Alexander the Great

The Man Who Attempted to Conquer the World

 ➢ kingdom located to NORTH
of Greek mainland
○ just NORTH of Thessaly
➢ mostly landlocked
○ SE corner connects to
Aegean Sea
➢ high plateaus
○ part of Dinaric Alps
➢ rolling hills
KINGDOM OF MACEDONIA ➢ deep valleys
(Peloponnesian War Era: ➢ freshwater rivers and lakes
pre-Alexander days)
MACEDONIA (modern-
day)
Alexander III lived from 356 BCE to 323 BCE

son of King Philip II of Macedonia

taught by Aristotle (great Greek

philosopher) from ages 13-16

gained throne of Macedonia in 336

BCE (at age 20) after Philip II was
assassinated

went on to conquer Persian Empire

(spread Greek culture throughout)
How did the Peloponnesian War contribute to the
EXPANSION of Macedonia?
➢ 27 years of FIGHTING left the Greek city-states in DISARRAY

➢ eventually SPARTA fell to people of THEBES

(NW of Athens; region of Boeotia)

➢ King Philip II of Macedonia built up a powerful army

○ took advantage of the CHAOS/DISUNITY throughout the Greek
mainland
■ conquered most of mainland by 338 BCE
Why was Alexander well trained to be a LEADER?

➢ father was king of Macedonian Kingdom

○ raised by someone with military/regional leadership
○ ask to lead a number of military campaigns for father at early age
(and WON!)

➢ father hired Aristotle as tutor

○ learned to APPRECIATE other cultures (esp. GREEK!!!)
○ taught philosophy, literature, science (a well-rounded education)
○ taught how to be a good ORATOR (public speaker)
How did Alexander plan to BUILD his empire?
➢ continue to build up a strong, well-trained, disciplined military force
just as his father did before him
○ used to CONQUER distant lands (specifically, the PERSIAN EMPIRE)

➢ use a combination of TERROR and KINDNESS when conquering

new lands (very similar to the Persian Empire)
○ TERROR = destroy any resisting force
● burning cities/villages; selling people into SLAVERY
○ KINDNESS = once surrendered, help REBUILD cities
● reinstitute their government officials (if proven LOYAL)
SIGNIFICANCE OF EMPIRE’S SIZE
1. larger pool of people to BUILD UP ARMY
2. more land to extract NATURAL RESOURCES
3. more people to WORK THE LAND (slaves!) & PRODUCE
GOODS
4. control over new TRADE ROUTES
-stabilize & increase WEALTH
-more access to goods & resources
-much more effective economy!
PROBLEMS CREATED BY EMPIRE’S SIZE
1. SO MUCH LAND TO CONTROL!
i. possibility of REBELLIONS
ii. armies SPREAD TOO THIN (lessens effectiveness)
2. SO MANY DIFFERENT CULTURES TO APPEASE!
i. needed people to be happy/content
ii. more willing to work the land & fight
3. COMMUNICATION BECOMES DIFFICULT!
i. takes days/months/years to spread word of government
changes and to give warnings of rebellions/invasions
ii. numerous cultural languages (misinformation possible)
Alexander’s Plan to Build an EMPIRE
OVERALL GOAL:
UNIFY conquered peoples/lands under SINGLE government

HOW ACCOMPLISHED?
1. Spread GREEK CULTURE throughout territories conquered

2. Use RELIGIOUS ACCEPTANCE to inspire LOYALTY

3. Show RESPECT for CULTURES of conquered peoples

● ADOPT/PRACTICE CULTURES of some conquered lands
Spreading GREEK ideas to UNITE Conquered People

➢ mix GREEK CULTURE into the already established cultures of those

conquered
○ rebuild cities with GREEK influence
■ use of Greek-styled ARCHITECTURE in buildings
● STATELY (columns, pediments, frieze, metopes)
■ cities included AGORAS, THEATERS, TEMPLES,
GYMNASIUMS, LIBRARIES, etc.
■ Greek people re-established themselves into new cities/
conquered lands
● brought w/them Greek laws, literature, art, etc.
Spreading GREEK ideas to UNITE Conquered People
➢ Alexandria, Egypt ALEXANDRIA MAP (ancient)
○ established in 332 BCE
○ located within western NILE DELTA region
○ grid system used for streets (wide/narrow; interconnected)
○ Greek features:
● temple dedicated to POSEIDON
● agora (marketplace)
● theater
● library
● law courts
● university
● gymnasium
ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (LIGHTHOUSE)
ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (LIBRARY)
ALEXANDRIA, EGYPT (RUINS)

WHERE DID IT GO?

Using RELIGION to Inspire LOYALTY
➢ gave RESPECT to gods of those conquered by HONORING them
○ continued to honor GREEK gods/goddesses
○ also honored Egyptian & Persian gods (even god of Israel)
○ visited oracles & temples, gave offerings (sacrifices)
○ built temples to honor gods of these cultures
➢ spread the idea/belief that he was a GOD himself
○ all Greeks required to see him as SON of ZEUS
○ wore sacred headdress of Egyptian god, Ammon
■ seen as “godly” in Egyptian territories
■ spread STORIES of his godly connections
Alexander Visiting the Jewish Temple/Priests
Showing RESPECT for PERSIAN CULTURE
➢ mixed in cultures of areas conquered, especially PERSIAN
○ adopted Persian GOVERNMENT SYSTEM
■ appointed governors (run day-to-day business of provinces)
● however, only MACEDONIANS were appointed as
military leaders & tax collectors
○ wore Persian-styled CLOTHING
○ met gov’t officials inside luxurious tent (as Persian KINGS did)
○ demanded GREETINGS in Persian customs
■ knelt before Alexander, bent down, touched ground w/face
■ visitor then raised up & kissed Alexander (called “kinsman”)
○ encourage inter-cultural MARRIAGES (Macedonian & Persian)
■ HE even married eldest DAUGHTER of King Darius III
The DEATH of Alexander the Great
➢ dies in 323 BCE (33 yrs. old)
➢ travelling back to Babylon
from conquest of Indus
Valley region
➢ had fever for 10 days
(poisoned? malaria?)
➢ body preserved in honey
➢ unknown burial location
(Babylon? Egypt? Thrace?)
ARTICLE
Alexander's Empire AFTER His DEATH
➢ Alexander dies on trip back to Babylon (323 BCE)
○ had been on conquest for over a DECADE
■ armies started to tire of battle & turn on him once they reached
INDIA (324 BCE; near Indus River)
○ territories now controlled by Alexander’s GENERALS
■ generals fought over control of territories
■ settlers started to leave rebuilt cities (some cities left in RUINS)
■ land eventually divided into 3 kingdoms
● Macedonia/Greece (to NW)
● Egypt (to SW)
● Syria (to East)
○ Macedonian/Greek power eventually FADED AWAY, but much of
the Greek CULTURAL INFLUENCE remained intact