Alexander: Brave and Successful Leader

By the time Alexander was thirty-two, he ruled the largest western empire of the ancient world.

He once said “”toil and risk are the prices of glory, but it is a lovely thing to live with courage and die leaving an everlasting fame””. Alexander was a very brave and successful leader whose strategies were skillful and imaginative. His use of cavalry was so effective that he rarely had to fall back upon his infantry to deliver the crushing below. He became the best-known rulers of the ancient world. Alexander the Great had a very interesting life including his complicated childhood, successful military career, and his mysterious death.

Alexander the great was born on September 20, 356 B.C.E. in Pella Greece. His father, Philip II of Macedon, was rarely around while Alexander was growing up because he had been involved in long military campaigns. Olympias, Alexander’s mother, filled him with a deep resentment of his father. However, their son’s education was important to both parents. In 343 Philip hired Aristotle, the famous Greek philosopher, and scientist, to tutor Alexander. Soon after Alexander turned 16 his parents got a divorce because of a quarrel at a feast held to celebrate his father’s new marriage. Philip then remarried causing Olympias and Alexander to flee to Empris. Eventually, Alexander was reunited with his father. In the summer of 336 B.C.E., Alexander’s sister married her uncle. During this event, Phillip was assassinated by a young Macedon noble, Pausanias. After his father’s death, Alexander sought the approval of the Macedonian army for his bid for kingship. The generals agreed and proclaimed him king, making Alexander the ruler of Macedon.

Alexander the Great became famous for his military strategies and his diplomatic knowledge. In October 335 B.C.E. Alexander prepared for his Persian expedition. In numbers of troops, ships, and wealth Alexander’s resources were inferior to those of Darius III, king of Persia. In the early spring of 334, Alexander’s are met Darius’s for the first time. Alexander’s army defeated the Persians and continued to move west. Darius’s capital at Sardis fell easily, followed by the cities Miletus and Halicarnassus. The territories Alexander conquered formed the foundations of his Asian empire. Then in 333, Alexander moved his forces east and in battle at the city of Issus. Alexander was outnumbered but used creative military foundations to crush Darius forces. Darius fled. He then attacked the Persian royal camp where he gained lots of riches and captured the royal family. With Darius forces defeated, Alexander proclaimed himself king of Asia. As a result of the defeat, Darius wanted to sign a truce with Alexander. He Ignored Darius’s offer because he wanted to conquer all of Asia. Alexander then pushed into Egypt. Egypt fell to him without resistance. In September 331 B.C.E. Alexander defeated the Persians at the battle of Gaugamela. The Persian army collapsed, and again Darius fled. Instead of chasing after him, Alexander explored Babylonia the city that Darius abandoned. The land had rich farmland, palaces, and treasure. Alexander becomes king of Babylon, king of Asia, King of Four Quarters of the world. By the time Alexander caught up with Darius in July 330, Darius’s assassin’s had assassinated him.

In the spring of 323 B.C.E., Alexander moved to Babylon and made plans to explore the Caspian sea and Aradia. Then to conquer northern Africa. But he got a high fever that lasted ten days. Rumors spread that he was poisoned, thought modern theories claim his illness was due to a bacterial infection from drinking unclean water. His empire fell apart at his death. The struggle for Alexander’s empire eventually led to a civil war. He later became famous for his military strategies and his diplomatic knowledge. His conquest also helped spread Greek culture throughout the world.

Alexander had a very troubled childhood including his the divorce of his parents and the death of his father. After inheriting the throne from his father Alexander went on to conquer much of the known world. His use of cavalry was skillful and imaginative. Alexander the Great is the legendary king of Macedon who lived during the fourth century B.C. Alexander the great had a very interesting life including his complicated childhood, successful military career, and his mysterious death.

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