...Alexander the Great: Siege of Tyre Oliver Bolin In January of 332 B.C. Alexander the Great of Macedonia moved in to seize control of Tyre, a Phoenician city, while on his was to eventually move against Egypt. The city of Tyre was located on an island in the Mediterranean Sea, 0.5 miles from the mainland, and was a key port for Egypt. Alexander and the Tyrians had approximately 40,000 troops each; however, the Tyrian Naval forces were much more powerful than what Alexander had with him. Alexander initially attempted to get into the city by stating he wished to offer a sacrifice at the city’s Temple of Melkart. The Tyrians refused Alexander and told him that he could perform the sacrifice at the old city temple on the mainland. Alexander did not accept the refusal and sent messengers, called Heralds, to order the city of Tyre to either surrender or be conquered. In a defiant response the Tyrians killed the Heralds and threw their bodies over the city wall. Alexander was then faced with the difficult challenge of having to attack and conquer an island city that had never been conquered, despite numerous attempts. He knew that he would not be able to take the city with ships as his fleet was small in size when compared to the Tyrian fleet. Another challenge he faced was that the city wall facing the mainland was 150 feet high. Alexander consulted his Generals, looking for alternate methods of attack, and quickly found out that the water between the mainland and...
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...From the ages of antiquity and to the present, Alexander is described as a military genius. His accomplishments in the art of war were and still are astounding. Hannibal, Caesar, Frederick, and Napoleon studied his military methods thoroughly and all admitted that without the knowledge they gained from Alexander the Great they would have never been able to accomplish what they did. From one great leader, Napoleon, we hear, “Make offensive war like Alexander, Hannibal, Caesar … read and re-read the history of their campaigns. Model yourself on them … that is the only way to become a great captain.” Invariable were his countless successes, whether he fought against disciplined, highly trained troops or guerilla bands of wild hill tribes, on plains or on mountains, deserts, ravines, marshes or rivers, winter snow or burning sun; weather and darkness were not obstacles. Alexander never wasted time. He always arrived before his enemies expected. His men followed him for more than 21,000 miles because they believed he had their best interests in mind. They always counted on him to lead them to victory after victory and he never failed. There are many reasons that have been presented of how and why Alexander won every one of his battles. He would achieve his victories by first investigating the land where he wished to advance upon. In order to be sure of the safety of himself and his army he would often explore alone over dangerous terrain. In order for men to respect and follow...
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...December 2009 A Look into the Life of Alexander the Great Today Alexander the Great is known as one of the greatest conquerors and warriors in history. He created the largest land empire in Western history second to Rome. Unlike modern generals, Alexander actually fought in battles. He usually led the troops himself, making him a hero to his men. He never lost a battle, though wounded a few times, and always successfully fought the battle. Alexander was born in Pella, Macedon on July 20, 356 BC. He was the son of Philip II, the King of Macedon and Philip's fourth wife Queen Olympias (Burgan, 16). After his birth his nurse, Lanike, raised Alexander. When Alexander was thirteen years old, his father decided that he needed a higher education and he began to search for a tutor. He chooses Aristotle to be his tutor, and agreed to rebuild his hometown of Stagira, which Philip has razed years earlier. From the age of 14 to 18, he studied military affairs and improved his horse riding skills. He also worked on his strength by wrestling and gymnastics (Wikipedia, 2). At the age of sixteen, his time with Aristotle came to an end. Philip had to go wage war against Byzantium and left Alexander as regent in charge of the kingdom. Under this role, Alexander was to serve as the head of the government while his father fought wars with the Greeks (Burgan, 25-26). During this time, a riot broke out in Macedonian. He assigned troops to put down the riots,...
