Ancient History GCSE OCR - Alexander the Great

When was Alexander born?

356 BC

How did Philip apparently lose his eye?

He saw Olympias sleeping with a ‘divine being’

What are the omens Plutarch describes around Alexander's birth?

Olympias felt a thunderbolt on her womb that broke into flames, Philip dreamt he was putting a seal of a lion on her womb, Philip sees a snake stretched out next to Olympias as she slept and his love for her was reduced.

What negative omen occurred the day Alexander was born?

The temple of Artemis was burnt

What positive news did Philip get the day Alexander was born?

The Illyrians had been conquered in battle by him and his race-horse had won a victory at the Olympic games

What was Alexander’s horse named?

Bucephalus

Alexander had a copy of which book under his pillow?

The Iliad

What was Plutarch's aim in writing?

He was a moralist, and aimed to demonstrate character traits instead of accurate events

How does Plutarch describe Olympias?

He describes her as a jealous and occult woman with a foul temper.

Where was the Gordian knot located?

The city of Gordium

What was said about the person who could undo the Gordian knot?

They were destined to rule Asia

What does Alexander do to undo the Gordian knot?

He either cut it with his sword or drew the yoke from the cart

How many Gods did Alexander worship?

Numerous Gods

Who was Parmenio?

A distinguished Macedonian general that served under Philip then Alexander

What was Alexander's relationship with Parmenio?

Alexander occasionally took his advice on board (e.g Arrian's account of Gaugamela), but often ignored or had disagreements with him (e.g at Granicus).

Who was Cleitus?

He was a Macedonian general and close companion of Alexander

What was Cleitus' relationship with Alexander?

He was a keen supporter of Philip, saved Alexander's life at Granicus. He was murdered later by Alexander in a drunken rage after protesting about Alexander’s adoption of Persian customs

Who was Callisthenes?

He was the official historian of Alexander’s campaigns

What was Alexander's relationship with Callisthenes?

Arrian says he claimed full credit for popularising Alexander's story. He refused to perform proskynesis and ultimately was executed for being part of a plot

Who was Hephaestion?

A lifelong friend and possibly lover of Alexander

What was Alexander's relationship with Hephaestion?

A possible lover of Alexander and his most loyal companion, he fought in the cavalry in many of the battles in the campaign

How did Alexander mourn Hephaestion?

Arrian says he imitated Achilles mourning Patroclus

Who was Antipater?

An experienced military and political leader that served under Philip.

What was Alexander's relationship with Antipater?

He maintained peace in Greece while Alexander was on campaigns. Alexander was fearful of him and his sons since they constituted a threat

When did Alexander begin his campaign?

334 BC

What is the Greek word for ‘longing, desire, or regret’ that describes Alexander’s ambition?

Pothos

What are 3 initial reasons for the campaign?

He wanted to live up to Philip, there was a power shift from Artaxerxes to Darius that left Persia vulnerable, he wanted revenge for the Graeco-Persian war.

Who did Alexander sacrifice to at Troy?

Protesilaus, Athena

How many troops did Alexander march into Asia with?

30,000 infantry + archers

5,000 cavalry

What was the first major battle in Alexander’s campaigns into Asia?

Granicus

When was the battle of Grancius?

334BC

Who was the key Persian general that faced Alexander for most of his campaigns?

Memnon

What is Arrian's version of the exchange between Alexander and Parmenio at Granicus?

Parmenio suggested waiting until dawn because of the disadvantage of the river, but Alexander calls it a 'little stream' and crosses it anyway.

Who were commanding the left and right wings of the army at Granicus?

Parmenio was on the left while Alexander was on the right

What was the Persian army at Granicus?

20,000 Persian cavalry

20,000 foreign mercenaries

How did Cleitus save Alexander’s life at Granicus?

During the battle, Cleitus saved a helmetless Alexander by intervening when an enemy attacked him, killing the assailant and preventing Alexander from being injured or killed.

What did Alexander do to the Greeks who fought for the Persians at Granicus?

He bound them in chains and sent them to Macedonia to become slaves

What key tactic did Alexander use in the battle of Granicus?

He used a phalanx along with cavalry to rush the Persian centre

What happens in Egypt?

Alexander is greeted as a liberator in Memphis. He started adopting Persian customs and founded Alexandria.

When was the battle of Gaugamela?

331BC

Why were Alexander’s troops better rested than Darius’s at Gaugamela?

Alexander let his troops rest for four days while Darius forced his men into battle formation

How did Alexander win the battle of Gaugamela?

Alexander defeated Darius through the use of a cavalry charge through a gap that had opened in the centre of the Persian forces, where Darius himself as exposed and had to flee

Who does Darius leave in charge of Persepolis + the Persian Gates?

Ariobarzanes

What was the ‘most serious challenge to Alexander’s conquest of Persia’

The battle of the Persian gates

What is the Persian preparation for Persian Gates?

