Alexander’s Legacy Transformations in Greek Politics and Culture

Walbank on Alexander “The change in Alexander’s attitude towards Persia and his attempt to transform his army from a primarily Macedonian force, which still exercised the residual powers of the Macedonian people, into a cosmopolitan international force owing loyalty only to himself, in many ways anticipates the military foundation on which the personal monarchies of the Hellenistic age rested. By 323 ‘king Alexander’ was the personal ruler of a vast spear-won empire which had little to do with Macedonia. His successors likewise were to carve out kingdoms for themselves with the help of armies bound to them only by personal bonds.”

Greek/Barbarian Bipolarity A New Cultural Politics

Examples of More Traditional Uses

Isocrates, Philip 10 “I am going to advise you to become the leader of both Greek unity and of the expedition against the barbarians; it is advantageous to employ persuasion with Greeks and a useful thing to use force against barbarians.”

Arrian, Anabasis 2.14 Alexander to Dareius III “Your ancestors invaded Macedon and the rest of Greece and did us harm although we had not done you any previous injury. I have been appointed commander-in- chief (hegemon) of the Greeks and it is with the aim of punishing the Persians that I have crossed into Asia, since you are the aggressors.”

Diodorus, Universal History “What was most remarkable was that the sacrilege committed by Xerxes, king of the Persians, against the acropolis of Athens was avenged by a single woman [the Athenian courtesan Thais], a fellow citizen of the victims, who many years later, in sport, inflicted the same treatment on the Persians.” On destruction of Persepolis in 330 BCE

A New Vision? “Alexander prayed for all sorts of blessings and especially for harmony and fellowship in the empire between Macedonians and Persians.” Arrian, Anabasis,

Arrian, Anabasis Philosopher Anaxarchus “It would be far more just to consider Alexander as a god than Dionysus or Heracles…there can be no doubt that when Alexander had passed away men would honor him as a god; how much more just was it then that they should so honor him in his lifetime rather than when he was dead, and the honors would be of no use to him.”

Arrian, Anabasis 7.4 On Mass Marriages at Susa (324 BCE )

“Then he also celebrated weddings at Susa, both his own and those of his Companions. He himself married Barsine, the eldest of Dareius’ daughters, and another girl as well, Parysatis, the youngest of the daughters of Ochus. He had already married previously Roxane, the daughter of Oxyrates of Bactria….Similarly he gave to the other Companions the noblest daughters of the Persians and the Medes, some 80 in all….And as for all the Macedonians who had already married Asian women, Alexander ordered a list of their names to be drawn up; they numbered over 10,000, and Alexander offered them all gifts for their wedding.”

Alexander’s Legacy  Monarchy and Greek World  Enlarged Greek Universe  Paideia over Genos  Divine-Ruler Cult  Transformations in Polis  Rise of Mercenary Soldier  Cultural Hybridization  New Philosophical Systems