[279][281][282] The Yavanajataka (lit. His portrait types were utilized and . [108], Later, in the Central Asian campaign, a second plot against his life was revealed, this one instigated by his own royal pages. Alexander - Wikipedia [42] Philip exiled four of Alexander's friends, Harpalus, Nearchus, Ptolemy and Erigyius, and had the Corinthians bring Thessalus to him in chains. Alexander responded quickly and drove them from their territory. In 336 he sent Parmenion, with Amyntas, Andromenes and Attalus, and an army of 10,000 men into Anatolia to make preparations for an invasion. Whereas he was of a fair colour, as they say, and his fairness passed into ruddiness on his breast particularly, and in his face. Alexander III of Macedon (Ancient Greek: , romanized: Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC - 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He was probably intrigued by other species as magnificent creatures of the gods, as possible teachers, and whatever else he could read from their behaviors and appearances. [295] Caligula, who could not swim,[296] then proceeded to ride his favourite horse Incitatus across, wearing the breastplate of Alexander the Great. in Pella, Macedonia, to King Philip II. Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander III of Macedon, was born in 356 BC and became the King of Macedon in 336 BC. Below is a coin with the face of Alexander the Great, depicting the king with the lion's scalp on his head. [102] The Greeks however regarded the gesture of proskynesis as the province of deities and believed that Alexander meant to deify himself by requiring it. [86], From Babylon, Alexander went to Susa, one of the Achaemenid capitals, and captured its treasury. [272] The close association of men from across Greece in Alexander's army directly led to the emergence of the largely Attic-based "koine", or "common" Greek dialect. [275] The process of Hellenization also spurred trade between the east and west. Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander III or Alexander of Macedonia, (born 356 bce, Pella, Macedonia [northwest of Thessalonki, Greece]died June 13, 323 bce, Babylon [near Al-illah, Iraq]), king of Macedonia (336-323 bce ), who overthrew the Persian empire, carried Macedonian arms to India, and laid the foundations for the Hellenistic The gold series had the head of Athena on the obverse and a winged Nike (Victory) on the reverse. [42] He continued to Illyria,[42] where he sought refuge with one or more Illyrian kings, perhaps with Glaukias, and was treated as a guest, despite having defeated them in battle a few years before. [268], Hellenization was coined by the German historian Johann Gustav Droysen to denote the spread of Greek language, culture, and population into the former Persian empire after Alexander's conquest. [3][4], Until the age of 16, Alexander was tutored by Aristotle. [290], After Caracalla concluded his campaign against the Alamanni, it became evident that he was inordinately preoccupied with Alexander the Great. [29], At the age of 16, Alexander's education under Aristotle ended. During this turmoil, the Illyrians invaded Macedonia, only to be repelled by Alexander. In the aftermath of Massaga and Ora, numerous Assakenians fled to the fortress of Aornos. [40] During the wedding banquet, a drunken Attalus publicly prayed to the gods that the union would produce a legitimate heir. [17], The conquest by Philip II of Pangaeum and then of the island of Thasos between 356 and 342 BC brought rich gold and silver mines under Macedonian control. Alexander the Great is central to identity in Greece and Macedonia, which are quarreling over Macedonia's name and bragging rights to the 4th century B.C. [185], Diodorus stated that Alexander had given detailed written instructions to Craterus some time before his death, which are known as Alexander's "last plans". [69] According to the story, Alexander proclaimed that it did not matter how the knot was undone and hacked it apart with his sword. Meanwhile, the city of Amphissa began to work lands that were sacred to Apollo near Delphi, a sacrilege that gave Philip the opportunity to further intervene in Greek affairs. Subsequently, however, the two rivals were reconciled by the personal mediation of Alexander; and Taxiles, after having contributed zealously to the equipment of the fleet on the Hydaspes, was entrusted by the king with the government of the whole territory between that river and the Indus. [110], When Alexander set out for Asia, he left his general Antipater, an experienced military and political leader and part of Philip II's "Old Guard", in charge of Macedon. One Greek king, Menander I, probably became Buddhist, and was immortalized in Buddhist literature as 'Milinda'. [263] The temple was designed by Pytheos, one of the architects of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. Alexander is a male given name.The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.. Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Aleksander and Aleksandr.Related names and diminutives include Iskandar, Alec, Alek, Alex, Alexandre, Aleks, Aleksa and Sander; feminine forms include . [188] Other scholars have proposed that they were invented by later authors within the tradition of the Alexander Romance. [261], The city of Pella, in modern Jordan, was founded by veterans of Alexander's army, and named it after the city of Pella, in Greece, which was the birthplace of Alexander. This included commissioning sculptures by Lysippos, paintings by Apelles and gem engravings by Pyrgoteles. Alexander III of Macedon (Ancient Greek: , romanized:Alexandros; 20/21 July 356 BC 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great,[a] was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. Alexander also ordered the murder of Attalus,[50] who was in command of the advance guard of the army in Asia Minor and Cleopatra's uncle. This is cited as a reason for sparing Jerusalem. [153][162], Alexander's sexuality has been the subject of speculation and controversy in modern times. [166] Natural-cause theories also tend to emphasize that Alexander's health may have been in general decline after years of heavy drinking and severe wounds. New Haven: Yale University Press. military genius. Alexander the Great Pendant, Ancient Greece Necklace, Gold K14 and Silver Coin Jewelry, Greek Key Coin, History pendant, Perfect Greek Gift. Many of these areas remained in Macedonian hands or under Greek influence for the next 200300 years. There is a tradition that they would only start serious drinking, after everyone was done with their meals. Alexander was proclaimed king on the spot by the nobles and army at the age of 20. [231] He began to identify himself as the son of Zeus-Ammon. Their works are lost, but later works based on these original sources have survived. Pompey the Great adopted the epithet "Magnus" and even Alexander's anastole-type haircut, and searched the conquered lands of the east for Alexander's 260-year-old cloak, which he then wore as a sign of greatness. [187] Furthermore, Perdiccas had read the notebooks containing Alexander's last plans to the Macedonian troops in Babylon, who voted not to carry them out.[62]. [63][64], Taking over the invasion project of Philip II, Alexander's army crossed the Hellespont in 334BC with approximately 48,100 soldiers, 6,100 cavalry and a fleet of 120 ships with crews numbering 38,000,[61] drawn from Macedon and various Greek city-states, mercenaries, and feudally raised soldiers from Thrace, Paionia, and Illyria. Crossing the river at night, he surprised them and forced their army to retreat after the first cavalry skirmish. Under Aristotle's tutelage, Alexander developed a passion for the works of Homer, and in particular the Iliad; Aristotle gave him an annotated copy, which Alexander later carried on his campaigns. [303] One well-known fable among Greek seamen involves a solitary mermaid who would grasp a ship's prow during a storm and ask the captain "Is King Alexander alive?" [284] Julius Caesar dedicated a Lysippean equestrian bronze statue but replaced Alexander's head with his own, while Octavian visited Alexander's tomb in Alexandria and temporarily changed his seal from a sphinx to Alexander's profile. [13], In his early years, Alexander was raised by a nurse, Lanike, sister of Alexander's future general Cleitus the Black. [35] At Corinth, Philip established a "Hellenic Alliance" (modelled on the old anti-Persian alliance of the Greco-Persian Wars), which included most Greek city-states except Sparta. Philip deliberately commanded his troops to retreat, counting on the untested Athenian hoplites to follow, thus breaking their line. [17], Alexander's most immediate legacy was the introduction of Macedonian rule to huge new swathes of Asia. This ensured that Alexander would not be outflanked, while his phalanx, armed with long pikes, had a considerable advantage over the Persians' scimitars and javelins. [117] The silver coinage had a beardless head of Heracles wearing a lionskin headdress on the obverse and Zeus aetophoros ('eagle bearer') enthroned with a scepter in his left hand, on the reverse. [273] Koine spread throughout the Hellenistic world, becoming the lingua franca of Hellenistic lands and eventually the ancestor of modern Greek. Ancient Greek Macedonian Symbol. ", "Was Alexander The Great Poisoned By Toxic Wine? [144][244] This event may have contributed to Alexander's failing health and detached mental state during his final months. Struck under Balakros or Menes, circa 333-327 BC", "Images of Authority II: The Greek Example", Alexander: Selected Texts from Arrian, Curtius and Plutarch, The Classical Tradition: Greek and Roman Influences on Western Literature: Greek and Roman Influences on Western Literature, "World map according to Eratosthenes (194 B.C. The types of these coins remained constant in his empire. AR tetradrachm. Therefore, since his feet did not reach its lowest step, one of the royal pages placed a table under his feet. [102] As early as 334 BC he demonstrated awareness of this, when he challenged incumbent King Darius III "by appropriating the main elements of the Achaemenid monarchy's ideology, particularly the theme of the king who protects the lands and the peasants". Several fictitious letters, some perhaps based on actual letters, made their way into the Romance tradition. The famous encounter between Alexander and Diogenes the Cynic occurred during Alexander's stay in Corinth. The advance was successful and broke Darius's center, causing the latter to flee once