Outline of John J. Popovic’s Webpage:

ALEXANDER THE GREAT: FROM HISTORY TO ETERNITY
by bdtyson

Part 1: From Birth to Asia Minor
I. Alexander’s Origins
A. Alexandros III Philippou Makedonon (Alexander the Great, Alexander III of Macedon) (356-323 B.C.).
B. Born to King Philip and Olympias
C. A handsome youth
1. Arrian describes Alexander: the strong, handsome commander with one eye dark as the night and one blue as the sky, always leading his army on his faithful Bucephalus.
2. He is described as of an athletic frame, though not taller than the common, and a white and ruddy complexion.

II. Alexander as Prince
A. Attributes
1. Alexander was fearless and strong
2. Prince Alexander was even more ambitious than his father
3. Alexander knew the Iliad by heart. He loved Homer
B. Education
1. Alexander from age 13 to 16, together with the other boys belonging to the Macedonian aristocracy, was taught by Aristotle at the Mieza temple
2. Greek philosopher himself who introduced them to the world of arts and sciences
3. Also very schooled in art and war.

III. Alexander as Prince Regent
A. During Philip's expedition against Byzantium in 340, Alexander, then sixteen years old was left in Macedonia
B. Alexander at this time was not idle
1. He managed to subjugate the rebellious Maedi, a Thracian tribe.
2. Founded a new city, Alexandropolis.

IV. Philip’s Kingdom
A. At the battle of Chaeronea Philip defeated the allied Greek states of the Sacred Band of Thebes in September 338 BC
1. Alexander demonstrated personal courage in breaking the Band
B. The prospect of conquering the Persian empire had become more realistic than in 346: Artaxerxes III had died in 338, and the new king was the much weaker Darius II
C. At the Council of Corinth, Philip imposed his political system on the Greek states (with exception of Sparta); Philip gave freedom and autonomy to all the political parties in each polis, establishing an administrative system that would be stable and loyal to him.
D. War on Persia
1. with the support of almost all Greece, Philip declared war on Persia in 337

V. Philip’s Death
A. Philip was assassinated by his officer Pausanias during the celebration of his daughter's wedding to Olympias' brother, Alexander of Epirus, in July 336.
B. Alexander was immediately presented to the army as the new king of Macedon
1. Alexander at once executed all those who were alleged to be behind Philip's murder along with all possible rivals and the whole faction opposed to him.

VI. Alexander, Stategos Autocrater of All Helenes
A. Alexander marched south, pacified Thessaly
B. On his return to Macedonia by way of Delphi, the Pythian priestess acclaimed him as invincible
C. Continuing local pacification
1. He started with blitz campaigns against the Triballi and Ilyrians
2 He marched into Thrace in Spring 335
3. Crossed the Danube to subjugate the Getae and Celtic tribes
4. Shattered a coalition of Illyrians who had invaded Macedonia
5. He took his army over the Danube and burnt a settlement of the Getae upon the other side
D. Athens and Thebes Revolt
1. By a forced march Alex. took the Thebans completely by surprise
2. When the Thebans refused to surrender, there were to be no half-measures
3. spared only the temples and the poet Pindar's house; 6,000 were killed and 30,000 survivors

VII. Beginnings of Alexander’s invasion of Persia
A. Motives
1. The reason for the invasion of Asia was to liberate the Greek cities taken by the Persians some years before.
2. Alexander wanted to prove how powerful he was
B. In to Persia
1. In the spring of 334, Alexander crossed the Dardanelles,(i.e. Hellespont), with an army of 30,000 men
2. Alexander himself commanded about 30,000 foot soldiers and over 5,000 cavalry
3. The army was accompanied by explorers, engineers, architects, scientists, court officials and historians.

VIII Battle of the Granicus, and the domination of Asia Minor.
A. The Persian force was led by three satraps
1. The Persians greatly outnumbered the Macedonians
B. The Battle
1. The Persian’s plan was to draw Alexander over the river, surround him, then kill him.
2. The plan failed, Alexander won the battle with his cavalry charge.
C. The victory at the Granicus opened up Asia Minor to the Macedonian Army, and Alexander went and secured other panhellenic cities.
1. He first went to take possession of the old Lydian capital Sardis, the headquarters of the Persian government on this side of the Taurus.
2. Alexander took control of Miletus when it didn’t open it’s gates.
D. Alexander makes the decision to abandon his navy and concentrate on taking all of Persia my land.
E. Alexander conquered western part of Asia Minor in winter 334-333
F. In Gordion, Alexander supposedly cuts loose the Gordion Knot.
G. The Persian commander Memnon dies in 333.
1. The Persian King Darius takes personal command of the army
2. Darius marches from Persepolis toward Alexander’s army.