Alexander The Great? (Maggie Larsen, D block)

Alexander the Great?

          It has been debated whether Alexander was great, even since his time. For many different reasons, Alexander was great. Many people did not know that Alexander had compassion for those not directly his adversaries in battle. He was ruthless on the battle field, but he stilled cared deeply for his soldier’s needs, in order to keep them strong in battle. The making of the Hellenistic culture was done in large quantities by Alexander’s actions in conquering civilizations, while spreading and connecting all the cultures into one. Alexander was born into a wealthy family in high social standing, from the beginning he was destined to be “great”, yet he seemed to surpass any expectations that had ever been set for him. World leaders, and people who played irreplaceable roles in history looked up to Alexander, before and after his death.

Alexander could not have made so much head way in conquering Persia without some type of ruthlessness. He came to power already an intelligent and strong leader, in war and politics, while still keeping his mind on his father’s legacy. “This parochial Alexander is either a fiercely Macedonian despot capable of both genocidal murder and humanitarian civilization by Hellenizing the world-at spear point, if necessary.” (Alexander the Great and the History of Globilization) This quote shows how ruthless Alexander can be on the battle fields, and in his advances for military and political reason. Alexander may have had a cut-throat ideology on the battle field propaganda in the pursuit of his (and his compatriots') interests, or a Greek crusader eager to empower his yet he still held compassion in his action.

           Alexander was a general of much admiration, in modern day norms, in war. Without inspiration from Alexander many warriors, commanders, and leaders would not have been driven to their own “greatness” and humbleness. “Alexander forbade his soldiers to violate captured women; once he ordered that two Macedonians who had raped such captives should be killed, saying that they were like wild beasts, destructive to humanity.” (Alexander the Great an His Time) This quote shows how even though Alexander was ruthless on the battlefield, he never gave up his humanity. He never let the innocent people in war be prosecuted or wronged. Alexander took the extra steps in order to protect those people, with punishments for those who defied him. When Alexander did this he showed the maturity and graciousness in his leadership as a king, and as a general.

Becoming a leader at a young age, is something that people do not expect much from it. Alexander turned that around the day he became king, showing those who doubted him he was a strong and should not be thought of lightly. Alexander set out to follow his father’s dream of conquering Persia. “Alexander’s ambitions were cultural as well as military and political. During his wars of conquest, he actively sought to meld the conquered culture with that of the Greeks.” (World History) In this quote it is clear to see that Alexander was not just a leader that craved war and had a need for more land. He was a thoughtful man, who planned his attacks and made plans for the cities he conquered for after he left. Alexander was young for a king, but held his power with grace, and dignity from the beginning.

 

            Whether Alexander was or was not great, will be a controversial topic of discussion. Alexander’s father, Phillip II, destined his son for a greatness that would normally seem unachievable. He surpassed all expectation his father or anyone for that matter ever had for him. Alexander was a force to be reckoned with, he was a ruthless leader on the battlefield, a caring commander and king, and mended together different ideas and cultures to create one. When a person like Alexander was left with such a huge legacy, it is difficult to live up to, yet he passed the legacy and left one of his own. Alexander may have not always seemed like he was doing all he did for the better of society, but he always had a bigger plan in order to leave a legacy worth knowing and trying to live up to.

Works Cited

Alexander the Great Defeats Darius III at Issus. Digital image. ABC Clio. ABC Clio, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

Alexander the Great. N.d. ABC Clio. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

"The Beginning of Alexander's Empire." Facts on File. Infobase Publishing, n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2016.

Cartledge, Paul. "Alexander the Great: Hunting for a New Past." BBC. BBC, 17 Feb. 2011. Web. 27 Sept. 2016.

Cavers In Israel Discover Rare Artifacts From Era Of Alexander The Great. N.d. Israel Antiques Authority. The Huffington Post. By Jacqueline Howard. Web. 28 Sept. 2016.

Gabriel, Richard A. "Was Alexander Really Great?" ABC Clio. ABC Clio, n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2016.

Liebert, Hugh. "Alexander the Great and the History of Globalization." JSTOR. JSTOR, n.d. Web.

Radian, E. "Alexander the Great and the Creation of an Empire, Part I." History Today 6 June 2016: n. pag. Print.

Savill, Agnes. Alexander the Great and His Time. London: Barrie and Rockliff, 1959. Print.