website summary

Alexander Website Summary
Josh Rathbun

Original Site: History of Western Civilization - Alexander the Great


I. Philip of Macedon
1. Became king of Macedon at age 25 in the year 359 B.C.
2. Blended infantry with cavalry and invented the Macedonian phalanx
II. Philip's conquest of Greece
1. Battle of Chaeronea, Phillip defeats a combined Greek force
2. Phillip dies in 336, stabbed at a wedding
III. Alexander (Education and Character)
1. Tutored by Aristotle
2. “Bundle of contradictions and extremes”
IV. The Macedonian Army
1. Phalanx, heavy cavalry and Cretan archers
2. Alexander lead troops into battle
V. Asian Minor
1. Troy visit, Gordian knot
2. Defeats Persian satrap at the Granicus River
VI. Battle of Issus
1. 30,000 Greeks against 100,000 Persinas
2. Darius flees from Alexander and the Persian army collapses
VII. Siege of Tyre
1. Tyre said to be impenetrable
2. Alexander’s me build a “mole” and captured the city after 7 months
VIII. Egypt
1. Egyptians welcomed Alexander, glad to be free of the Persians
2. Visit’s the priest of Ammon at Siwah, declared to be son of Zeus
IX. Gaugamela
1. Alexander’s lesser force defeats Darius again with a charge on Darius himself
2. Alexander now rules the Persian empire, Darius found dead in 330 B.C.
X Iran and Afghanistan
1. Alexander adopts Persian dress, Easterners appointed as officers
2. Campaigns for 2 years in Afghanistan, wants to go across Hindu Kush
XI. India
1. Encounters war elephants, defeats Porus
2. Finally, the men refuse to go further East, Alexander stats back towards Persia
XII. Organization of Empire
1. Unites people of his empire through common currency, language
2. Begins plans for another campaign to Arabia
XIII. Alexander's Death
1. Weakened from wounds and a fever, dies June 13 323 B.C.
2. Buried in Alexandria, Egypt
XIV. After Alexander
1. Empire divided up between his Generals
2. Egypt goes to Ptolemy
XV. Legends
1. Appear in 80 languages, from Iceland to Malaya
2. Taming of Bucephalus
XVI. Conclusion
1. Hellenistic Period
2. End of the Persian threat from the east