again. [144][216][243] Hephaestion's death devastated Alexander. Ancient commentators were divided about whether the ambitious Olympias promulgated the story of Alexander's divine parentage, variously claiming that she had told Alexander, or that she dismissed the suggestion as impious. Alexander the Great was born in the Greek month of Hekatombaion. [75], When Alexander destroyed Tyre, most of the towns on the route to Egypt quickly capitulated. Alexander arranged a double phalanx, with the center advancing at an angle, parting when the chariots bore down and then reforming. Constantinople 1453: The End of Byzantium. The Smyrnaeans sent ambassadors to the oracle at Clarus to ask about this, and after the response from the oracle they decided to move to the "new" city. [190], Alexander perhaps earned the epithet "the Great" due to his unparalleled success as a military commander; he never lost a battle, despite typically being outnumbered. [7], Alexander III was born in Pella, the capital of the Kingdom of Macedon,[8] on the sixth day of the ancient Greek month of Hekatombaion, which probably corresponds to 20 July 356 BC (although the exact date is uncertain). 14K Yellow Solid Gold. [54] This reply apparently delighted Alexander, who is reported to have said "But verily, if I were not Alexander, I would like to be Diogenes. [115], Alexander appears to have introduced a new coinage in Cilicia in Tarsus, after the Battle of Issus in 333 BC, which went on to become the main coinage of the empire. He reportedly read this passage to his patron King Lysimachus, who had been one of Alexander's generals and who quipped, "I wonder where I was at the time. The horns of Ammon were curling ram horns, used as a symbol of the Egyptian deity Ammon (also spelled Amun or Amon). [181], During his final years, and especially after the death of Hephaestion, Alexander began to exhibit signs of megalomania and paranoia. Later in his childhood, Alexander was tutored by the strict Leonidas, a relative of his mother, and by Lysimachus of Acarnania. [170], While Alexander's funeral cortege was on its way to Macedon, Ptolemy seized it and took it temporarily to Memphis. [50] Alexander's relationship with his father "forged" the competitive side of his personality; he had a need to outdo his father, illustrated by his reckless behavior in battle. In the process, both Alexander IV and Philip III were murdered. He lost another child when Roxana miscarried at Babylon. The Cutting of the Gordian Knot is an Ancient Greek legend associated with Alexander the Great in Gordium in Phrygia, regarding a complex knot that tied an oxcart. In 334 BC, he invaded the Achaemenid Persian Empire and began a series of campaigns that lasted for 10 years. His troops misunderstood his intention and mutinied at the town of Opis. [107][260] The first, and greatest, was Alexandria in Egypt, which would become one of the leading Mediterranean cities. [61], After an initial victory against Persian forces at the Battle of the Granicus, Alexander accepted the surrender of the Persian provincial capital and treasury of Sardis; he then proceeded along the Ionian coast, granting autonomy and democracy to the cities. Legends say that two boys from Bactria, Tapassu and Bahallika, visited . [205][206][207], Many scholars and historians attribute heterochromia to him. )", East-West Orientation of Historical Empires, "The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites, Pella (Khirbet Fahil) Jordan", "The Narratives of "the Companions of the Cave," Moses and His Servant, and Dh 'l-Qarnayn in Srat al-Kahf", "The Mughal Sikander: Influence of the Romance of Alexander on Mughal Manuscript Painting", "Quintus Curtius Rufus, History of Alexander the Great", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alexander_the_Great&oldid=1152458164, Construction of 1,000 ships larger than triremes, along with harbours and a road running along the African coast all the way to the, Amalgamation of small settlements into larger cities (", Construction of a monumental tomb for his father Philip, "to match the greatest of the, This page was last edited on 30 April 2023, at 10:27. [299] His court historian Callisthenes portrayed the sea in Cilicia as drawing back from him in proskynesis. The Macedonians quickly begged forgiveness, which Alexander accepted, and held a great banquet with several thousand of his men. "[55] At Corinth, Alexander took the title of Hegemon ("leader") and, like Philip, was appointed commander for the coming war against Persia. [45], In summer 336BC, while at Aegae attending the wedding of his daughter Cleopatra to Olympias's brother, Alexander I of Epirus, Philip was assassinated by the captain of his bodyguards, Pausanias. [152] Early sources indicated Aristotle was considered a potential assassination plotter for rumors had it that he had not forgiven Alexander for the fall of his grand-uncle, Callisthenes, hence he was the one who supplied the poison to Cassander, Antipater's son, who then handed it to his younger brother, Iolaus, the wine-pourer of Alexander. This so irritated Alexander, that throwing one of the cups at his head, "You villain," said he, "what, am I then a bastard?" [102] This created a problem for Alexander as to whether he had to make use of the various segments