Essay - Western Civilization Alexander the Great Alexander the Great (356-323 Bc)...

Western Civilization

Alexander the Great

***** the Great (356-323 BC) was a Macedonian king and a legendary conqueror. His father was Philip II of Macedonia, and his mother was Olympias, the daughter ***** Neoptolemus, ***** of Egypt (Milns, 1968). Historians and biographers claim that much of Alexander's inspiration and motivation was drawn from his lifelong love of Homer's heroic poems, especially the Iliad (Bosworth, 1988). In 343 *****, Alexander's fa*****r invited the Greek philosopher Aristotle to the Macedonian court to act as ***** personal tu*****r, which resulted in Alexander developing a profound respect both for Aristotle and for the world of culture in general (Green, 1974).

The murder of Philip in 336 BC ********** Alexander's premature accession to the throne, when he was only 20 years old and, despite difficulties ***** friction caused by rivals ***** his throne, Alexander continued his father's work with determination and enthusiasm. He made full use of the well-founded ***** powerful military organization created by his father, and enlisted the support ***** trusted generals such as Antipater and Parmenion (Green, 1974). Alexander's first campaign was to consolidate his power and suppress a revolt of the Greeks, who had initially hoped that the death of ***** would allow them to free themselves from Macedonian rule (Milns, 1968). In a display of ***** and intent, Alexander targeted Thebes, ***** ***** in revolt, and proceeded to invade and destroy it.

***** early 334 BC, ***** his dominance over Greece secured, Alex*****er initiated a campaign ***** Asia, thus fulfilling his ***** plan to gain the Greek world's revenge against ***** Persians (Bosworth, 1988). Leaving Macedonia in the capable hands of Anipater, Alexander prepared an army of over forty thousand men, and crossed the *****llespont in***** Asia (Burn, 1962). His eventual conquest was made easier ***** the fact that the Persian k*****g, although possessing vast wealth ***** resources, lacked the military skill and organization of ***** Macedonians. Ably assisted by Parmenion, Alexander proceeded to gain his ***** vic*****ry ***** the Persians at the river Granicus, near the site of Troy (Green, *****). In addition to opening the way into Asia, ***** also used his victory to gain the ***** of the Greek cities on the coast ***** guaranteeing their independence and liberty. The following year, Alexander defeated Darius at the battle of ***** Issu, closely followed by the invasion ***** Egypt, thus effectively cutting off Persia from any contact with ***** Mediterranean Sea (Milns, 1968). His invasion continued until, having conquered most of the delta of the Nile, ***** founded a new capital city, named Alexandria, which would become a leading center ***** Greek ***** and commerce.

In 331 BC, ***** Egypt fully conquered, Alexander rejected a peace proposal that was put ***** him by ********** deciding instead to re***** his campaign in *****. In the September of 331 *****, near to the ruins of Nineveh, he again defeated the *****n forces at ***** battle of Gaugamela, taking control of Babylon in the process (Green, 1974). When this was rapidly