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| | '''Alexander the Great''' | | '''Alexander the Great''' |
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| − | Alexander the Great was born in 356 BC to [[Philip II of Macedon]]. While growing up, Alexander was tutored by [[Aristotle]] from whom he learned philosophy and geography among other subjects. Alexander's father was a warrior and conquered Greece while a young Alexander successfully led a cavalry regiment. Phillip planned to conquer [[Persia]] next, but was assassinated in 336. It is generally agreed that Alexander was not part of the plot, although his mother who was estranged from Phillip might have been. His father's death left a twenty year-old Alexander king of Macedonia and Greece. The Greeks had no love of being ruled by anyone, especially not by "barbarians" (What they called the Macedonians who generally lacked their level of sophistication and refinement.) With the death of Phillip, they revolted believing they could easily break away from the new young ruler. They were about to become the first people to experience the depth of his military genius.
| + | Was a Pagan |
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| − | Once Alexander reconquered [[Greece]], he decided to put into action his father’s plan of conquering Persia, led by the Persian king [[Darius]]. He formed an army of thirty thousand foot soldiers, five thousand cavalry men, and engineers to build siege engines.
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| − | In four years Alexander conquered the Phoenician cities of [[Tyre]] and [[Sidon]], the countries of [[Canaan]] and [[Egypt]], the Persian cities of [[Susa]] and [[Persepolis]], and many other lands. Wherever he went, Alexander triumphed and spread Greek language and culture. Palestine fell in 332, and Greek conquest and [[Hellenization]] became a new threat to [[Judaism]] and its traditions. The Persians offered resistance to Alexander with massive armies in two great battles, the [[Battle of Issus]] in 333 and the [[Battle of Arbela]] in 331 both of which Alexander won. The Persian capital was captured and sacked shortly after that. Alexander wasn't satisfied with just conquering Persia. He also wanted to conquer the unknown and continued east into [[India]]. Finally when he reached the [[Indus River]], his homesick army decided that they would go no farther. Alexander sadly withdraw from extending his military conquests and decided to set up a capital for his new empire in [[Babylon]]. He had never been defeated in battle. Alexander sought to bring about a blending of Greek and Persian cultures, even encouraging his men to take Persian wives. In 323 BC, after a period of very heavy drinking, Alexander died of fever. He had ruled in Babylon for about a year. To what extent he could have continued to bring about a harmony of cultures is unknown. Failing to appoint a heir to carry on his legacy, his vast Empire descended into a generation of civil strife aka [[the Wars of the Diadochi]] upon his death. When the dust cleared, his empire had been broken into 4 different parts, never again to re-emerge.
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| − | Although never mentioned by name, it is commonly believed that the [[book of Daniel]] in the [[Bible]] makes reference to Alexander and his sudden demise.
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| | == See also == | | == See also == |
