANDER WOULD SUCCEED HIM SO HE DID MUCH TO PREPARE HIM FOR A MILITARY AND POLITICAL FUTURE. ALEXANDER WAS GIVEN AN AMAZING EDUCATION BY HIS TUTOR WHO WAS ALSO A GREEK PHILOSOPHER. ARISTOTLE TAUGHT HIM RHETORIC AND LITERATURE, AND OPENED HIS INTEREST TO SCIENCE, MEDICINE, AND PHILOSOPHY. ALEXANDER BECAME KING IN 336 B.C. WHEN PHILLIP WAS ASSASSINATED. HE MAINTAINED HIS RULE AT HOME BEFORE MAKING ANY PLANS OF ATTACK. First he attacked Thessaly in order to restore Macedonian rule. Then in 335 B.C. he defeated the Thracians, up through the Danube River. On his way back, he defeated the Illyrians, but rushed back afterwards to Thebes. Thebes was ravaged by Alexander, sparing only temples and the house of Pindar, a well known Greek poet of the 5th Century B.C. Many more Greek states then turned to Alexander's control. Alexander declared war on Persia in 334 B.C., and defeated a Persian army near the city of Troy. This resulted in the submission of all states in Asia Minor to him. Alexander then traveled southward, where he defeated King Darius III, leader of the main Persian army. This battle occurred in...
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...Alexander the Great By the end of the fifth century Macedonia started emerging as a kingdom of importance amongst the greek world. Its ruler Phillip II had built an efficient army which turned Macedonia into a military force that defeated the Greek's at the battle of Chaeronea in 338 B.C.E. Now Phillip was free to focus his ambition's on conquering Persia. He would never have that opportunity, Phillip was assassinated before he could undertake the invasion of Asia. Alexander the Great was only twenty when he succeeded his father Phillip as king of Macedonia. It would have been very tempting for Alexander to relax and enjoy the spoils of his new kingdom. Instead, he quickly asserted his authority and turned his attention to achieving his father's dream, the invasion of the persian empire. This was a huge risk and one that almost cost Alexander his life at the first battle which took place at the Granicus River in 334 B.C.E. However, Alexander survived and won a major victory which help lead to Alexanders control of the entire western half of Asia Minor. Alexander continued his conquests and by the winter of 332, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt were under his control. He took the title of Pharaoh and founded several cities which he named after himself. Alexander did not rest on his accomplishments. He soon turned his attention to conquering the territory of the ancient Mesopotamian kingdoms. Alexander fought many brutal battles and ultimately took control of Babylon, the...
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...Death Makes People Equal Shakespeare uses the skull as a symbol to explore the idea that everyone is equal when they die. Even people who are special are like normal people in the end. Hamlet asks Horatio, if he thinks Alexander the Great “looked like this in the earth” (Shakespeare 272). He asks this because Alexander the Great died and “returned to dust” (272). It shows that all humans are equal in the end since Hamlet says that Alexander the Great changed to dust and that this “dust is earth” (272). Ephemeral things like power, fame, and money become worthless after dying since Alexander the Great “looked like” (272) Yorick when he died, which means that successful or unsuccessful, humans are the same in the end. While living, accomplishments are meaningful but when time passes, we return to dust and the fulfillments of the physical world become valueless. In addition, women “paint” their faces “an inch thick” in order to make themselves beautiful (271). Make-up for women can cover up their physical appearance for them while they are living but when they return to nature through death, nature takes control of them and makes them the way they are supposed to be; just their bones are left and they become “just the same” like everyone else (271). In conclusion, Hamlet explores the idea that death is the true equalizer because once we die everyone returns to dust and becomes a part of nature negating the physical aspects of human...
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...While the relationship Alexander had with Calum was not always consistent due to their different childhoods, Grandfather was a constant figure in Alexander’s life. Grandfather was always trying to make the world “right” and in doing so acted as a teacher to Alexander about the history of the MacDonald family. Grandfather never stopped informing Alexander of their ancestors’ life stories and even on Alexander’s graduation had to use to library to find out the truth about “Wolfe and the Highlanders at Quebec, on the Plains of Abraham” (108) and how Wolfe was “[j]ust using them for his own goals” (108). Grandfather thought that every piece of history was important to know and had to research all accounts of an event to find out what really happened. After gathering those acts, Grandfather would then be quick to share...
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...Please accept this letter of application and supporting material for your advertised position at the Historical World History Museum in Washington, D.C. I have made a huge impact that people seemed to ignore. I was a great philosopher and the first to hand write the book of physics, metaphysics, poetry, theatre, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology, I have considered much ahead of my time. Being placed in this museum will ensure that my enormous legacy lives on and I will get the respect I truly deserve. I grew up in a city in Greece in 384 B.C. Later in my life at the age seventeen, I went to Plato's academy in Athens. I then graduated and became a very impactful philosopher. Then opened my own academy Lyceum. I then got fame by rejecting my teacher Plato theory on forms. My father Nicomachus was court physician to King...
