| SHU-A3-GS Alexander the Great One of the greatest military leaders ever, the son of Philip II, King of Macedonia, and of Olympias, a princess of Epirus, Alexander was born in Pella the ancient capital of Macedonia in 356 B.C. His tutor was Aristotle, who trained him in rhetoric and literature and stimulated his interest in science, medicine and philosophy. The word triumph is ultimately related to his name by creating an army who had taken over most of the known world at the time of his supremacy. But the word tragedy would also describe a part of Alexander’s life, having to grow up in a hostile environment with his parents’ constant fighting and his father being frequently away from home on various campaigns. At age sixteen, Alexander won his first battle in modern day Bulgaria and established his first city, Alexandropolis. After this triumph he became a general in his father’s army and in 336 B.C. following his father’s death in a battle, Alexander became King Alexander III. At age twenty he was an exceptionally handsome man who set a fashion for the clean-shaven look. Although he was a heavy drinker, his health was excellent and he was very athletic. Alexander made the military a way of life for many Macedonian men. He made it an occupation that paid well enough so that the soldiers could afford to do it year-round. By doing this, Alexander was able to drill his men regularly, building unity and structure within the army. He fought with the finest military machine that Asia or Greece had ever seen, primarily because of the amount of time and effort spent on maneuvers. In addition to the basic phalanx, Alexander used light auxiliaries, archers, a siege train, and a cavalry. With all of these working well together he rarely, if ever, lost any battles. He enjoyed reading, music, and the theater. Alexander was extremely loyal to his friends and the men he led. And he was, of course, a brilliant general and leader. Soon after becoming King, he had several plans considering Asia. Those plans included a Panhellenic invasion of Persia to clear the tyrannical world and the oppression, hunted revenge for previous battles and was longing to see the Ocean that was believed to encircle Europe and Asia at the edge of the Earth. In 327 B.C, after conquering the Persian Empire, parts of Egypt and all the neighboring territories, he marched into India. He enjoyed debating and while in India he met the Indian philosophers, the Brahmins, with whom he argued on various issues. After this, Alexander became legendary for centuries in India for being both a wise philosopher and a fearless conqueror. Another thing he did to exhibit his superiority and respect to other leaders, was after defeating them, he would grant them the right to remain rulers of their region and they would acknowledge his supremacy. In 325 B.C. he decided to take the long journey back home. Concluding, the leading character of Alexander is exemplified by his campaigns and triumphs. In such a short time (336-325 B.C.) he managed to create a successful army and rule over most of the known world. Along with his triumphs over neighboring cultures, he influenced people towards his way of life and at the same time showed respect for defeated leaders. He always had a method to defeat the enemy in battle and keep his men’s trust and value. This makes him one of the greatest military leaders ever. Alexander died in the summer of 324 B.C. at age 33. The cause of his death is shrouded in mystery to this day. |