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...Alexander the Great Alexander the great, the famous king of the Macedonian empire is a hugely celebrated figure in world history. Many historians proclaim Alexander as great and that say he achieved so much in his short life. He ran an empire, successfully took control of the Persian Empire and was also a great scholar. Surely this should be enough to put him in the historian hall of fame or is it? Is Alexander over celebrated or Does he really deserve to be known as Alexander the great? I believe he does, I think Alexander’s military achievements, and his leadership and his decision making all give him the right to be called Alexander the great. He has the characteristic and life story that belongs in legends. To me looking back on Alexander‘s life it was inevitable he was going to be a great military leader. Alexander was blessed by his heritage; he was born of a father who was a militant powerhouse of Macedonia and apparently his mother was from the family of Hercules or so he said. He would have grown up watching and learning a lot from his father Phillip the emperor of Macedonia as he ruled Macedonia and swept through Greece. He was regarded pretty highly in his father’s army and often led sieges to foreign lands on behalf of the Macedonian empire. Alexander’s father had great trust in his ability and left him in control of the kingdom at the age of 16. This is where Alexander would get his first taste of control and victory but it would definitely not be his last. The...
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...Alexander the Great When most people hear of Alexander the great they think back to Oliver stone’s 2004 film. Although the film was somewhat accurate I prefer fact over fiction, especially when it involves a tremendous historical figure such as Alexander the great. In 356 B.C.E Alexander was born to King Philip II of Macedonia and Olympias of Epirus. Being born into royalty didn’t seem to be enough for this young prince which was recognized by his father. When a trader brought a horse for the king it refused to be mounted or tamed and King Philip ordered it away. Alexander asked his father for the horse so that he may try to tame it, which he eventually did. King Philip was pleased with the amount of courage and ambition his ten year old son displayed and told his son “My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambitions. Macedonia is too small for you” Alexander was introduced to war and conflict at an early age. Alexander was sixteen years old when his father marched on Thrace and Alexander was left in charge of Macedonia in his absence. While his father was gone, a rebellion started at the north east border of Macedonia, Alexander immediately assembled an army and led them against the rebels. After Alexander defeated the rebels he changed the name of their stronghold to Alexandropolis, at eighteen, King Philip put Alexander in charge of the cavalry during the battle of Chaeronea which some historians believe the Macedonians won due to Alexander’s bravery...
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...The Conquests and Legacy of Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedonia was known as Alexander the Great. He became king when his father died and went on to conquer most of the known world of his era. He is known as the Great not only for his military intelligence but also for how he handled the various regions he conquered in a very diplomatic way. Alexander amassed the largest empire in the entire ancient world. His empire covered 3,000 miles. After three years of very gruesome fighting, Alexander destroyed the Persian armies and conquered the Persian Empire including the city of Babylon. Though he had conquered the Persian Empire, Alexander was not satisfied. He looked for new lands to conquer. He set his sights on conquering Egypt. Alexander entered Egypt at the beginning of 331 BC. The Persian satrap surrendered and the Macedonians were welcomed by the Egyptians as liberators for they had despised living under Persian rule for almost two centuries. Here Alexander ordered that a city be designed and founded in his name at the mouth of river Nile, as trading and military Macedonian outpost, the first of many to come. He never lived to see it built, but Alexandria would become a major economic and cultural center in the Mediterranean world not only during the Macedonian rule of Egypt but centuries after. After conquering Egypt, Alexander set his sights on conquering India. In the spring of 327 BC, Alexander and his army marched into India invading Punjab. The greatest...
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...Alexander the Great Alexander of Macedon Biography King of Macedonia and Conqueror of the Persian Empire Alexander III the Great, the King of Macedonia and conqueror of the Persian Empire is considered one of the greatest military geniuses of all times. He was inspiration for later conquerors such as Hannibal the Carthaginian, the Romans Pompey and Caesar, and Napoleon. Alexander was born in 356 BC in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. He was son of Philip II, King of Macedonia, and Olympias, the princess of neighboring Epirus. He spent his childhood watching his father transforming Macedonia into a great military power, winning victory after victory on the battlefields throughout the Balkans. When he was 13, Philip hired the Greek philosopher Aristotle to be Alexander’s personal tutor. During the next three years Aristotle gave Alexander a training in rhetoric and literature and stimulated his interest in science, medicine, and philosophy, all of which became of importance in Alexander’s later life. In 340, when Philip assembled a large Macedonian army and invaded Thrace, he left his 16 years old son with the power to rule Macedonia in his absence as regent, which shows that even at such young age Alexander was recognized as quite capable. But 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 assembled an army, led it against the rebels, and with...
