2. Review: Siege of Tyre
Video clip

3. Alexander the Great
&
The Macedonians

4. Do Now/ Ngohe Naianei:
What is your event?
Place the events on the timeline in chronological order. Where does yours fit in?

5. The BIG Question Did Alexander the Great have a ‘policy of fusion’?
Learning Objectives
To describe the actions Alexander took after the death of Darius
To describe how his Macedonian men felt about it
To ask what Alexander’s motivations were
To use evidence to support an idea
The BIG Question
Did Alexander the Great have a ‘policy of fusion’?
If so, why?
If not, why did he act the way he did?

6. The nature of Kingship Macedonian Kings Persian Kings
‘first among equals’
Men on frank and easy terms
Laugh and argue together
Wore the same clothes
Addressed him as an equal
Exalted status
Not regarded as divine but representative of god on earth
Symbol of luxury
Attended by ushers, bodyguards, eunuchs
Travelled in luxury
Dress was extravagant: cloak and belt of gold
Subjects performed proskynesis to him to acknowledge him as a superior

7. The first to describe proskynesis ("kissing towards") was the Greek researcher Herodotus of Halicarnassus, who lived in the fifth century BCE. He writes:
When the Persians meet one another in the roads,
you can see whether those who meet are of equal rank.
For instead of greeting by words, they kiss each other on the mouth;
but if one of them is inferior to the other, they kiss one another on the cheeks,
and if one is of much less noble rank than the other,
he falls down before him and worships him.
What Herodotus describes as a gesture he has seen in the streets, was ritualized at the oriental courts. Depending on his rank, a visitor would have to prostrate himself, kneel in front of, bow for or blow a kiss to the king.
To the Greeks prostrating, bowing or kneeling were unacceptable. In their view,
these acts were only allowed in front of a god. Therefore, they thought that the Persians – the only oriental court they knew - venerated their kings as god. Seen in this light, the word "worship" in Herodotus' text becomes logical.
Livius.org

8. What actions did he take?
Revenge King to King of Asia
Handout: glue in your book
Discuss:
Do these actions (Alexander’s increasing ‘Orientalism’) show a new policy of ‘fusion’ between the Macedonians and the Persians?
Why does he take these actions?
Is his vision of Empire one of Macedonians and Persians living in harmony or is his vision of Empire one of victory and Greek imperialism?

9. Historical Context: questions to consider
Fusion or Imperialism?
After India, almost all satraps removed from their governmental posts.
New cities were ‘islands’ of Greekness in seas of native population.
1.5% of new city names were non-Greek.

10. Events that highlight a new vision of Empire, and the reactions
Philotas & Parmenio
329 BC
Murder of Cleitus the Black
328 BC
Proskynesis
327 BC
Pages Conspiracy
Susa Weddings
324 BC
Mutiny at Opis

11. 20 minutes: independent or pair work
Callisthenes & Proskynesis
Take notes:
Details (ie what happened? When? Where? Who? How? Why?)
Conclusion that you can draw about Alexander (and his men) from this.
Re-enact this event, using the puppets.
Murder of Cleitus the Black
Explain what happened and why, and what it illustrates about Alexander and Cleitus the Black, to a partner. Ensure they ask you 3 questions that you have to answer.
Re-enact this event, using the puppets.
Does this event show a ‘policy of fusion’? If so, how?
Does this event show a ‘policy of fusion’? If so, how?

12. Alexander the Great: collecting evidence
Topic / Event
Modern Quote
Ancient Quote
Conclusion
Alexander’s ‘orientalism’
Murder of Cleitus the Black
Proskynesis

13. Quotes
“The extent to which Alexander’s orientalism formed a policy of fusion has been the subject of considerable debate.” (Heckel) “..to the Macedonians, who found to defeat and, indeed, punish the Persians for alleged atrocities in the past, it was a betrayal and sign of instability on the king’s part.” (Heckel) Proskynesis: “the essential difficulty, as Alexander himself must have been aware, was that what the Persians regarded as a purely secular act of royal protocol was viewed by Greeks as an act of worship.” (Bosworth)

14. Where are we going?
Skills
NCEA Qualifications
Content

15. Making connections, giving purpose
Inquiry: Empire & Power
Comparison: Leadership qualities
How can we explore the concept of empire and power?
What did empire look like then, since and now?
How do leaders maintain power?
How has Alexander influenced leaders and military strategists since?
What qualities does a leader display today compared with leaders in the classical world?
How might John Key compare with Alexander the Great?
To what extent would Alexander the Great’s actions be accepted (or approved of) now?
Why do we call him ‘the Great’? Does everyone?

16. Student Opinion: What direction would you like to take next topic?
Aristophanes’ Frogs
The Frogs tells the story of the god Dionysus, who, despairing of the state of Athens' tragedians, travels to Hades (the underworld) to bring the playwright Euripides back from the dead. (Wikipedia)
Setting: mythological not ‘real’ world.
Function: entertain & present moral issues through political comment
Internal: ‘The Theatre Experience’
Show influence of Greek comedy on Shakespearean comedy and on modern comedy
External: Analyse ideas and values (4 credits)
Roman Art & Architecture
Augustus, first emperor of Rome, his politics and propaganda.
Read sections of the Aeneid.
Study 7 set pieces from Roman architecture.
Internal: ‘All Roads Lead to Rome’
Show influence of Roman architecture on Napoleon’s France, Post-independence USA or Fascist Europe
External: Analyse work(s) of art (4 credits)