Historians would always say, “Is Alexander great or just bad?” I feel like it’s already explanatory by itself, I mean even by his name is that he is really that great. Sure, some people said that he is really ambitious and greedy but doesn’t anyone want to rule the whole world or name a city after their name. I’m pretty sure a majority of the people wants what he wants. And if he was really that ambitious, he would have kept going all around the world,
but he stopped, apparently from being
too afraid of elephants.1
You gotta give him a break though, cause he respects every religion and everybody. You have to give him some respect to that. Cause without him, India, Greece, and Egypt wouldn’t be together. He worked so hard to respect every religion so everybody would like him. That may sound like a bad thing, but if you want to rule the whole world, it’s gonna be hard to be heard as a leader if you don’t respect everybody, and everybody doesn’t like you. That is tough. What I loved about him was that he admired the Greeks so much. And I was so happy that he spread the religion everywhere.2
If he wasn’t great nobody would love him, but guess what?...... Everybody loved him! They loved him so much that when the Romans conquered, and took his land, they respected him a lot. The Romans admired the Greeks a lot because Alexander loved the Greeks a lot. The Romans even kept Greek literature and theater for 900 years.3 The big double zero!
My most favorite two stories of all time, about Alexander the Great, was The Legend of the Helmet and The Legend of the Hat Band. Even though it was considered a legend, I think it was true. The Legend of the Helmet is a standing ovation of what he admirably did. He was so thirsty and the soldiers were too, but the soldiers carried a bunch of water for only Alexander. But Alexander threw the water on the ground and said that the water was as good as a drink for every man in the army…..5 BRAVO *clap, clap, clap
The Legend of the Hat Band on the other hand, it was brutal but had to be brutal and not because of Alexander just saying before you complain and give me proof that he is “evil”. When the famous hat band was stuck on a root, one of Alexander’s brave soldier took the hat band and didn’t want it to get wet by holding it, so wore it on its head. When the soldier returned, Alexander was so thankful he gave $10,000 to the soldier. But had to cut the soldier’s head off, BECAUSE the prophet said no other man should wear it so it had to be done by the prophet.6
Which in that case I have nothing else to say cause with what I have told you is good enough but yet to say again, ALEXANDER IS GREAT! (Or even AMAZING!)
1. Alexander’s Battle Against Porus- Lucius Flavius Arrianus
2.History Alive!- textbook p. 292
3.Chart of Alexander’s Legacy- various sources
4.The Legend of the Helmet- Lucius Flavius Arrianus
5.The Legend of the Hat Band- Ian Worthington
