Alexander the…(Nikita)
Unless the webster's dictionary definition of great has changed to: Burning innocent cities, conquering 44% of the ancients world's population, and enslaving people who who didn’t have common beliefs with you. Then sure, Alexander was great! But as far as I’m concerned, Alexander’s greatness was non-existent.
The Legend of the Hat Band
1 “Alexander was himself steering the trireme [a warship with oars], when a strong gust of wind fell on his broad-brimmed Macedonian hat, and the band that encircled it. The hat, being rather heavy, fell into the water. However, the band was carried along by the wind, and was caught by one of the reeds growing near the tomb of one of the ancient kings…[O]ne of the sailors swam off towards the band and snatched it from the reed. But he did not carry it in his hands because it would get wet while he was swimming. He therefore put it around his own head and brought it to the king. Most of the biographers of Alexander say that the king gave him a talent* as a reward for his zeal. Then ordered his head to be cut off [because] the prophets had explained that...he should not allow the head that had worn the royal head band to be safe. *More than $10,000”
If you ask me, decapitation isn’t the best way to go through life. Alexander decapitated a person who was trying to help, I repeat help him, and wasted $10,000, all because of the prophets reasoning, not his own. While doing so, he probably aggravated his people and the other sailors aboard the ship.
2 Even though at Alexander’s death, he had conquered over 200,000 square miles of land. He was indeed ruthless in doing so. 3 He burned the innocent city of Tyre for no good reason. Alexander and his soldiers ranged through the city on a manhunt, 7,000 Tyrians died thanks to Alexander. The 30,000 that survived...well they were enslaved.
Let me ask you, does Alexander deserve the title of great? Do those textbooks speak the truth of all Alexander’s accomplishments?
1Source: The Legend of the Hat Band, Ian Worthington, Alexander the Great: Man and God, Longman, 2004. 2 Chart of Alexander’s Legacy 3 Peter Green, Alexander of Macedon, University of California Press, 1991.
