...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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...Attack! The warrior king said as they went into battle. Alexander the great has the story of a true hero. If you take a look behind the story of the man you will come upon the story of a model philosopher king. Alexander’s story starts as a young boy. Growing up under the wing of the historic philosopher Aristotle, who in turn came from a line of the most elite philosophers in history, and as the observant son of the great king Philip of Macedonia, Alexander had the makings of a great philosopher and king. Alexander had a competitive nature, which played a big role in his claim to greatness. As a young adult he claimed many victories, including taming the wild thoughtless untamable horse, which he named Bucephalus, and being a prized combat specialist. It came as no shock after his father’s assassination that he would avenge him, and in turn take the path of becoming one of the greatest kings in history. This leads to the next part of his story which his name the great was derived. As an attempt to avenge his father, Alexander sought after his murderer, who was believed to be king of the vast Persian Empire, Darius. This chase lead him to a conquest of which inspired the philosopher and warrior in him to conquer and explore the unknown lands and civilizations that were under Persian rule. As a philosopher he enjoyed trying new things, and was not partial in taking part in other cultures as he became more...
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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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...The true Success of Alexander the Great When historians are asked to consider the most incredible military strategist of all time the answer will typically be Alexander the Great, not only for his immeasurable military strategy skills, which were impressive during his life time, but for his overwhelming achievements that had managed to impact history thousands of years later. Alexander the Great was so successful because from the beginning of his life all the way up until his final moments he lived solely to prove himself as the almighty conqueror of Asia. From a young age alexander became aware of many elements of the world through his education. When he got his start as a ruler many fortunate events occurred and encouraged his progression. The real genius of Alexander the Great was through his infamous military formation known simply as the phalanx. It was this impenetrable formation and Alexander’s own deceivingly simple ideologies that secured his successes. Early on in Alexander’s life many knew his ultimate goal was to conqueror all of Asia, and it became clear once his undefeated record started growing that he truly had the capacity to tackle such an aspiration. When Alexander was approximately thirteen years of age he became a student of the widely renowned philosopher, Aristotle. Alexander’s father, Phillip II, went out of his way to acquire the famous philosopher for his son’s education. Not only was Alexander becoming increasingly aware of the sciences and mathematics...
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...Alexander was born to Philip II of Macedonia and Olympias, in 356 B.C. 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 became king in 336 b.c. when Phillip was assassinated. More importantly, Alexander did many things in his life to deserve the great status. Firstly, Alexander is recognized for his period of conquest and his ability to fight and rule over larger armies than his own. Secondly, Alexander’s legacy and what he left behind for his son and half brother to continue his work. Thirdly, the legend of Alexander from sources such as the bible and both modern and ancient cultures define Alexander’s ability and rank of great. Lastly, one of the main reasons for Alexander’s recognition of greatness is because of his conquest in battle. However, Alexander made decisions with his impulses and immediate reaction, and in the sheer bravery and courage observed in Alexander, it is evident that Alexander the Great set trends among his people. It is also evident in the innovations he contributed to military strategies, and in the spread of his trends to all the lands that he conquered. Alexander was not a product of the society that he lived in, but a trendsetter. Alexander was an impulsive man of immediate action, and it reflected on the decisions he made. Clearly then, Alexander was the one who led society, shaping...
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...Week 3 Reading Guide Chapter 6 1. Do Cyrus and Darius merit the title “Great”? In what ways were they different from the rulers that preceded and followed them? -Yes. They both do. Cyrus the Great was a leader who kept his people in mind. He was very successful, as he became known as one of history’s most successful empire builders, but he did not rule with force or fighting—he used respect and compromise. Darius on the other hand was also super successful as a leader, but his methods were all done with the idea of a central rule, used force and was much more distant from his people than Cyrus. 2. What was so distinctive about Zoroastrianism? In what ways did it differ from Hinduism and Buddhism? -Zoroastrianism contained...
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...It can be assumed that not one story has been rewritten and retold as much as the tale of Alexander the Great. Alexander was crowned king at twenty years old after his father’s death, and for most of his kingship, he traveled on a military campaign in hopes of conquering the known world. However, depending on the translation, his biological father differs. Therefore, he is claimed by a father almost as much as he is reshaped in order for different people, religions, and cultures to obtain a relation with his “greatness.” Considering the tale of Alexander the Great is so prevalent throughout the world, many have adopted it to fit their own cultures in hopes to be a part of his powerful legend. Richard Stoneman’s, translation of the first romance,...
