...In 326 BCE, Chandragupta Maurya was just a teenager when Alexander the Great of Macedonia invaded India. Facing stiff resistance all through what is now Pakistan, and hampered by the high Hindu-Kush Mountains, Alexander’s army lost its will to conquer India at the Battle of Jhelum (or Hydaspes River). Although the Macedonians made it through the Khyber Pass and defeated Raja Puru (King Poros) near modern-day Bhera, Pakistan, the fighting was almost too much for Alexander’s troops. Worst of all, Raja Puru’s army included 30 war elephants, who spooked the Macedonian cavalry’s horses (and probably the men, as well). When the victorious Macedonians heard that their next target - the Nanda Empire - could muster 6,000 war elephants, the soldiers revolted. Alexander the Great would not conquer the far side of the Ganges. Although the world’s greatest tactician could not convince his troops to take on the Nanda Empire, five years after Alexander turned away, a 20-year-old Chandragupta Maurya would accomplish that feat, and go on to unite almost all of what is nowIndia. The young Indian emperor would also take on Alexander’s successors - and win. Chandragupta Maurya’s Birth and Ancestry: Chandragupta Maurya was born sometime around 340 BCE, reportedly in Patna, now in the Bihar state of India. Given the vast span of time since his birth, it is unsurprising that scholars are uncertain of many details. For example, some texts claim that both of Chandragupta’s parents were of the Kshatriya...
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...Ashoka The Well Appreciated Buddhist and King Ashoka was one of the greatest rulers of ancient India. He was the grandson of Chandragupta Maurya of Magadha who established the first Indian empire. Chandragupta wore the crown for twenty-four years before surrendering his throne in favor of his son, Bundusara (Ashoka’s father), who left no noticeable mark upon the empire. Ashoka was born in 304 B.C. and was known in his younger teen years as Canda Ashoka (the fierce Ashoka) because of his very aggressive nature. Ashoka came to the throne in 270 B.C. after a power struggle that ended in the death of one of his brothers. He was at first disposed to follow the example of his father and grandfather and complete the conquest of the Indian peninsula. In about 256 B.C. Ashoka attacked Kalinga, a country on the east coast of Madras, in order to expand his empire, which he ruled as a tyrant at the time. The plan he pursued about Kalinga was forceful and all standing in his way of the throne were killed. Ashoka succeeded in conquering Kalinga in the fatal war in which 100,000 men were killed, 150,000 injured, and thousands were captured and retained as slaves. The sight of the massacre involved in his conquest deeply distressed Ashoka and deeply affected his mind. Overwhelmed by the carnage, he changed his way of life. Brahmanism was the practiced religion of Ashoka, as he abstained from war forever and sought peace in Buddha’s preaching of love and ahimsa...
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...Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.E.) was a Macedonian king that went on to conquer Persia, Syria, Mesopotamia, Egypt, and many more. His kingdom ranged from the Mediterranean to the border of India. He died at the age of 32 and is remembered as one of history’s most brilliant military leader and most powerful ruler. People argue that Alexander the Great was a villain whereas other people argued that he was hero. Alexander the Great was more of a villain than he was of a hero. He was a destructive ruler that wanted to unite all of mankind under one type of government. Even though he was a brilliant military leader that was able to conquer many different places and expand his empire throughout the world, he killed a lot of people to get expand his empire and also killed a lot of people to gain the power and position that he was in. Even though he was a man that was able to expand his empire and had smart tactics, many of his ways included the death of innocent people. Alexander the great was a destructive person that killed people to get the power he had and to get to his position. Even though document 3 explains how he was a great military commander, his ways were very gruesome and vicious. In Document 2, it states how Alexander was destructive and how he used purges to get his way. A purge is the removal of a person or group from a place or organization. Two examples of how Alexander the Great used purges during his reign was the murder of Attalus and the dispatching of Parmenio...
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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 spot where they were lined up.” (Alexander the Great: Alexander of Macedon Biography 4). In addition, Alexander encouraged them...
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... Alexander the Great was a Villain, he took over civilizations and tried to scare people to give in to him and wasn't scared of anything in his way. Alexander the Great is a Villain because he took over civilizations even if people didn’t agree with him. Alexander the Great didn’t care about anyone except himself and his plan to conquer the world. He would take over civilization to civilization and wouldn’t stop till his men couldn’t walk anymore. He was so determined he killed his father so he wouldn’t get in the way of his great plan. According to A Hero’s Hero – Alexander and Achilles “Here was a man, who walked in flesh and blood”(1). A man who took over the world and walks in flesh and blood. This evidence proves he was a villain because he would go through any civilization just to take things over. He did not care if many people died in the process, he only cared about his plan. Also, according to ABC news “What is clear is that on the heels of Alexander's triumphs, some of the people of Dor grew disenchanted with all things Greek.”(20). This proves Alexander was a villain because the people in the civilizations he was conquering were getting bored of Greece and its culture and customs. Nobody wanted to have to deal with Alexander the Great because he had so much power and he used it to change their culture even if he had to kill. Even if he was able to change their culture, the people did not agree with it. Alexander the Great was a Villain because he would kill people...
