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

Imagine your 16-year-old life learning war tactics and then being elevated to the throne at 20. Finally, at 23 you will have your own dominant force which is the greatest in history. 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 him, “viewed above, the Macedonian land is a great box tipping into Aegean Sea.” 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 just 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 father’s relationship ended with him by 336 B.C.E. Phillip II was fatally wounded by one his royal bodyguards. Phillip Freeman writes that Phillip II was stabbed in the heart by one of his royal bodyguards. Alexander the Great assumed the legacy and troops of his father’s death. He continued his march eastward and won many more battles. The Battle of Granicus was one example. It 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 of them. Many of the soldiers had to battle across rivers that were steeped and rocky. This proved challenging for them. Alexander’s army continued pushing, and soon the Persians started to retreat. The Macedonians ultimately defeated the Persians in the final battle. Although it was difficult to believe, Alexander now controls all Persian cities that lie along the Aegean. Alexander became aware of the Persian navy’s potential to defeat him and all his men. The Greek culture taught soldiers to be strong and noble soldiers, and never to give up. Alexander and his soldiers were depicted this way because Alexander always found a solution that was another aspect of his strategic military tactics. Alexander’s strategy in the battle against the Persian’s was “…to simply blockade harbor so Persian ships could not bring their soldiers ashore. This will eventually lead to Alexander’s surrender. Alexander kept going, conquering more states to expand his empire. Alexander continued on towards Egypt, eventually finding Alexandria, a nearby city. The Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander’s final encounter with his Persian opponent, was also where he found Alexandria. According to “Beginning of Alexander’s Empire”, it is mentioned that “some historians have called the Battle of Gaugamela one of the most important battles of antiquity.” 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 an extraordinary piece of 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 achievements in war and the creation his army are still significant to history because they reflect the power and relic that he left. Rooney states that Alexander the Great was an exceptional tactician. Rooney refers to him as being a leader in battle, the development of new weapons, both for sieges but also for battles, as well the control and movement of troops. The author states that Alexander’s ability to create an organized, well-trained, and strong army was a sign of his greatness as a military leader.