1. Alexander the Great

2. Persians and Greeks Strained relationship for past hundred years.
Greeks and Macedonians hate Persians for fear of conquest.
Culminated in Persian War (Athens).
Memories of war drive hatred.

3. Phillip II of Macedon
Three goals
1. Build a strong army
2. Unify Greek City States
3. Defeat Persia

4. Phillip II: Outcomes Phillip is successful at building a strong army.
Phillip is successful at unifying Greece.
Just when he is getting ready to invade Persia, he is murdered.
Wife Olympias
Persian Assassin

5. Alexander the Perfect Blend
Appealed to Soldiers
Served in fathers army
Great leader
Charismatic
Brave
Proven Winner
Appealed to Aristocracy
Well Educated (Aristotle)
Good Bloodlines
Brilliant Orator

6. Education of Alexander
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle
Alexander
Phillip bought the best education money could buy.
Instilled Alexander with the wisdom of Athens, later he will use knowledge to aid in conquering others.

7. Alexander Becomes King
Following death of Phillip and with the help of his mother he becomes King of Macedon.
Wants to fulfill fathers legacy and conquer Persians.
Leads Army into Asia Minor in 334

8. Conquests & Battles 334 Battle of Granicus (Asia Minor)
333 Battle of Issus (Syria)
Tyre, Gordium (Gordian Knot)
Egypt: Establishes Alexandria
Declared Pharaoh

10. Conquest Cont. 331 Battle of Gaugamela
Defeats Darius’ army, Darius escapes but is later killed by one of his own generals.
Alexander Declares himself king of Persian Empire and declares Babylon the Capital of his new empire.
To Indus and Beyond…..

11. Conquered the River Valleys?
Egypt and Nile in 332
Tigris/Euphrates in 331
Indus in 326
Troops tire of war and want to head back home before China and the Yellow river are Alexander’s….. He reluctantly heads back towards home.

12. Death, Dying, and Divide
Alexander moves his troops across 3000 miles back towards Babylon…
When they reach the city a banquet is thrown in his honor.
He grows ill that evening and is dead by morning at the age of 33.
With no sons his empire will be divided amongst his top generals.

13. A Divided Empire Without Al the strong empire falls apart, literally.
Ptolemy ….. Egypt
Selcus ….. Modern Middle East
Antigonus ….. Greece and Asia Minor