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...King Alexander III By Author Unknown Alexander III, king of Macedonia from 336 until his death in 323 B.C. continues to be the subject of study and debate into the 21st century A.D... Some scholars have devoted their lives to the man who was king, king of kings, and a god in his lifetime. The scarce evidence tantalized and invited speculation and theory. He has been pictured as everything from an alcoholic, homosexual, mass murderer, to the precursor of Christ sent to bring brotherly love to the world. He has been a Christian saint, an Islamic prophet, and a benefactor of the Jews. He remains a folk hero from Sophia to Kabul. To this day his name is invoked for good luck. For centuries Alexander has been erroneously judged by standards of conduct which have no relationship to 4th century B.C. Macedonian culture. He has been called an alcoholic in a time when consuming amounts of alcohol in excess of current limits is social unacceptable. Among Macedonian warriors it was not. Indeed, the drinking of large amounts of unwatered wine after battle was expected and may even have had a religious connotation. Yet ancient Athenians, Victorians and modern day twelve steppers have stigmatized him for doing exactly what was acceptable at a time and place where strong warriors fought hard and drank hard far into the night. Throughout his life Alexander was scrupulous about behaving in a manner appropriate for a 4th Century B.C. warrior king of Macedonia. Jewish, Christian, and Moslem...
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...Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire, and he is also known as one of the greatest warrior in History. Tarn explain “Alexander the Great and the Unity of Mankind” (pg 348). During the ancient Greek, leader were consider king and queen and Alexander was oring connect to Philip, Demetrist and other descent before he. Alexander in light of what he believed were his philosophical belief. Alexander pray for peace harmony and unity between the Persian and the Greeks at Opis. According to Raleigh lecture “Alexander the Great and the Unity of mankind” (Raleigh, 1933). Alexander philosophy is that “kinship or brotherhood of mankind are men, brothers and sons of God” however he is more convinced that God made him has one of the best one. He also belief that “all men were sons of one father and his prayer was the expression of his recorded belief that he had a mission from God to be the Reconciler of the world”.Alexander multiple believe have shaped his actions because he think like a warrior, and a reconciler of the world. Tarn...
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...ALEXANDER THE GREAT: HERO, HUMANITARIAN, OR MANIAC? INTRODUCTION Alexander the Great is by all historical accounts one of the most influential figures of history. He was the son of Philip II, the King of Macedon who conquered Greece in 338 B.C. but was assassinated soon thereafter. Alexander thus became king at the age of seventeen (in 336 B.C. ), and at the age of twenty he set off to conquer the known world. In a series of lightning campaigns he conquered the Persian Empire that had until then been invincible, and in a certain sense he avenged Greece for the earlier Persian Wars. He marched through Asia Minor, Syria, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Persia, conquering all before him. In monumental battles he defeated the Persians at Granicus (334 B.C.), Issus (333 B.c.), and Gaugamela (331 B.c.). He drove his soldiers on, crossing the mountains and deserts of central Asia, until he reached the borders of India (326 B.C.). There he finally turned back, retreating to Babylon, where he established his court. At Babylon he fell sick and suddenly died, at only thirty-two years of age (323 B.c.). Alexander hardly had time to organize his new empire, and this makes it all but impossible to know how he would have been as a ruler, instead of a conqueror. After his death, Alexander's empire fell apart and was ruled by his successors, Macedonian generals who became kings of independent areas. Most of these rulers continued Alexander's policies of toleration and cultural integration. Alexander's...
