Alexander The Great - Detailed Notes

Evidence

  • Arrian (Ptolemy, Aristobulus): 2nd Century AD.
  • Plutarch, Life of Alexander: Late 1st/early 2nd Century AD.
  • Diodorus: 1st Century BC.
  • Justin: 2nd/3rd Century AD?
  • Quintus Curtius Rufus: 1st Century AD.
  • Contemporary lost historians include Callisthenes.

Images of Alexander

  • Romantic Alexander, the dreamer, unity of mankind.
    • W.W. Tarn - 1933
  • Ruthless, brutal Alexander, murdering and drinking his way across the Persian empire.
    • Ernst Badian - 1958
    • A. B. Bosworth

Philip II

  • 359: Accession.
  • 336: Assassination.

Alexander's Early Life

  • Born early in the month Hecatombaeon (Macedonian name: Loüs) on the sixth day.
  • Temple of Ephesian Artemis burned on this day.
  • Hegesias the Magnesian's comment: It was no wonder that the temple of Artemis was burned down, since the goddess was busy bringing Alexander into the world.
  • Plutarch, Alexander 3
  • Alexander’s mother was Olympias of Molossian royalty

Revolt and Destruction of Thebes (335 BC)

  • 6,000 dead.
  • 30,000 enslaved.
  • House of Pindar saved.

Invasion of Persia

  • Early incursions into Persian empire.
    • Xenophon.
    • Agesilaus
  • 338: Persian king Artaxerxes III dies, succeeded by Artaxerxes IV.
  • 337: Philip sets up League of Corinth and sends expeditionary force under Parmenion.
  • 336: Darius III on Persian throne.

Invasion - 334 BC

  • Spring - Alexander joins Parmenion in Asia.
  • Army composition:
    • 32,000 infantry.
    • 5,000 cavalry.
  • Antipater left in charge of Macedon.
  • Alexander’s aims vs. Philip’s.

Homeric Hero

  • Alexander's actions at Ilium:
    • Sacrificed to Athena.
    • Poured libations to the heroes.
    • Anointed the gravestone of Achilles with oil.
    • Ran a race with his companions, naked, as was the custom.
    • Crowned the gravestone with garlands.
    • Pronounced Achilles happy in having a faithful friend and a great herald of his fame.
  • Plutarch, Alexander 15

Granicus (334 BC)

  • Inscription to be attached to 300 suits of armor sent to Athens:
    • “Alexander, son of Philip, and the Greeks (except the Lacedaimonians) dedicate these spoils taken from the barbarians who dwell in Asia.”
    • Arrian 1.16.7

Liberator of the Greeks of Asia Minor

  • Alexander reached Ephesus on the fourth day.
  • Actions in Ephesus:
    • Restored the exiles.
    • Destroyed the oligarchy.
    • Established a democracy.
    • Ordered them to contribute to Artemis the taxes they had been paying to the barbarians.
  • Sent Alcimachus to Aeolian and Ionian cities to overthrow oligarchies and establish democracies.
  • Restored laws to each city.
  • Remitted tribute to the barbarians.
  • (Arrian 1.17.10-18.2)

Alexander’s letter to Darius, Arrian 2.14

  • Justification for invasion: Persian ancestors invaded Macedonia and Greece.
  • Alexander appointed commander-in-chief of the Greeks to punish the Persians.
  • Accusation that Persians sent money to Spartans and other Greeks.
  • Alexander's victories: Defeated Persian generals and satraps at Granicus, then Darius himself.
  • Claim to control the country by the grace of the gods.
  • Demand for Darius to approach him as "lord of all Asia."
  • Offer to return Darius's family and possessions.
  • Conditions for future communication: Address Alexander as king of Asia, not as an equal.
  • Threat: Failure to comply will result in treatment as a wrongdoer.
  • Challenge: If Darius wishes to claim the title of king, he must fight for it.

Siege of Tyre (332 BC)

  • Melqart, patron god of Tyre, equated with Heracles, ancestor of Alexander.
  • Question: What was the strategy behind the siege?
  • Question: Why go around the coast to Egypt?

Foundation of Alexandria (331 BC)

  • Alexander's arrival at Canobus and sailing around Lake Mareotis.
  • Site deemed favorable for a city.
  • Alexander's actions:
    • Marked out the main parts of the city.
    • Determined the location of the agora.
    • Decided on the number and types of sanctuaries (Greek gods and Egyptian Isis).
    • Planned the course of the city wall.
  • Arrian 3.1

Ammon at Siwah Oasis

  • Earliest account by court historian Callisthenes: guided by crows.
  • Question: Was Alexander recognized as son of Zeus Ammon?

Gaugamela (331 BC)

  • Alexander's appeal to the gods before battle:
    • Prayed for the gods to defend and strengthen the Greeks, claiming descent from Zeus.
  • Plutarch, Alexander 33

After Gaugamela

  • Flight of Darius.
  • Satrap of Babylon Mazaeus surrenders city.
    • Alexander leaves him in administrative charge.
  • Alexander takes Susa, gaining a vast amount of booty.
  • Burning of Persepolis.

Death of the Great King (330 BC)

  • Darius killed by his noble, Bessus.
  • Alexander captures and executes Bessus (Artaxerxes V) for treachery.
  • Alexander becomes the new Great King.
  • Largely takes over existing administration.

Reasons for Dissent

  • Using native elite in administrative positions.
  • Dressing in Persian style.
  • Court practices, especially proskynesis.
  • Divine aspirations.

Murder of Cleitus the Black

  • Argument over cowardice and luck.
  • Cleitus's accusation: Alexander disowning Philip and claiming to be the son of Ammon.
  • Plutarch, Alexander 50

Proskynesis

  • Adoption of Persian custom of proskynesis (prostration) postponed to avoid animosity.
  • Callisthenes was the most outspoken objector.
  • Objection led to death for Callisthenes and other Macedonians, ostensibly for treason.
  • Macedonians retained their conventional method of saluting the king.
  • Proskynesis was rejected.
  • Justin 12.7.1-3

India (327-26 BC)

  • Capture of rocky outcrop Aornus.
    • The river Indus flows past its base.
    • Devotees claimed Heracles had been repulsed three times.
  • The Sibae claimed descent from people who joined Heracles, retaining emblems like wearing skins, using cudgels, and branding cattle with a club.
  • Strabo 15.1.8

Porus and Mutiny

  • Porus, symbolized by elephants on coins minted in Babylon.
  • Mutiny at Hyphasis.
  • Return journey:
    • Down the Indus River.
    • Back to Babylon via the Gedrosian desert.
  • Distance from Macedon to India: approximately 5,5005,500 km.

Alexander’s Last Words

  • When asked who he was leaving his kingdom to, Alexander answered:
  • ‘To the best, let the battles of my friends be my funeral games’

Significance

  • Overthrew Persian Empire.
  • Brought Eastern Mediterranean under Greco-Macedonian control.
  • Spread of Greeks and Greek cities throughout the region.
  • Laid the foundations of the Hellenistic world and the Roman empire in the East.