Ariobarzanes builds a wall and stations 40000 soldiers and 700 cavalry there.

Why was winning the Battle of the Persian Gate so important to Alexander?

It was the main way into Persian, and he otherwise would have had to take more time trying to enter, which would give Darius a change to regroup and expand his forces

What are some examples of massacres?

Persian gates, Gaugamela

Where was Darius killed?

Bactria

Who killed Darius?

Bessus

Where was Darius’s dead body left?

A cart

What did Alexander do to Bessus when he caught him?

Had him executed

What was Thais' reason for suggesting burning down the palace at Persepolis?

Revenge as the Persians had burnt down Athens.

Where was Alexander’s final campaign?

India

Which ferocious Indian king opposed Alexander at Hydaspes?

Poros

How are Alexander’s campaigns in the East described?

Long and gruelling

What are some arguments Anaxarchus made in Alexander' favour against Callisthenes?

He would be deified after death so they may as well do it now, he could gain something for honours during life but not death

What did Alexander lay siege to in his campaigns in India?

Aornus rock

What does Arrian say about the myths surrounding Aornus?

Probably not true as Heracles probably didn't go to India

What happened and Hyphasis?

Alexander’s men refused to go any further, and therefore they turned back

What does Arrian say happened to Bucephalus?

He died of exhaustion

What desert did Alexander take his men through on his return from Persia

The Gedrosia desert

How were there so many casualties on Alexander’s return from Persia?

In the Gedrosia desert the baking heat and landslides killed many men

What did Alexander find had happened when he returned from India?

Governors he put in power had committed irregularities believing Alexander would not return

Define ‘proskynesis’

A ceremonial act of prostration or bowing to a superior

Name 3 Persian customs that Alexander adopted

Proskynesis

Persian dress

Persian marriages

What was the setting of Philip's murder?

He was celebrating his daughter Cleopatra’s marriage

Who was Philip killed by?

His bodyguard Pausanias

What is Pausanias' motive for murder?

He was Philip's favourite bodyguard and got jealous when he diverted his attention to Pausanias 2, bullying him until he committed suicide in front of Philip.

OR

Attalus was Pausanias 2's friend and sexually assaulted Pausanias out of revenge. Pausanias complained to Philip but he did nothing so Pausanias kills him.

When was Cleitus murdered?

328 BC

Where was Cleitus killed?

At a party

How did the argument between Alexander and Cleitus start?

The argument began when Cleitus criticized Alexander for his adoption of Persian customs and favoritism towards his Persian companions.

What was the final act Cleitus did before he was murdered by Alexander?

He was dragged out of the hall by his friends but re-entered chanting a Greek poem

How did Alexander kill Cleitus?

He took a spear from one of his guards and ran him though

What did Alexander do immediately after he killed Cleitus?

He tried to impale himself with the spear out of anguish but was dragged away by guards

Where did the mass marriages take place?

Susa

Who did Alexander marry

Darius’s eldest daughter Stateira

How many Macedonians had already married Asian women?

10,000

What did Alexander do to the Macedonians that had already married Asian women?

He gave them gifts

When was Alexander's death?

323 BC

What was an omen of Alexander’s death?

A stranger walked in and sat on the throne

How did Alexander die?

He went on a drinking binge and caught a fever as a result. He drank wine to satisfy his thirst and then became delirious and died.

Why does Plutarch conclude that Alexander was not poisoned?

His body remained pure and fresh without signs of decay

How old was Alexander when he died?

32

What was Alexander’s cavalry called?

The companion cavalry

What was an infantry formation that was used extensively by Alexander in his campaigns?

Phalanx

What was the main weapon used by the Macedonian phalanx?

The sarissa

What was a sarissa?

A long spear of about 5 to 7 metres used by the Macedonian phalanx

What were the agrianes?

Elite spear-throwers in Alexander’s army

Who were the Hypaspists?

Alexander’s elite infantry force

What was a xyston?

A double-ended spear used by Alexander’s cavalry

Where was Tyre situated?

On an island

How did Alexander capture Tyre?

He built a kilometre-long causeway from the coast to near Tyre, then built two 50-metre tall siege towers and used them to bombard the city. Later, the Persian navy defected and joined him, allowing him to blockade the ports. Eventually a hole opened in the wall and the city was captured

How long was the siege of Tyre?

7 months

Was Alexander popular with his men?

Yes, since he visited the wounded, treated his men with respect and gave rousing speeches

Who were Arrian's main sources?

Aristobulus and Ptolemy

Outline Arrian's military experience?

He served under Hadrian

What were Plutarch's connections like?

He was the son of Aristobulus and he held a priesthood at Delphi

When did the Indian Campaign start?

326 BC

When was Hephaestion's death?

324 BC

When was Philip's murder?

336 BC