...Alexander the Great Alexander the Great was brought into this world in the year 356 BC. He died on tenth June, 323 BC, a little more than a month from his thirty-third birthday.1 He was born to King Philip, the King of Macedon and Olympias, the daughter of King Neoptlemus of Epirus.2 King Philip had concern about Alexander’s education so he summoned the Greek philosopher and scientist, Aristotle, to act as his tutor.3 Aristotle, one of the world’s greatest thinkers, inspired Alexander with an interest in philosophy, medicine, and scientific investigation.4 He also taught him secret and more obscure studies which philosophers did not impart to the general run of students but only by word of mouth to a select circle.5 In Alexander’s youth he was young ambitious and romantic with a genius for military strategy and tactics.6 He reigned as king from the time he was twenty. Alexander had conquered most of the world he knew to exist by the time he was thirty and came to be seen as a living god.7 He was considered to be one of the greatest military thinkers of all time. One of his most decisive and successful battle for the Persian Empire was the battle of Gaugamela. Alexander the Great sought to control all of Persia and had previously declined an offer from Darius to split the Persian Empire between the two.8 Alexander came to Guagamela to lead the final battle between Alexander and Darius III of Persia; this epic battle would determine the fate of the Persian Empire...
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...Alexander The Great Alexander the Great has had his name up for debate for a long period of time. People wonder “Is Alexander the Great really that great?” Alexander isn’t great, or is he? Alexander shows traits of respect towards others, he conquered the Persian Empire by himself, and he left behind an unforgettable legacy. Alexander the Great isn’t just great, he is amazing. Alexander conquered the Persian Empire. The Persian Empire was the largest, greatest, most advanced empire of its time. For Alexander to win against it is an amazing feat on its own. But not only did he win once, he beat Persia a total of three times, and took it as part of his empire. His second battle against Persia was very interesting. Persia’s army was lead...
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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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...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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...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 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 III of Macedon commonly known as Alexander the Great was the king of Macedon. He is the creator of one of the largest empires in ancient history. He became the measure against which generals, even to this day, compare themselves; military academies throughout the world still teach his tactical exploits. Alexander was born on July 356 BC in the capital of the Kingdom of Macedon. He was the son of Philip II, the King of Macedon. His mother was Philip's fourth wife Olympias, Although Philip had either seven or eight wives, Olympias was his principal wife for a time. In his early years, Alexander was raised by his nurse and a general of his father’s army. When Alexander was ten years old, a horse trader from brought Philip a horse, which he offered to sell. The horse refused to be mounted by anyone, and Philip ordered it to be taken away. Alexander, however, detected the horse's fear of his own shadow and asked for a turn to tame the horse, which he eventually managed. Philip, overjoyed at this display of courage and ambition, kissed him tearfully, declaring: "My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambitions. Macedon is too small for you", and bought the horse for him. When Alexander was thirteen years old, Philip decided that Alexander needed a higher education, and he began to search for a tutor. Many people were passed over, but in the end, Philip offered the job to Aristotle, who accepted, and Philip gave them a temple as their...
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...Alexander the Great was one of the greatest military leaders in history. When Alexander died, he had ruled the largest Western Empire. Alexander’s teacher was the philosopher and scientist, Aristotle. The science, literature, and philosophy he learned helped him become a great leader. At sixteen, Alexander was left in charge of Macedonia while his father, Philip, was at battle. During this time, a town rebelled against Macedonia and Alexander put together an army and saved his city. This was the beginning of Alexander the Great’s life. I picked Alexander the Great because he was very smart, tough and loyal and that is why he won all his battles. Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C. to Philip II, King of Macedonia, and Olympias, the Princess of Epirus. Alexander’s father, the ruler of Macedonia, was assassinated in 336 B.C. After his father’s death, Alexander became the ruler of Macedonia. Alexander the Great won battles and took over many cities from the time he became King in 336 B.C. until his death in 323 B.C. Alexander’s army became stronger with each defeated city that joined his empire. Alexander and his army eventually created the Macedonia Empire, the largest Western Empire. The Macedonia Empire was created from battles that included Greece, Asia, Persia, Egypt, Iran and India. Alexander also became known as the King of the Four Quarters of the World in 331 B.C. Alexander died in 323 B.C. and did not name another King of Macedonia. The Macedonian...
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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 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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...02- Alexander the Great 2/16/2014 Alexander the Great was arguably one of the greatest leaders of all time. During his time, Alexander conquered nearly the entire known world. He proceeded to take all he conquered under his rule. He built perhaps one of the largest, strongest, and greatest empires this planet has ever seen. He commanded the Greek military from 336-323 BC. He was known throughout the world for his ruthless victories on the battlefield. He made himself popular and famous through his clever use of propaganda. He promoted and preached Hellenistic culture in all of the regions that fell under his rule. Alexander’s father was Phillip II, the king of Macedonia from...
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...Alexander the Great, War Hero Alexander is one of the greatest war geniuses in history. He was the conqueror of the Persians and the king of Macedonia. He was an inspiration to many other military geniuses, such as Napoleon, Caesar, Pompey of Rome, and Hannibal of Carthage. Alexander was a king in the Ancient Macedonia kingdom of Greece. During his reign, he conquered Indus, Punjab, Bactria, media, Persia, Babylonia, and Egypt. He was also a student of Aristotle. He took over the kingdom of Macedonia after assassination of his father, King Philip. At one point in history, Alexander’s kingdom stretched from the Indus River to the Adriatic Sea. He is remembered for his vast spreading of Greek civilization and culture to other parts of the world. He is often regarded as one of the most influential individuals of all times together with his tutor Aristotle. Alexander was born in Macedonia in 350 BC. His mother was Olympias and his father was Phillip, the ruler of Macedonia. Alexander’s mother was Philip’s fourth wife. Several myths surround Alexander’s birth. According Plutarch, an ancient Greek biographer, Olympia experienced a thunderbolt and flames on her womb after getting married to King Phillip. King Philip is said to have dreamt seeing a lion seal on the womb of his wife just before Alexander was born (Bose23). Plutarch argued that Alexander’s father was Zeus because Olympia got pregnant before getting married to King Phillip. On the day Alexander was born, various extraordinary...
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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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...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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...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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