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...Czar Alexander III Known as Russia’s “peacekeeper”, Czar Alexander III reigned from 1881 to 1894 and is considered as one of Russia’s finest rulers. His ideals closely resembled that of his granduncle, Czar Alexander I instead of his father Czar Alexander II. At the end of his reign, Russia sufficiently kept out of harm's way and brought along of foreign relations with other countries. He helped improve the military and made sure that no major wars were fought. Czar Alexander III was born on March 10, 1845 to Alexander II and Maria Alexandrovna in the Winter Palace in St.Petersburg, Russia. He was born as second son in his family and therefore was only given the training of a Grand Duke, and not that of a Czar. He often disagreed with his father's ideals for running a country and did not play a public role in the government until a few centuries. His elder brother, Nikolay, was the original heir to...
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...HIS- Early Western Civilization 1 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...
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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 is a hero because he made history for his amazing military skills and he treated everyone with respect. Alexander The Great is a hero because of his amazing military skills. He was an amazing leader who lead his men to victory more than a couple times. According to Conquerors “Alexander The Great” at the battle of Gaugamela there was “300,000 men on Persia’s side and 50,000 on Macedonia” (16:45). This proves he was a great military leader because if he was able to win the battle when he was truly outnumbered that must take some skill. Were talking about his soldiers tripled. That is totally insane. For this time period Alexander was a hero and a legend. According to “Lined With Gold” Alexander had conquered from “Macedonia to Persia,Egypt and the North western border of India” (P 1). Alexander had taken over the whole north western border of India. That has to take real talent in leading your men to battle. He went up against all of these people when...
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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 III of Macedonia made a huge impact on the ancient world. He took power at the remarkable age of 20 years old, he led Macedonia and the Greek city states to conquer partially the ancient world, and Persia being one of his greatest achievements. Alexander the great lead the largest empire that the ancient world has ever seen to victory through his genius military skills, and his brutal force. Even though he was merciful, Alexander appreciated and respected religion. Many people debate still, “Was Alexander the great truly great?”. Many say no because in their eyes Alexander was a merciless man who slaughtered many ruthlessly, but when you’re given so much power at such a young age, it is expected to be power hungry to expand and...
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...Alexander the Great was a great warrior and lived 300 years before Christ. He was well aware that he lived in an age of innovation in Greek warfare as he fully implored the latest technology to conquer civilizations that had transformed the lands from Egypt to India into a new Greek world (McKay, 137). His influence had also built an empire that would spread the Greek culture into the known world, but there are no kingdoms without a king and with Alexander’s swift and stunning demise, his empire would crumble almost as quickly as it was built. 404 B.C.E., a long and bloody 27 year war, also known as the Peloponnesian War (AncientGreece, 2003) had finally come to an end. Athens, its once dominant Navy destroyed, is starved into submission at the hands of its arch rivals, the Spartans (McKay, 123). In 359 B.C.E. Philip II had become king (382 – 336 B.C.E) and within two decades he would change the face of Greece (BBC, 2014). During this period, Macedonia had a large amount of potential in both man...
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...ANCIENT GREECE: FROM PREHISTORIC TO HELLENISTIC TIMES SHAWKY MAROGI JR. HIST 1500 MARCH 26, 2013 My report on Ancient Greece revolves around the book Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times, Thomas R Martin, Yale University, 1996. There have been thousands of books written touching upon the history of Greece, but few take the time to paint the reader a picture of how everyday men, women, and children’s lives were affected daily from the Prehistoric all the way up to Hellenistic times. Martin begins at the Stone Age in the fourth century and covers everything up to Alexander the Great and a bit beyond. If there is another book that paints a picture so well of the day to day struggles that took place during the Stone Age and continued all the way through Hellenistic times I would be shocked. The overall message seems to be that things never improved for the poorer social classes through out these times. Firstly, Thomas Martin has a very distinct point of view throughout the entire book that the poorer classes who were not soldiers were never able to improve their quality of life. Martin maintains that the back bone of the many battles over land and resources would not have been possible without the lower classes supporting the soldiers from their cities by crafting goods, growing crops, and forging items like weapons. The author decided against making any arguments against what is presented to us as fact, and instead focused on the...
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