How great was Alexander the Great?

Harrison 7-7

Alexander the Great has accomplished so much in 11 years; however, some doubt

about whether or not Alexander the G reat is really “so great”. Alexander should be

considered “great” because he conquered a land empire comparable to the Roman Empire;

he spread Hellenistic culture and united the empire; he views everyone fairly and

understand everyone’s feelings.

Alexander’s empire grew from a kingdom within Greece and Macedonia to a 2

million square miles empire that covers Persia, Greece, India, and Egypt. His soldiers

marched nearly 10800 km (Document B) and only met 4 fierce resistance, with 2 of the

major battles in Persia. Alexander the Great used only 11 years to conquer an Empire in

which the Romans took more than a century to build and develop (Document E). This shows

that Alexander the Great had great strategies and tactics which led him to his multiple

victories.

Alexander the Great also spread Hellenistic culture throughout his empire, which is

the combination of Greek, Indian, Persian, and Egyptian culture. The Religion influenced the

most is Buddhism, and Hellenistic culture remained in the Middle East and Central Asia for

300 years. For nearly a millennium, Hellenistic Culture established by Alexander were used

by the People along the Mediterranean and in the Middle East. (Document E) This shows

Alexander the Great spread the culture not only to unite the empire, but also to influence

everyone’s lives and to continue on a legacy.

In the story of “The Legend of the Helmet”, it mentioned that Alexander and his men

were crossing through the desert, and everyone was thirsty. Alexander ordered men to find
water, and they brought back the water in a helmet. In front of all his generals and soldiers,

Alexander poured the water into the desert. This series of actions tell Alexander’s soldiers

that Alexander is a general who view everyone fairly and does not take advantage of power.

(Document D). This will boost the morale and let the soldiers become loyal towards

Alexander, which is a smart move.

In conclusion, Alexander the Great deserves his title, because he has accomplished a

lot which a normal person could have never done. After conquering land, spreading culture,

and boosting the army’s morale, Alexander has made a legacy in history that all will admire,

but few will ever surpass.