Alexander The Great As One Of The Greatest Military Leaders Of The Time

Imagine your life starting at 16 learning about warfare tactics, 20 becoming a king and finally 23 becoming the dominant force in the history of the world. Alexander the Great was born at Pella, Greece in 356 B.C.E. He was Phillip II, Olympias’s son. They lived in Macedonia and Greece. Phillip Freeman mentions important elements in Macedonia’s landscape in his novel, “Alexander The Great”. According to Freeman, “viewed by above, Macedonia’s land is a large bowl tipping into Aegean Water.” To its west, north, and south are tall mountains that have been submerged by rivers in plains …”.

Alexander was a fast-growing teenager in his early years. Aristotle, his teacher, was one of his greatest influences. Aristotle was one among the most influential greek philosophy of his time. Alexander was taught literature, philosophy, and science by Aristotle. Alexander was very intelligent, thanks to Aristotle’s help. Later, some of his strategies for war will show how smart he was. Alexander was only 16 when Phillip II, Alexander’s father, taught the war to him. Alexander quickly rose to prominence as a great warrior, leading Greece to numerous victories and glories. He is known for his prestigious nature which led him to many victories. At 16 years old, his first battle was at Chaeronea with his father king Phillp I in August 338 B.C.E. This was the place they secured victory against Thebes’ forces and those from Athens. This victory had “Macedon control of Greece”. Unfortunately, his relationship with his father ended quickly by 336 B.C.E. Phillip II was fatally wounded by one his royal bodyguards. Phillip Freeman writes that Phillip II was fatally wounded in his heart when one of his royal bodyguards hit him in the chest. Alexander the Great assumed the legacy of his father’s death and grew his army to be even more powerful. He continued his march eastward and won many more battles. The Battle of Granicus took place between 334 B.C.E. Alexander’s willingness was to obey his father’s orders and bring down the Persian empire. Alexander led his troops to the Persians while he was still in front. Many of the soldiers had to battle across rivers that were steeped and rocky. This proved challenging for many. Alexander’s army continued pushing, and soon the Persians started to retreat. The Macedonians ultimately defeated the Persian army at the end. Although it was difficult for Alexander to believe, he now has control of all Persian cities on the Aegean. Alexander became aware of the Persian navy’s potential to defeat him and all his men. The Greek culture taught soldiers to never give in to defeat and to die fighting for their cause. Alexander and his troops were shown this because Alexander found a way to solve problems, which was another aspect of strategic military techniques. Alexander’s strategy in the battle against the Persian’s was “…to simply blockade the harbor and prevent the Persian ships from bringing their troops to shore. This will eventually lead to Alexander’s surrender. Alexander continued to conquer more states in order to expand his empire. He moved on to Egypt and discovered Alexandria, a city near him. The Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander’s final encounter with his Persian foe, was also where he found Alexandria. According to “Beginning of Alexander’s Empire”, it is called “The Battle of Gaugamela” by historians. It ended two centuries of Persian rule over Asia. Alexander and his fellow greek-speaking men are believed to have willingly died for the sake of their state. Alexander the Great, a brave, persistent, and brilliant warrior, was still remembered. His empire was ended with his death on June 13, 323 B.C.E. According to some, he fell ill from malaria and was unable to return home. Alexander’s empire quickly fell because of these events. Even more important, Alexander the Great’s gift to Greece was something that is unheard of in history. His record of being the youngest ruler to conquer consecutive years is still a testament to his greatness. In fact, he was able to conquer the empires of Greece and the Arabian gulf in a relatively short time. His successes in war and his creation of an army are still a significant part of history because it is the legacy of the power he lost and the relic he left. Rooney, who is quoting the primary source, Alexander the Great, mentions that he was a great tactician. He was unrivalled in terms of direct leadership during battles, the development of new weapons for sieges and battles, as well as the control and movement of troops. According to the author, Alexander The Great’s ability and organization to create such a powerful, organized, and well trained army is evidence of his stature as one of greatest military leaders.