and people that had given the empire its solidity and unity for a lengthy period of time. [a] He succeeded his father Philip II to the throne in 336 BC at the age of 20, and spent most of his ruling years conducting a lengthy military campaign throughout Western Asia and Egypt. [234], Alexander married three times: Roxana, daughter of the Sogdian nobleman Oxyartes of Bactria,[235][236][237] out of love;[238] and the Persian princesses Stateira and Parysatis, the former a daughter of Darius III and the latter a daughter of Artaxerxes III, for political reasons. Attalus also had severely insulted Alexander, and following Cleopatra's murder, Alexander may have considered him too dangerous to be left alive. Leycester Coltman, The Real Fidel Castro, p 220. Gaugamela would be the final and decisive encounter between the two. [116] However, the lion was also the symbolic animal of the Anatolian god Sandas, worshipped at Tarsus. [61] While the other cities again hesitated, Thebes decided to fight. [149][181], Perdiccas initially did not claim power, instead suggesting that Roxane's baby would be king, if male; with himself, Craterus, Leonnatus, and Antipater as guardians. He ascended the throne around age twenty. [135] Alexander reached Susa in 324 BC, but not before losing many men to the harsh desert. [309] The majority of modern researchers of the Quran as well as Islamic commentators identify Dhu al-Qarnayn as Alexander the Great. The cosmopolitan art and mythology of Gandhara (a region spanning the upper confluence of the Indus, Swat and Kabul rivers in modern Pakistan) of the ~3rd century BC to the ~5th century AD are most evident of the direct contact between Hellenistic civilization and South Asia, as are the Edicts of Ashoka, which directly mention the Greeks within Ashoka's dominion as converting to Buddhism and the reception of Buddhist emissaries by Ashoka's contemporaries in the Hellenistic world. Around AD 200, Emperor Septimius Severus closed Alexander's tomb to the public. The wine that was served could have had higher alcoholic content compared with vintages today. By contrast, the Persian infantry was stationed behind its cavalry. Persian coins continued to circulate in all the satrapies of the empire.[119]. Diodorus, Plutarch, Arrian and Justin all mentioned the theory that Alexander was poisoned. He developed a life-long love of reading and music. He succeeded his father Philip II to the throne in 336 BC at the age of 20, and spent most of his ruling years conducting a lengthy military campaign throughout Western Asia . [77], Egypt was only one of a large number of territories taken by Alexander from the Persians. This alternate route turned out to be . [264] An inscription from the temple, now housed in the British Museum, declares: "King Alexander dedicated [this temple] to Athena Polias. Alexander himself took selected troops on the direct route to the city. Behind Tomb Connected to Alexander the Great, Intrigue Worthy of "Game Alexander immediately headed south. [9][10] He was the son of the erstwhile king of Macedon, Philip II, and his fourth wife, Olympias (daughter of Neoptolemus I, king of Epirus). Personal relationships of Alexander the Great, List of cities founded by Alexander the Great, Cultural depictions of Alexander the Great, Italian campaign of the French Revolutionary Wars, Chronology of European exploration of Asia, Theories about Alexander the Great in the Quran, List of biblical figures identified in extra-biblical sources, "The Project Gutenberg eBook of Anabasis of Alexander, by Arrian", contemporary Babylonian account of the battle of Gaugamela, "a contemporary account of the battle of Gaugamela", "The Anabasis of Alexander; or, The history of the wars and conquests of Alexander the Great. [191] This was due to use of terrain, phalanx and cavalry tactics, bold strategy, and the fierce loyalty of his troops. . This star symbol with sixteen rays is the national Macedonian royal symbol of Phillip of Macedon, Alexander the Great, and the ancient Macedonian Empire. Starting from Amphipolis, he travelled east into the country of the "Independent Thracians"; and at Mount Haemus, the Macedonian army attacked and defeated the Thracian forces manning the heights. [233] Thus, rather than megalomania, his behaviour may have been a practical attempt at strengthening his rule and keeping his empire together. [83] Darius once more fled the field, and Alexander chased him as far as Arbela. [276] The resulting syncretism known as Greco-Buddhism influenced the development of Buddhism[277] and created a culture of Greco-Buddhist art. This cost him the sympathies of many of his countrymen, and he eventually abandoned it. According to Diodorus, Alexander's last plans called for military expansion into the southern and western Mediterranean, monumental constructions, and the intermixing of Eastern and Western populations. Gordian knot | proverbial term | Britannica [124] Alexander was impressed by Porus's bravery, and made him an ally. [103], In 329 BC, Spitamenes, who held an undefined position in the satrapy of Sogdiana, betrayed Bessus to Ptolemy, one of Alexander's trusted companions, and Bessus was executed. The visionary leadership of Alexander the Great - Medium

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