Alexander the Great is one of the greatest conquerors in history. In just 11 years (334-323 BC) he changed the world. But only the charisma and talent of a commander would not be enough for this

How Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) managed to accomplish the impossible in a few years - create greatest empire ancient world? There are many answers to this question, and over time there are more and more hypotheses, assumptions and theories. The Munich Archaeological Collection dedicated the exhibition “Alexander the Great - Ruler of the World” to the personality of the ancient commander, examining the phenomenon of Alexander from a biographical point of view. The exhibition consists of ten parts and shows life path ruler and commander, starting from his youth at the Macedonian court in Pele and ending with the mythological image that developed after death - the image forever young hero, a great leader whom many were inclined to deify.

For this exhibition, the gallery in Rosenheim (Lokschuppen Rosenheim) brought together 450 objects from German and European collections that give an idea of ​​the conditions in which Alexander the Great and his army found themselves during their campaigns to the east. The exhibition catalog, in addition to describing the exhibits, gives short review points of view existing in modern scientific circles, from which we can identify ten reasons why Alexander became truly Great.

Origin

Alexander was the son of the Macedonian king Philip II and the daughter of the Epirus king Olympias. His father, who initially ascended the throne as the guardian of his young nephew, was a talented commander and cautious politician who managed to strengthen Macedonia and make it the center of Hellas. Alexander's mother, the power-hungry and despotic Olympias, had big influence to his childhood. On both his paternal and maternal lines, Alexander was a descendant of Hercules and Perseus, greatest heroes ancient greek myths. They became an example for him.

Upbringing

Despite the fact that, in addition to Olympias, Philip II had other wives, Alexander received an education worthy of an heir to the throne. Together with his friends from aristocratic families, he studied with Aristotle, who at that time was not as famous as he later became. In addition, Philip II took his son with him on campaigns. At the Battle of Chaeronea (338 BC) against the combined army of the Greek city-states, Alexander commanded the cavalry, whose charge secured victory for the Macedonians.

Army

When Philip II was assassinated in 336, his troops were in Asia Minor to repel the Persian army. More than two decades of military campaigns of Philip II made his army an impressive force: six regiments of heavy infantry - 9,000 warriors armed with long spears; 3000 hypaspists, also with long spears, but more maneuverable; 6000 lightly armed soldiers; 1200 getairs (heavy cavalry), guards and 600 scouts. In addition, Philip II's army included 7,000 Greek hoplites, many mercenaries and several thousand horsemen.

Commander's Talent

Alexander was exactly the person who was able to properly dispose of this army. The huge, clumsy Persian army had no chance against the Macedonians. During the Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander, discovering that the Persians had covered the battlefield with spikes against the cavalry, made a tactical maneuver that forced the enemy army to split, after which the Macedonian cavalry, having avoided the spikes, attacked the Persian king's position. In addition, Alexander could trust his generals and his army, which followed him to the ends of the earth.

Pragmatism

However, it was not the army that made Alexander the Great the ruler of the world, but, above all, his politics. His power was based not on dogma, but on a sober analysis of existing conditions and on the search for practical solutions. It was precisely for practical reasons that Alexander adopted much of the management system of the Persian Empire.

First of all, Alexander refused to turn Asia into a province of the Macedonian-Greek empire. Instead, he brought the local nobility closer to his court, for whom he secured places in the army and government. Unlike his predecessors, Alexander treated the inhabitants of the conquered lands not as a conqueror, but as the legitimate ruler of their state, respecting their traditions.

Ruthlessness

Whether Alexander was generous only out of calculation or not, he was merciless towards those who resisted him. When Thebes and Athens rebelled against him soon after his accession to the throne, Alexander not only destroyed the armies of these cities, but also wiped Thebes off the face of the earth. The Phoenician city of Tire, which was located on a rocky island and was considered impregnable, refused to submit, but after a seven-month siege it was taken and then destroyed.

The commander Parmenion and his son Philotas were executed. Alexander killed his friend Cleitus, who saved his life during the battle on the Granik River, with his own hands, because he opposed the borrowing oriental customs. Some consider the return of the Macedonian army through the deserts of Gedrosia, which cost the lives of 45 thousand soldiers, as punishment for the riot on the banks of Hypasus.

