It is time to look at a blast from the past! Ever heard of Alexander the Great? He was a man that, starting at the age of 20, ruled an empire.1 Now THAT is pretty great in my opinion.
Now, before we go on, I want to give you some background info from “Mini Q: How Great Was Alexander The Great” to give you an idea on how “great” this guy actually was.
He:
- Reigned an empire over 2,000,000 square miles of land.2
- Honored everyone’s cultures and beliefs that he had conquered.3
- Helped rebuild towns that were destroyed.3
- Was concerned of others (which I will talk about soon)
- And, last but not least, he was a leader people could admire and look up to.
But Alexander was not all that great. He also:
- Was ambitious
- Murdered 100 thousand men in four major battles.2
- Burned towns to the ground if they did not surrender.3
So pick a side. Is he Alexander the Great, or the Not-So Great? Once you have, please go on reading.
After conquering the Persian empire, which was the largest and most powerful empire in the ancient world, Alexander the Great was definitely superior.1 His empire went from Egypt all the way to India.1 Alexander the Great was an absolute god!
Alexander was also caring in many ways. It was shown by, “The Legend of The Helmet,” by Lacius Flavius Arrianus. In the story, the men were traveling through a desert, when they stopped and searched for water. The found very little, so gave it to Alexander. But his act was very shocking.
“Alexander, with a word of thanks for the gift, took the helmet and...poured the water on the ground.” (Legend Of The Helmet, 257)
Isn’t this guy the full package? He is powerful, caring, intelligent, and a “great” leader!
Flash forward three centuries from Alexander’s time. A military commander named Julius Caesar encountered a statue of Alexander the Great, and had been said to have wept, from accomplishing so much at a very young age.1
Flash forward three centuries from Alexander’s time. A military commander named Julius Caesar encountered a statue of Alexander the Great, and had been said to have wept, from accomplishing so much at a very young age.1
Good job, Alex. You’ve made us proud.
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1:How Great Was Alexander the Great?, The DBQ project: Alexander Mini-Q
2:Chart of Alexander’s legacy, compiled from various sources
3:History Alive!: The Ancient World, Pages 290-294