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...Alexander the Great Ancient World’s Model Leader Marco Gobbato Chestnut Hill College Alexander the Great’s name went down in history as one of the most successful and most creative military strategists. He was undefeated in Battle and left many in his future attempting to mirror his success. At the young age of 16, he was entrusted with leading troops under orders from his father, Philip II. Imagine a sophomore in high school leading grown men to a possible death, how would that individual persuade his men to trust him. Although much of Alexander the Great’s biography has been lost through time, the many lasting legacies which he produced prove his existence and significance. Alexander’s conquests spanned from mainland Greece and Asia Minor, to the Nile River of Egypt, and the Frontier of the Ganges River Valley in India, a land mass covering over 5 million square Kilometers. Very soon after capturing the last remnants of the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great died at the age of 32 due to an unknown cause. All his accomplishments happened in a span of 16 years, not a very long time to reach the height to which Alexander found himself in. From a Leadership point of view, Alexander ranks among the top of the list in history, for many reasons. Not only did he pull together his resources and commanded his men with incredible accuracy of control, he maintained a working machine of cities and supply routes that provided his armies with the necessities. The only way where...
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...Many historic events took place by themselves, they were the result of improving the human mind, and not dependent on specific individuals. Many of them may have been accidental. In my opinion, to evaluate the significance of such phenomena is difficult, because they are too much influenced by subjective factors. In my opinion, is much more important to understand the role of personality in history. Often, one person can change an entire era, and even humanity as a whole. So my choice fell on the three great men, totally different, but made a huge contribution to the history of Western civilization and the world. This is great theologian, commander and politician. Martin Luther, Alexander the Great and Winston Churchill. Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 - February 18, 1546) - Christian theologian, the initiator of the Reformation, the translator of the Bible into German. His name is one very important in Protestantism. Martin Luther was the son of Hans Luther (1459-1530) - a farmer who moved to Eisleben (Saxony) in the hope of a better life. There he changed his profession, having been engaged in mining in the copper mines. After the birth of Martin, family moved to the mountain town Mansfeld, where his father became a prosperous burgher. In 1501, by decision of the parents Luther entered the University of Erfurt. In 1505, against the wishes of his father he entered the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt. Luther took his monastic vows in 1506 and in 1507 was ordained a priest...
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...Alexander the Great Webster’s Dictionary as “the quality of being great, distinguished, and having intensity considerably above the normal or average” defines the word greatness. There are very few people in this world that have ever lived that can fall under the category of greatness. One person whom I consider to exemplify greatness is Alexander III of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great. People come and go in this world and few are remembered, but even fewer will go down in history. Alexander the Great went down in history as a legend. Many stories were conveyed about his greatness, his tactics, his theories, and his thoughts. His legacy is still spoken about today. Before you can truly understand whom Alexander the Great was, you have to appreciate where he came from. Alexander’s father, Philip II, was King of Macedonia at the beginning of is reign. Macedonia was known as a barbaric state. They were thought to be beneath all other Greek states. When Philip became king, he assembled the greatest engineers to help design weaponry, like the sarissa. The sarissa was a 20-foot spear with a counter balance at the end to make it easier for the soldiers to lift it up. Philip also crafted a military formation called the phalanx that the Macedonians fought in. Alexander continued the legacy of his father by using the same formation when he gained control of the army. Philip started taking over Greece and by the time Alexander was old enough to help, they had already conquered...
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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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...Alexander was also a pragmatic leader, understanding his men and human nature, always striving to rule in a fashion that would ensure prosperity to his empire. He, like Julius and Augustus Caesar after him, would try his best to try and be one of the soldiers. He talked, lived, fought, and suffered alongside his men. One legend illustrates Alexander’s effort to relate to his men. Whether the legend was true or not, it demonstrates his personality quite accurately. Called “The Legend of the Helmet,” it tells about when the Macedonian king was walking with his troops across a desert. All were thirsty, including Alexander himself. A small infantry party had gone out to search for water, and found a small trickle in a gully. They collected as much as they could and accumulated it into a helmet before offering it to Alexander. After thanking the men for the water, he proceeded to pouring the water onto the ground. He didn’t want to get special privileges that set him apart from his men. If no other man in the army got a drink, he wouldn’t accept it either. “So extraordinary was the effect of this action that the water wasted by Alexander was as good as a drink for every man in the army.” (Document D) He addressed his men by name; he knew them personally. “Riding to the front line he (Alexander the Great) named the soldiers and they responded from spot to...
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