CONQUEST OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE LEGACY OF HIS EMPIRE

Conquest of Alexander the Great and the Legacy of his Empire

Conquests of Alexander the Great

Almost since the birth of Alexander in 356, Macedonia is prepared for a military career. When Alexander grew up, Philip II invited the philosopher Aristotle, who was to teach the youth the logic and knowledge of life. Alexander became interested in natural sciences, and learned the theory and practice of medicine. Alexander was so serious in education that Philip, going to another war, left his son to replace itself in the Macedonian throne. In 338 BC Alexander took over the command of the left wing of the Macedonian army at the Battle, where the Macedonians defeated the allied Greek states. After the death of Philip ascended to the throne of Macedonia, 20-year-old Alexander, has the experience, which would be enough and the governor twice older than him.

In the spring of 334 BC, Greco-Macedonian army crossed the Hellespont. It was small, but well organized: there were 30 thousand infantry and five thousand horsemen. The bulk of the infantry were heavily armed by teh Macedonian phalanx, the Greek allies and mercenaries. Teh heterosexual and several thousand infantry Alexander left in Macedonia, under the command of one of the greatest generals of the older generation, Antipater. Teh first encounter with the enemy took place near the Hellespont, on the river Granicus in May 334 BC. e. It played a decisive role Macedonian cavalry. Captured Greek mercenaries in the service of the Persians (about two thousand), Alexander enslaved and sent to Macedonia, the Greeks, who were on the Persian service of the Corinthian Congress were declared traitors to the cause. The victory at Granicus made possible further progress along the coast of Asia Minor (Fischer, 2004).

Most of the Greek city-states voluntarily submitted to the Macedonians, but there were exceptions, particularly for the stubbornly resisted Miletus and Halicarnassus. Teh exterior orientation of Greek cities in Asia Minor was the determined struggle of parties in these cities, and the presence or absence of the Persian forces and Greek mercenaries. Mercenaries have provided troops Alexander, gradually resulting in successful campaign Macedonian army. Teh Greek mercenaries realized that they serve as the Macedonian king profitable than fighting against it. According to teh governance in Asia Minor, Alexander, guided primarily by tactical considerations, pursued a "liberation" policy, restoring them to the democratic system and expelling Persian puppets. However, the freedom policies in Asia Minor was even dimmer than in Greece, as a rule, and exempted Anatolian policies not even included in the union of Corinth.

The conquest of Asia Minor was reduced mainly to capture the coast, the main military and trade routes and establishing total control over the local administration and finance. Through mountain and passes, the armies of Alexander moved to North Syria. There, a meeting with the Persians, and the new major battle took place in the autumn 333 BC. The position of the Persian troops, which were headed by Darius himself, was ...