alexander the great essay introduction

Who was Alexander? And why should he deserve to be called the Great ? On the throne Alexander was born in 356 BC in Macedonia, the area around present day Thessaloniki in northern Greece. Though the Macedonians might have considered themselves part of the Greek cultural world, the other Greeks might have viewed them as half-barbarians. Alexander's father, King Philip, was an energetic ruler who had started a systematic policy of expanding his kingdom. Philip's main conquest was that of the Greek mainland, after his victory at Chaeronea in 338 BC. Alexander, still in his teens, commanded the Macedonian cavalry during this battle. In 336 BC King Philip was killed and Alexander ascended to the throne of Macedonia. Within the next twelve years Alexander conquered almost the entire known world of his era. Though Alexander made use of the well-oiled army created by his father, he pushed the limits of Macedonian & Greek power to levels King Philip could not have dreamed of. Persian foe Alexander's main opponent was the Persian King Darius III. The Persian kingdom was an empire of epic proportions - stretching from Egypt and the Mediterranean into India and central Asia - which had dominated the ancient world for over two centuries. Most sources claim King Darius commanded incredibly huge armies. One million Persians are said to have taken the field against Alexander in 331 BC. Alexander defeated Darius during three major engagements. In 334 BC he swept away a Persian defence force, sent by King Darius, at the river Granicus (Turkey). In 333 BC Darius faced the invader in person near the town of Issus (southern Turkey), but suffered a massive defeat. Alexander's brilliant final victory, at Gaugamela (Iraq) in 331 BC, irrevocably changed the course of history. Edges of the earth The capitals of Persia were now in Alexander's hands and he gained possession of the unbelievable.
Alexander the Great 1 Introduction by CTCWeb Editors Some kids grow up and make a name for themselves. Alexander did. He was a bright kid with rich parents. He went to the best school and was taught by the best teachers. He was athletic. He liked horses and girls. Like most boys of his time, he was enthralled with stories of war and heroes. He was a leader and made lasting friendships with his classmates. He and his lifelong buddy grew up and conquered the world together before they were 30 years old. His name became Alexander the Great. Bust of Alexander the Great from Pella (Greece) Livius.org Alexander lived about 2,400 years ago. He was born in 356 BCE in Macedonia. His record still stands. No one has equaled the imperial accomplishments of Alexander the Great. The ramifications of Alexander’s conquest are evident today in the blue eyes and blonde hair of the descendents of the soldiers who Alexander left behind in the far off lands he conquered. As a bid for pacification, Alexander intentionally left behind thousands of his soldiers to integrate with the peoples of those lands. Their descendents still bear the genetic markers of their Macedonian heritage. It was helpful that Alexander’s father was king and his mother was queen of Macedonia. In fact, it was especially beneficial to Alexander that his father was a very able king and his mother was a very powerful queen and doting mother to Alexander. He also had the good fortune to have good teachers. Early in life, he was taught by his uncle who emphasized the traits of discipline and self-control. Later, Alexander was praised for these traits by his army and people. In his teens, Alexander was a student of the legendary Greek philosopher Aristotle, who subsequently advised Alexander during his early military campaigns. Alexander was fascinated by war stories and military tactics. Homer’s texts enchanted young.
Alexander the Great died in 323BC, but he's still likely to appear in any list of history's greatest generals. Famous as the man who wept when he realized there were other worlds he could never conquer, he was never defeated in battle. He was more than a warlord or conqueror though; he also spread Greek civilization to huge areas of the ancient world and in turn exposed Greece to the knowledge of the conquered lands, giving a huge boost to scholars in both. He was slightly egotistical; during his reign he gave the name Alexandria to over twenty cities, many of which he founded himself, and echoes of the name survive in places such as Iskandariya and Kandahar. Despite having lived 300 years before Jesus, Alexander's reign was so spectacular and covered so much land that it was recorded in great detail and much of that survives through Greek and Roman translations. The dates of his birth and death are both known to within a 48 hour period and the names of his generals are all recorded. His battles, and even the details of his campaign logistics, are known in surprising detail. Obviously there is no shortage of information for an essay on Alexander; so, what is the best structure? Here is a suggested outline. Introduction - Briefly describe what the essay is about; if you plan to focus on any specific area of Alexander's life say so here. Cultural background - Give an outline of the society Alexander came from and what it valued. Early life - Describe how Alexander brought up and give any details about his family you can find. Were there early clues that he would achieve greatness? Military Career - How did Alexander first rise to military command? What made him so successful against so many different opponents? Political achievements - What did he achieve as a leader of society? Did his expansion of Greek culture contribute to an increase in knowledge? How valuable was.