The Conquests of Alexander the Great

The Conquests of Alexander the Great

Overview

Alexander III was the Greek son of Phillip II, who ruled Greece between 359 B.C.E to 336 B.C.E. The Prince is renowned for his conquests in battle, which were advanced by his sharp wit and a well-trained army. Famous as Alexander the Great amongst his subjects, the Greek prince also introduced civilization and democracy in the empire he conquered, and is recognized for instituting the Hellenist culture in the regions he ruled. The influence of Alexander the Great was felt in Persia, Egypt, Asia, and North Africa, as these conquered empires began subscribing to the Greek culture of Hellenism. At the time of being defeated, these empires had their cultural practices, such as the worshipping of the pharaoh as was practiced by the Egyptians. The extensive analysis of the conquests of Alexander the Great shows how they were achieved and their impacts on conquered subjects at the time of his reign.

The Legacy of Alexander the Great

According to scholars, Alexander the Great exhibited rare qualities, such as the use of instinct, unmatched courage, patience, speed, and resilience when he was determined to overcome an empire and forcefully integrate it into the Greek kingdom. The Greek king had acquired a robust military force from his father, Phillip II, which had sub-units formed as a phalanx (Heckel & Tritle, 2011). Empires across the world were also already afraid of Alexander the Great because of the legacy left by his father, who conquered formidable empires, such as Macedonia which was ruled by the Athenians, Thessalians, and Pydna.  Alexander used these aspects to his advantage when he began invading empires, such as Asia, Persia, and Egypt. The Greek king reorganized the army he had inherited from his father so as to strengthen it. Alexander ordered the appointment of young men into cavalry units, and their subsequent rigorous training so as to act as backup for the army when attacking the enemy.

Impact on Persia, India, and Egypt

When Alexander the Great invaded Persia, he was well-prepared. His war strategy was always to attack the enemy at the core using long spears and heavy infantry and then complete the battle using light infantry units and, when necessary, incorporate the trained cavalry. Alexander also liked to invade the enemy if they were on a terrain that did not allow them to escape or respond to his surprise attacks quickly. For a long time, the Greek king had wanted to conquer Persia for its wealth, which would help him sustain the vast army he had inherited from his father. In 331 B.C.E., Alexander invaded the Persian army after assessing its vulnerability through the Ten Thousand Soldiers’ exploits and Sparta’s Agesilaus. For Alexander to successfully defeat Persia, he used a large army that was backed by trained cavalry units that used weapons, such as javelins and long spears. The heavy infantry led by Alexander defeated the Persians, and this allowed him to gain control of the empire and defeat Darius III, the ruling king of the region at the time of the conquest (Heckel & Tritle, 2011).. Using the same strategy, Alexander then proceeded to Asia and instigated the battle of Issus in 334. B.C.E, and this helped him defeat the region and capture India. Alexander also ruled Egypt using a similar after it relinquished itself from Gaza and then integrated this region into Greece, India, and Persia.

When Alexandar the Great gained control over Persia, he integrated its army into the Greek infantry as a strategy to strengthen his position in war when he went to fight other empires in the future. The king also adopted Persian customs, such as wearing Oriental clothes and worshipping their gods. Further, after conquering India, Alexander the Great established a direct trade route with the region, and this helped the Greeks to trade with other subjects in the newly conquered empire smoothly. The king developed trade routes by land and sea from Greece to India, an action that was instrumental in strengthening the economic position of his newly conquered empires (Kallianiotis, 2016). Alexander the Great strengthened economic sectors, such as agriculture, manufacturing, utility, and tourism, in his empire after conquering India. Lastly, Alexander helped to restore Egypt to its former glory after it was nearly ruined by Gaza, and this strengthened his relationship with the ruling pharaoh at the time.

Cultural Implications of Alexander the Great’s Conquests

Every time Alexander the Great conquered an empire, he compelled its citizens to practice the Hellenist culture of democracy. The primary aim of the Greek king was to create a civilization that was united through conquering empires and strengthening the political position of Greece. Alexander married Roxanne, a Persian princess, as a way to encourage a united civilization in the empires he conquered and integrated into his kingdom, Greece (Stretchie, 2018). Alexander the Great also sent the Greeks to infiltrate the conquered kingdoms, such as Persia, as a way to influence these regions to practice the Hellenist culture of Greece. Thus, Alexander the Great successfully reigned over a vast empire that used a similar culture using a well-trained army and intelligence that remained unmatched over the time he was alive and acted as king in Greece.

References

Kallianiotis, I. N. (2016). The Economic History of Alexander the Great Expedition. International Journal of Economics and Financial Research, 2(2), 2413-8533. Retrieved from https://www.arpgweb.com/pdf-files/ijefr2(2)16-32.pdf

Stretchier, M. (2018). Alexander the Great and the “Clash” of Ancient Civilizations. International Conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION, 24(2), 421-426. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/326652343_Alexander_the_Great_and_the_ClCla_of_Ancient_Civilizations

Heckel, W., & Tritle, L. A. (Eds.). (2011). Alexander the Great: A New History. John Wiley &Sons.

Directions: Be sure to save an electronic copy of your answer before submitting it to Ashworth College for grading. Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling, and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double‐spaced pages; refer to the “Format Requirementsʺ page for specific format requirements.

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Describe the conquests of Alexander the Great and analyze the legacy of his empire. (Refer to Chapter 7 of your textbook and additional references)

Be sure to mention his impact on Persia, India, and Egypt as well as the cultural implications of his conquests.