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...Was Asoka AN Enlightened or a Ruthless conqueror? Was Asoka a Ruthless conqueror by killing 1000 people , or he is enlightened by giving to the weak that don’t have a voice. Some People think that Asoka is a ruthless ruler. But I am making an argument because I think he was an Enlightened ruler. I think he was an Enlightened Ruler because he gave people chances and became friends with people who were weak. I think he was an Enlightened Ruler because he gave people chances and became friends with people who were weak. After the war he gave the weak clothes and food.I think he did this because he felt bad for people dieing. He gave people chances. With forest tribes of his empire they can join but he warns them he has power even in his...
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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 his numerous other wives. Alexander had two half sisters named Thessalonike and Cynane, and a half brother named Philip III of Macedonia. Alexander’s mother, Olympias, was the daughter of Neoptolemus. She was born in about 375 B.C.E. She was a very strong willed person. She always demanded respect from others and often interfered with the affairs of the government. She had a very big impact on Alexander’s life. Alexander was married to Roxane who was a Persian princess and the daughter of Darius, the king of Persia. At the time of Alexander’s death, Roxane was pregnant with his son. Alexander’s son ruled over Macedonia with Alexander’s half brother, Philip. Both were murdered about seven years later. In his short life, Alexander fought and...
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...One of the greatest rulers of India's history is Ashoka (Asoka). Ruling for thirty-eight years (274 B.C.-232 B.C.), he was generally mentioned in his inscriptions as Devanampiya Piyadasi ("Beloved of the gods"). As the third emperor of the Mauryan dynasty, he was born in the year 304 B.C. His greatest achievements were spreading Buddhism throughout his empire and beyond. He set up an ideal government for his people and conquered many lands, expanding his kingdom. The knowledge of Ashoka's early reign is limited because little information was found. His edicts and inscriptions allowed us to understand his reign and empire, and have an insight into the events that took place during this remarkable period of history. Eight years after he took his throne, Ashoka's powerful armies attacked and conquered Kalinga (present day Orissa). Although he had conquered many other places, this violent war was the last war he ever fought and a turning point of his career. He was disgusted by the extreme deaths of numerous civilians, especially the Brahmans. All these misfortunes brought Ashoka to turn into a religious ruler compared to a military ruler. As he turned to Buddhism, he emphasized dharma (law of piety) and ahimsa (nonviolence). He realized he could not spread Buddhism all by himself and therefore appointed officers to help promote the teachings. These officers were called Dhamma Mahamattas or "Officers of Righteousness"" They were in charge ...
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...Ashoka Written by: Amulya Chandra Sen Last Updated 1-1-2014 Ashoka Emperor of India Also known as Aśoka died 238 BC? Ashoka, also spelled Aśoka (died 238? bce, India), last major emperor in the Mauryan dynasty of India. His vigorous patronage of Buddhism during his reign (c. 265–238 bce; also given as c. 273–232 bce) furthered the expansion of that religion throughout India. Following his successful but bloody conquest of the Kalinga country on the east coast, Ashoka renounced armed conquest and adopted a policy that he called “conquest by dharma” (i.e., by principles of right life). In order to gain wide publicity for his teachings and his work, Ashoka made them known by means of oral announcements and by engravings on rocks and pillars at suitable sites. These inscriptions—the rock edicts and pillar edicts (e.g., the lion capital of the pillar found at Sarnath, which has become India’s national emblem), mostly dated in various years of his reign—contain statements regarding his thoughts and actions and provide information on his life and acts. His utterances rang of frankness and sincerity. According to his own accounts, Ashoka conquered the Kalinga country (modern Orissa state) in the eighth year of his reign. The sufferings that the war inflicted on the defeated people moved him to such remorse that he renounced armed conquests. It was at this time that he came in touch with Buddhism and adopted it. Under its influence and prompted by his own dynamic temperament, he...
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...The conquests of Alexander the Great have long been talked about in history. He expanded so far east that his army ended up in territory the Greeks hardly even knew about, solidifying his place in history. Rome’s conquests were nothing short of history-making either when they made it abundantly clear they were the dominant force in their region by continuously toppling city-states and kingdoms, adding to their growing empire. These two monumental forces even came to be seen as unstoppable. Both the conquests of Alexander the Great and Rome had similar approaches to Greek freedom but differed when it came to reasons for conquests and expansion tactics. Alexander the Great and Rome had wanted the Greeks to remain free while they expanded their sovereignty. Alexander’s father had wanted the Greeks to see the Macedonians as allies, even though he had just conquered him. When Alexander took over, he exemplifies his want to keep the Greeks as allies to when Martin explains “…he [Alexander] compelled the city-states in southern Greece… to rejoin the alliance” (Ancient Greece, 243). This shows that he values the Greeks, and the use of the word alliance asserts that the Greeks weren’t technically under his rule. Rome had similar wants when addressing the Greek population. Flamininus, a Roman commander, traveled to Corinth during a festival to announce the freedom of all Greeks (Martin, Ancient Rome, 76). However, both powers don’t allow the Greeks to stay independent for long. When...