City building

Alexander founded more than twenty cities in the territory from Egypt to India, they were inhabited by veterans and local residents. These cities were supposed to become not only strongholds for the army, but also centers Greek culture. Alexandria of Egypt was the most famous of them - one of the centers of trade and science of the ancient world. This and other cities founded by Alexander became a kind of connecting link between East and West.

Development of sciences

Like Napoleon two millennia after him, Alexander kept a large staff of scientists with him. Thus, his campaign also became a large-scale expedition, the goal of which was to reach the end of the world. In order to pave the route from the Indus to the Euphrates, entire flotillas were built. Scientists and philosophers explored and described Asia. The court chronicler Callisthenes, Aristotle's grandnephew, made sure that the world knew about the discoveries made during the campaign. However, Callisthenes ultimately fell out of favor because he resisted the introduction of Persian customs at court (namely the tradition of prostrating before the ruler), and was subsequently executed for his alleged participation in the conspiracy.

Deification

After founding the city in the Nile Delta, Alexander visited the oasis of Siwa in the desert, where the oracle of the god Amun greeted him, calling him “son of the deity,” which befitted him as the new ruler of Egypt. This fact only strengthened his conviction to follow the path of Hercules. In addition, as the ruler of a huge empire, Alexander was automatically classified as a cult figure. In the cities he founded, he was also given honor on a par with the gods. The literally superhuman desire to unite Europe and Asia, which possessed him in the last months of his life, suggests that in the end he himself perceived himself more as an almost divine person than as a mere mortal.

Pursuit

“Passionate desire,” ancient authors wrote when they tried to characterize the motive of Alexander the Great. In fact, it was an all-consuming desire that forced him to imitate the heroes of antiquity, especially Achilles. Alexander wanted to prove that he was one of these heroes, but not in legends, but in reality. He took a fortress in northern Iran only because it was said that Hercules had failed in its siege. From the Indus he wanted to reach the Ganges in order to reach the borders of the lands developed by people there. His troops were ready to capture the Arabian Peninsula, and after him Carthage, but the death of the great commander prevented these plans from coming true. However, “passionate desire” still helped Alexander realize his dream: no one else created such a huge empire.

Alexander the Great, a brief biography of the king of Macedonia and the majestic commander, is presented in this article.

Alexander the Great short biography

Macedonian was born in June 323 BC. in the city of Pella in the family of the Macedonian king Philip II. He was the second child, but his brother Philip III was imbeciled.

He studied with his relatives in Mieza, according to the then established tradition. When he was 13 years old, Aristotle became his teacher. Alexander was taught ethics, politics, philosophy, literature, medicine and poetics.

At the age of 16, his father first entrusted him with the reins of government. Philip II set off at this time to conquer Byzantium. There was an uprising of the Thracian tribes in their homeland. But the young Macedonian managed to suppress it, proving himself to be a successful commander. Two years later, he already commanded an army at the Battle of Chaeronea. King Philip II was assassinated in 336 BC. and Alexander was proclaimed king.

Campaigns of the Macedonian

Immediately after coming to power, the ruler destroys the enemies of his father, abolishes taxes, suppresses the Thracian barbarian tribes, and restores power in Greece.

Alexander the Great made his first great campaign against Persia. In 334 BC. he established his power in almost all of Asia Minor and glorified himself as the greatest conqueror and commander. Phenicia, Syria, Caria and the countries of the Middle East surrendered to him practically without a fight. During the campaign in Egypt, local residents accepted the Macedonian as a new Deity. The king founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt in his honor.

The second campaign against Persia was marked by the conquest of Susa, Persepolis and Babylon, which became the new capital of a powerful united power. Alexander the Great became King of Asia.

In 326 BC. the ruler made a campaign against India. He managed to conquer the territory of modern Pakistan and capture the tribes he met along the way. When the army crossed the Indus River, it went on strike, refusing to go further. Macedonian was forced to turn back after 10 years of triumphant advance deep into the continent.

