Alexander the Great

Alexander’s Conquests

Alexander the Great conquers Persia and Egypt and extends his empire to the Indus River in northwest India. By the time Alexander the Great was finished, he had conquered 90% of the known world.

Philip builds Macedonian Power Macedonia—kingdom of mountain villages north of Greece King Philip II—ruler, brilliant general; dreams of controlling Greece. 359 B.C. Philip becomes king of Macedonia, only 23 years old. Organizes his men into phalanxes, 16 men across and 16 deep each armed with an 18 foot pike (pole weapon used against cavalry and foot soldiers). Poles are called Sarissas. Macedonians call themselves Greek; rest of Greece does not. –Greeks looked down on the Macedonians

Philip builds Macedonian Power –Conquest of Greece Demosthenes warns the Greeks city- states about Philip. Only Athens and Thebes unite to fight King Philip. 338 B.C. Macedonians defeat Greece; 336 B.C. King Philip murdered His son named king of Macedonia— becomes Alexander the Great

Alexander Defeats Persia Alexander’s Early Life Tutored by Aristotle; inspired by the Iliad; has military training Becomes king when 20 years old; destroys Thebes to curb rebellion About 6,000 Thebes were killed and survivors sold into slavery. To inspire himself, he kept a copy of the Iliad under his pillow. –Invasion of Persia 334 B.C. Alexander lead 35,000 soldiers into Anatolia to invade Persia; quick victory at Granicus River defeated 40,000 Persians.

Darius III—king of Persia, assembles army of 50,000–75,000 men Alexander defeats Persians again, forces King of Persia to flee (Alexander used a surprise attack as he was greatly outnumbered). Darius III tries to negotiate a peace settlement. Alexander rejects offer deciding to conquer the entire Persian Empire.

–Conquering the Persian Empire Alexander marches into Egypt, crowned pharaoh in 332 B.C. The Egyptians welcome him as a liberator At Gaugamela in Mesopotamia, Alexander defeats Persians again where Darius III has assembled a force of 250,000 men Alexander captures cities of Babylon, Susa, and Persepolis Persepolis, the Persian capital, burned to the ground Ashes of Persepolis signal total destruction of Persian Empire

Alexander’s Other Conquests –Alexander in India Alexander fights his way across the deserts of Central Asia to India Alexander conquers Indus Valley area in 326 B.C. Alexander's men had been fighting for 11 years and had marched more than 11,000 miles. Reluctantly returns to Babylon, dies in 323 B.C. at 32 years of age. –Alexander’s Legacy Alexander melds Greek and Persian cultures; wife is Persian, he adopts Persian dress and customs.

Alexander’s Weapons Siege Tower

Catapult

Alexander’s Weapons