Alexander, the Great and Hellenistic Civilization



Alexander, the Great and Hellenistic Civilization

Introduction

In this biography of Alexander the Great, Philip Freeman takes the legendary leader and shows readers the man underneath. He was born in Pella. He illuminates Alexander's prowess on the battlefield, helping readers see the genius behind the leader's tactics. Alexander was a famous conqueror. Alexander, the great was born in the family of Macedonia, the royal family. Alexander, the great had an officious mind. Alexander had conquered Greece at the age of eighteen; he was king of Macedonia at the age of twenty he became the master of Persian Empire at the age of twenty six.

The influence of Alexander the Great on the ancient world is undeniable, as seen in his initiation of Hellenization and contact between diverse populations through imperial expansion. During Alexander's childhood and adolescence, he was taught by multiple tutors, the most notable of whom was Aristotle.

Aristotle helped develop a deep respect for Greek civilization in the Macedonian Alexander. And though Alexander's conquests were principally driven by imperial glory, Alexander's desire to spread Greek culture was a major motivation as well. But this may have been an unintended side effect of imperial conquest, and the deep Greek cultural influence throughout the conquered territories needed time and influence to develop, which Alexander was unable to give because of his death at the early age of 32. However, the empires that succeeded and divided Alexander's empire were able to provide that power and time. These empires continued to support the influence of Greek thought and culture, especially the use of the Greek language, throughout their existence. From this came the development of Hellenistic Judaism; the influence of Neo-Platonism in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam; the preparation of the region for Roman conquest; the diffusion of Christianity through the common Greek tongue; and the later preservation of Greek philosophy by Muslim scholars. And this influence spread even further east. For example, around the time of Alexander's expansion to the Indus River, statues of the Buddha took on a significant resemblance to those of the Greek god Apollo.

Discussion

'Alexander the Great' delivers a brief introduction to the career and influence of the Macedonian conqueror and the central themes of his rule. During Alexander's conquest of Egypt, Alexander was greeted as “the son of god” by the priest of Amun at Siwa, Libya. Amun was associated with the Greek god Zeus, and Alexander welcomed or demanded worship of himself as a divinity from his own people as well as those he conquered from that point on. This type of leader worship, characteristic of the Egyptian religio-political structure of the time, was significantly different from existing Greek and Macedonian norms. Still, it continued with Alexander's successors, especially Ptolemy II, and this innovation was eventually taken up by the emperors of the Roman Empire along with so many other aspects of Greek culture and religion.

Finally, Alexander's imperial expansion eventually ruined the city state system of the Greeks through the compositions incorporation of new ...