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...Alexander III of Macedonia got the title “Alexander the Great” because he is known to be one of the greatest military leaders ever. Alexander the Great was born on July 20, 356 B.C.E., and died at the age of 32 on June 10, 323 B.C.E. He was born in Pella, the capital of Macedonia, to his parents Philip II and Olympias. Philip II was born in 382 B.C.E. to his parents King Amyntas III and Eurydice I. When Philip II became king, he united the Greek city-states. He also made Macedonia the most powerful city-state in all of Greece. Philip II was a very great military commander. Alexander was born during a time of great military success for his father. Philip had one other child with Olympias named Cleopatra. He also had some other children with...
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...The Accomplishments and Failures of the 19th Century Tsars The nineteenth century was filled with a variety of tsars. There are two that deserve a great amount of focus: Alexander II and Alexander III. Alexander II hoped to change and resolve Russia and their social and economic problems. His son, Alexander III, was more conservative and wished to undo everything his father did. Alexander II ascended the throne at the age of thirty-seven. He was tsar of Russia from 1855-1881. Alexander II was referred to as the “Tsar Liberator.” One of the major accomplishments of Alexander II is that he was able to emancipate the serfs. Alexander II singed the emancipation manifesto on March 3, 1861. At his coronation he stated that it is better to abolish serfdom from above than to wait until it would abolish itself from below. (Riasanovsky 366) Prior to the emancipation there had been many peasant uprisings in the attempt to gain freedom. According to the official record, Vasilii Semevsky had counted 550 peasant uprisings in the 19th century prior to the emancipation of the serfs. (Riasanovsky 365) It is speculated that this number is very inaccurate and it is more likely that there were 1,467. Inna Ignatovich gave this break down, “281 peasant rebellions, that is, 19 percent of the total, in the period form 1801-1825; 712 rebellions, 49 percent, from 1826-1854; and 474 uprisings, or 32 percent, in the six years and two months of Alexander II’s reign before the abolition of serfdom.” (Riasanovsky...
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...Alexander the Great Alexander the Great is well known for accomplishing far more than kings before and after him. He was born in Pella, Macedonia in 356 B.C.E. In his childhood, he watched his father transform Macedonia into a great military power. King Phillip was his father, and Olympias was his mother. She was the princess of Epirus and was a deeply spiritual being. She taught her son about his ancestors, including Achilles and Hercules. Even as a young boy, Alexander was conditioned for battle and glory. He was fearless and strong, and he put his efforts on becoming a great ruler. At age twelve, he trained a horse named Bucephalus, whom no one else could ride. His father was very proud of him and his steady efforts. Aristotle came to Pella in 343 at Philip’s bidding to offer his knowledge. Aristotle taught Alexander from age thirteen to sixteen at the Mieza Temple. He had a strong, athletic build but was still shorter than the average man. He had fair skin and was clean-shaven. He had green eyes and was considered by many to be handsome. When he led his army, he would always wear something vibrant that could be seen from long distances by his enemies. Alexander wore two large white plumes in his hat to set himself apart from the other soldiers. On a normal day, he would wear silk Persian clothing, consisting of a long robe, cape, sash, and headband in royal purple and white. Alexander the Great had much respect for women and treated them fairly. These thoughts might...
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...Alexander the Great Alexander accomplished greater deeds than, not only of the kings who had lived before him but also of those who were to come later down to our time .Alexander the Great was born at Pella Macedonia in 356 B.C.E. He spent his childhood years watching his father transforming Macedonia into a great military power. His Father was King Phillip and his mother was Olympias. His mother was the princes of neighboring Epirus. She was a deeply spiritual who taught her son about his ancestors such as Achilles and Hercules. From his earliest ages, then he was conditioned for conquest and glory in being a king. He then became focused on becoming a great ruler, which he soon will become. As a young boy Alexander was fearless and strong. At the age of 12 he tamed a beautiful horse by the name of Bucephalus, a horse than no one else could ride. His father was so proud of him and his horsemanship. Aristotle came to Pella in 343 at Phillips bidding to direct education towards his son. Alexander was taught by him from the age thirteen to sixteen. Alexander was taught by Aristotle at the Mieza Temple.Alexander was told to have had a strong athletic build, but was shorter than the average Macedonian. He had fair skin, and was clean shaven most of the time. He had green eyes, and was said to be a very handsome man. When leading his army he would always wear something very recognizable from long distances by his enemies. Alexander wore two large white plumes in his hat to distinguish...
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