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...What makes someone a “great man?” Are there specific character traits that identify them as superior as compared to others? Some people are simply great because of their leadership qualities, and because they are a person of integrity and have values that in their eyes will never be compromised. A great man can be someone others respect out of fear, and feel the need to impress and allow themselves to feel intimidation upon. There are countless and endless definitions as to what the perfect depiction of a “great man” should be. The truth is, it will always be in the eyes of the beholder. One specific person in history that is known to be a heroic legend is Joan of Arc. She was nicknamed “The maid of Orleans” and is most certainly considered a heroine in these previous generations and many more to come due to her role during the Lancastrian phase of the Hundred Years’ War, and also how she was canonized as a Roman Catholic saint. Joan of Arc was born on January 6th around the year 1412 to Jacques D’Arc and his wife Isabelle in the little village of Domremy, within the Barrois region (now a part of “Lorraine”) on the border of Eastern France. The events in France during these years would set the stage for Joan’s later life and the circumstances surrounding her death. Joan of Arc can be a prime example of a “great man” when depicted correctly. Her accomplishments varied from simple things to something as vast as becoming a leader at such a young age. More importantly, Joan of Arc...
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...Its two major empires were the Mauryan Empire and the Gupta Empire and their advancements affected other civilizations very much. The Mauryan Empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya and it became one of the largest empires in the world, and certainly, the largest in India. Missionaries spread Buddhism throughout the empire during this period. Many developments were made in mathematics, science, art, literacy, logic, philosophy, religion, engineering, etc. in the Gupta empire, and it is considered the golden age of India. Some of its inventions are so incredible, that they are still used today, such as the number system. (Document 7) In Document 8, it shows how the Gupta Empire had many medical achievements in which they used different kinds of herbs and other remedies to treat illness and simple plastic surgeries to repair facial injuries. Vaccination for smallpox was practiced in the empire 1,000 years before it was...
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...Many people believe that Alexander the Great is one of the greatest military geniuses that ever lived, and due to his destruction to cultural and religious sites throughout the empire, others have characterized him as a destroyer. He never lost a battle and Greece itself was never invaded during his rule. Alexander’s rule as king started in 336 B.C., he vowed to conquer the largest empire in the ancient world and complete the plans of his father. This mission included many battles along the way and also laid the foundation for new political systems, as well as spread Greek ideas, culture and life style to most of the places he conquered. New empires developed and the Hellenistic Culture together with the Roman Civilization and Christianity...
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...Alexander the Great is not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep. He is Afraid of an army of sheep led by lions, but who is the army of sheep led by lions that can defeat him? First, I am going to talk about his Childhood. Then, I am going to talk about his Education. Next, I am going to say what his Legacy and what Risks he had to take. Finally, I am going to talk about some Facts that you might not know yet. I believe he is one of the best generals of all times. Do you think he is the best general? I am going to tell you about Alexander's childhood, like when he was born, what age he became king and many other things. Alexander was born in July 356 BC in Pella Greece. His Father is the king of Macedon and was Philip the second. His...
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...The Great Mosque in Kairouan and the Great Stupa at Sanchi are both very important religious buildings, and are regarded as sacred spaces. They both differentiate in design, size, rituals, and purpose. The Great Mosque in Kairouan was built under the orders of the founder of Kairouan, Sidi Okba, which is why it also referred to as the Sidi Okba Mosque. The mosque features a courtyard, a cemetery, monk quarters, and various other rooms, span to the size of 443ft long and 262ft wide. The Great Mosque in Kairouan is known as the oldest Muslim place of prayer in North Africa, and is regarded as the fourth holiest site in Islam (after Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem.) The decorations of the Great Mosque were attractive and practical. 9 doors were carved in detailed inlaid marquetry, and the 414 columns had ancient capitals and beautiful shafts. Not one of the 414 columns in the mosque is similar to any other elsewhere in the mosque. It also featured a system are gathering rainwater. The Great Stupa at Sanchi was started under the rule of Emperor Ashoka in the third century BCE, and additions were being made to it until the fifth century CE. It was paid for my mercantile funds, and inscriptions within the stupa give credit to those who gave money. The stupa, however, features just the one large hemisphere dome, and has a circumference of 120ft, rising to 53ft. The Stupa at Sanchi was built after Emperor Ashoka converted to Buddhism. It was continued because of the religious fervor surrounding...
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