WHY IS 'ALEXANDER THE GREAT'?

Alexander the Great  was the king of Macedonia (336-323 bce). He overthrew the Persian Empire, carried Macedonian arms to India, and laid the foundations for the Hellenistic world of territorial kingdoms. He later became the hero of a full-scale legend bearing only the sketchiest resemblance to his historical career.

Alexander conquered the countries including Anatolia, Syria, Phoenicia, Judea, Gaza, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia and Bactria and extended the boundaries of his own empire as far as Taxila and the present Pakistan. The title Alexander the Great was inherited by Alexander III when he conquered the Persian Empire and the epithet eventually became personally associated with him. In 15 years of conquest Alexander never lost a battle.

Some notable things in the life of Alexander are, he was taught by Aristotle. He named more than 70 cities after himself and one after his horse. When Alexander met his future wife Roxanne, it was love at first sight. Alexander even smelled great. After defeating the Persians, Alexander started dressing like them. In 323 BC, Alexander fell ill after downing a bowl of wine at a party. Two weeks later, the 32 years old ruler was dead. Given that Alexander's father had been murdered by his own bodyguard, suspicion fell on those surrounding Alexander, most notably his general Antipater and Antipater's son Cassander (who would eventually order the murders of Alexander's widow and son.) Alexander's body was preserved in a vat of honey. (After two years it was sent to Ptolemy which later might have destroyed)

Alexander had a field army between 32,000 and 47,000. In the Persian war alone over 50,000 Persians lost lives while only around 1,000 Greek soldiers died. Such huge number of people might have died in all other wars too. When Alexander had captured so many other countries, took possession of their wealth and killed innumerable number of people why the history address him Alexander the Great? The answer is simple, because he was Alexander the Great.

(Indebted to the article by Frank W.Walbank, Rathbone Professor Emeritus of Ancient History and  Classical Archeology, University of Liverpool.)

KV George

kvgeorgein@gmail.com