Alexander the Great

The Macedonian Empire

• Macedonians were a people who lived in the mountains of northern Greece

• Most Greeks considered Macedonians backward– Lived in villages, not cities– Spoke form of Greek

unintelligible to other Greeks (like Pittsburghese)

• War-like people, much like the people of Sparta

Philip II• Philip admired Greek culture and

set out to unify all of the (now) weak Greek city-states by force

• Conquered all of the major city-states of Greece

• Formed the Corinthian League and began organizing plans to invade the Persian Empire—largest in the world

• His most brilliant accomplishment: reorganizing Macedonian Army

• Just before Philip was ready to attack the Persians, murdered

Phillip II’s Army

• Adopted phalanx system and gave hoplites longer spears

• Included larger bodies of cavalry and more archers

Macedonian Phalanx, 256 Men

Alexander… the (soon to be) Great

• Alexander ascends the throne at only 20, but had been trained to rule almost from birth

• Learned warfare and politics from father, mother, and Aristotle

Alexander’s Conquests

• Alexander faced almost immediately with revolts in Greece• Set out to reestablish control• Used harsh measures to show rebellion not tolerated• Crushed Theban army and sold people into slavery, burned city

Building an Empire

•With Greece under control, Alexander decided to build empire• 334 BC, led army into Asia to take on Persians• Army relatively small, but well trained, fiercely loyal• Persian army huge, but disorganized

Campaigns

•Within year Alexander’s army had won victory against Persians in Asia Minor•Moved south to Phoenicia, Egypt; welcomed as liberator, named new pharaoh•Next destroyed Persian army further west in what is now Iraq; caused Emperor Darius III to flee

Darius III

Dude…I’m outta here!

Advance of Alexander’s Army

Expanding the Empire

•With defeat of Darius, Alexander the master of Persian world • Troops marched to Persepolis, Persian capital, burned it to ground as sign of victory •Alexander not satisfied with size of empire– Led army deeper into Asia, winning more victories– Led army to the Indus, perhaps to conquer India– Soldiers had had enough, refused to proceed

farther from home– Alexander forced to turn back to west

End of the Empire: Death

• Alexander’s empire largest world had ever seen, but did not last very long

• 323 BC, Alexander fell ill while in Babylon• Died a few days later at age 33 of malaria• Alexander died without naming heir

Power Struggle

•Generals fought each other for power• In the end, the empire was divided among three most powerful generals• Called themselves kings–Antigonus ruled Macedonia and Greece–Seleucus ruled Persian Empire –Ptolemy ruled Egypt

The Three Kingdoms

Legacy of Alexander the Great

• Never lost a battle• Built over 70 cities…mostly named after

him!• Introduced Greek literature, myth,

dance, language, money, medicine, art, and theatre to the rest of the world

• Allowed conquered people the opportunity to run their own country as long as they were loyal to Alexander