Alexander The

Great

Mr. GieslerGlobal Studies

Empire of Alexander the Great

Who was Alexander the Great and why so great?

Alexander III (356-323 BC), or Alexander the Great was

Macedonian king and son of Philip II of Macedon

Born in Pella, Macedonia

Tutored by the Greek philosopher, Aristotle

His father, Philip, was king of Macedonia, and had

conquered the Greek city states during his 27 year reign

In ten years, Alexander of Macedonia created the largest

empire in the world up to that time

Alexander spread Greek culture, ensuring cultural

diffusion and the survival of the qualities of classical Greece

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Philip was murdered in 336 B.C. by an assassin…maybe hired by his wife, Olympia…

Alexander was only 20 when he became king of Macedonia

Ruled Macedonia from 359-336 B.C. and transformed it into a powerful military machine

Eyes on Persia Philip intended to use Greece as a launching pad to invade

Persia, but he was assassinated before he could begin his plan

Instead the invasion of Persia would be left for Philip’s son

Alexander who was just 20 when Philip was assassinated

History suggests that Alexander

inherited from his father the most perfectly organized, trained, and

equipped army of ancient times.

Phalanx: ancient Greek expression to signify an organized, dense line of battle; the heavily armed infantry soldiers were known as hoplites.

Like Father, Like Son…Expanding the Empire

Alexander’s army of over 50,000 crossed at the Dardanelles into Asia, where he would declare that the whole of Asia would be won by the spear

The army crossed the Dardanelles in spring 334

Warfare in the Age of Alexander

Companions

Alexander’s elite cavalry, the offensive

arm of his army, and his elite guard.

They would be used in conjunction with

the phalanx. The phalanx would fix the

enemy in place and then the companion

cavalry would attack on the flank.

Alexander would lead the charge with his

cavalry, normally in a wedge formation.

These troops would also protect the flanks

of the Macedonian line during battle.

Sieges involved the

surrounding and

blockading of a town or

fortress by an army

trying to capture it.

A variety of weapons

were built to hurl

projectiles over city

walls, scale or batter the

walls, and transport

soldiers over them.

The Battle of Gaugamela

Defeating Darius III of Persia, 331BCEDarius made sure that this battleground favored his army and its tactics particularly the use of his feared scythe-wheeled chariots.

Persian army of possibly 200,000 faced off against Alexander's 35,000.

Alexander immediately sized up the Persian's tactical advantage and countered by ordering his cavalry to shift to the right hoping to move his enemy away from its flat field.

Darius took the bait ordering his troops to follow.

Soon the Persians found themselves on rough, rock-strewn terrain.

Seeing the thinning Persian line, Alexander led the charge that crashed through to the Persian rear.

As at the battle of Issus, Darius fled, leaving the field and victory to Alexander

Darius was forced to flee, abandoning is mother, wife and children to Alexander

Defeating Darius III of Persia, 331BCESoon the Persians found themselves on rough, rock-

strewn terrain.

Seeing the thinning Persian line, Alexander led the charge that crashed through to the Persian rear.

As at the battle of Issus, Darius fled, leaving the field and victory to Alexander

Darius was forced to flee, abandoning is mother, wife and children to Alexander

And Down Goes Tyre Old city on the mainland was

abandoned

Alexander offered peace treaty

Tyrians killed Alexander’s ambassadors…sent Alexander into a tizzy

New city built on an island two miles long and separated from the coast by a half mile channel

Walls were 150 feet high

Had two harbors (Sidonian and Egyptian)

Alexander originally had no ships so he built a land bridge across the channel

Light Catapult

Stone Thrower

Battering Ram

Tyrians no match 7000 Dead Tyrians 400 Macedonians Took 7 months 2000 crucified 30K sold into slavery

After Alexander died, his generals jockeyed for power and by 275 they had divided up his kingdom into three large states

Antigonus took Greece and Macedon

Ptolemy took Egypt

Seleuces took the former Achaemenid empire

The period of Alexander and his successors is called the Hellenistic period to reflect the broad influence of Greek culture beyond Greece’s borders

Life after Alexander