When the period of wars in the life of Macedonian ended, he took up the management of the conquered lands. He carried out several reforms, mainly military.

Back in 323 BC. the ruler planned a campaign on the Arabian Peninsula with the aim of conquering Carthage. A couple of months before the start of the campaign, Alexander the Great fell ill with malaria (according to another version, he was poisoned). He did not get out of bed for several months, staying at home in Babylon. In June, he lost his speech and developed a fever. 10 days later, June 10, 323 BC. The commander and great king Alexander the Great died at the age of 32.

In historical science, the ancient period occupies a special place. This is due to the noticeable influence of his culture on all subsequent ones. It was he who became the cradle European civilization. The achievements of those times can amaze even the most inveterate skeptic. They are so diverse that they cover almost all areas human life. At the same time, these successes can be assessed mainly by the deeds of great people.

One of such outstanding personalities of this period of time, the most famous of his contemporaries, can be called Alexander the Great. This man managed to create the greatest empire that occupied most of the civilized world. The conquests of the great commander had a colossal influence on the historical path of both the West and the East. In order to appreciate all his accomplishments, you should devote enough time and attention to the issue.

Alexander the Great: biography of a talented commander

How this ruler, whom his descendants know, remember and honor, managed to create the largest empire of the entire ancient world in just a few years, scientists do not understand even today. When understanding who Alexander the Great is, it is worth knowing that there are more and more theories and hypotheses in the world every year. Every assumption has the right to life, but in most cases you have to deal with annoying miscalculations in ideas modern people about life in antiquity. It is worth trying to find the truth and separate the “wheat from the chaff.”

In 2013, the Munich Archaeological Assembly organized an exhibition dedicated to biographical information about the ancient commander entitled Alexander der Große - der Herrscher der Welt (“Alexander the Great - Lord of the World”). It was held in the famous Lokschuppen Rosenheim gallery in Germany. More than four hundred exhibits relating to the life of the brilliant military leader were collected there.

Characteristics of a historical person

Before delving into the biography and everyday details of life, let's briefly outline what Alexander the Great did and what he is known for to earn fame and people's memory. Home distinctive feature this person is considered to be "victorious". Even with the enemy's maximum numerical superiority, his army still won the battle. All this is thanks to the intelligence, ingenuity, natural ability for analytical thinking and the special gift of foreseeing the development of events of the one who was in charge.

Alexander managed to conquer Phenicia and Syria, Egypt and Palestine, after which he made the ancient Sumerian city of Babylon his capital. He achieved true greatness, and his tactical schemes and strategic thoughts are now studied in military academies around the world. Macedonsky's achievements were successfully used by the notorious Cardinal Richelieu during the siege of the La Rochelle fortress in the seventeenth century. However, the lives of heroes often end suddenly, and the commander, nicknamed the Great, never lived to see old age.

Birth and childhood of Alexander

From the very foundation of Ancient Macedonia, the country was ruled by a single dynasty - the Argeads, which, according to ancient historians, belonged to the Heraclids. Alexander is also included in this aristocratic family. Legend has it that back in the seventh century BC, Temenid Karan (an eleventh-generation descendant of the hero) or his son Perdiccas decided to move from the Peloponnese further north.

There they built a new kingdom, the ruling dynasty of which came from the latter’s son, Argeus. In ancient times, Macedonia was a tiny and weak state that suffered greatly from Greek expansion and regular attacks by the Thracians. They spoke one of the dialects of the Greek language there, but the Greeks themselves did not consider their neighbors “brothers.” They called them barbarians and savages.

They often did not really act like civilized people. The grandfather of the future commander, Amyntas III, seized power by killing his predecessor. Skillful political machinations helped him stay on the throne. His son Philip II (father of Alexander the Great) already had clearer ideas about governing the country. Therefore, he began to actively gather and arm an army, dealt with his neighbors from the north and began to conquer the Greek city-states one by one.

Philip took as his wife the daughter of the ruler of the Kingdom of Epirus, Neoptolemus I, a girl with beautiful name Olympics. According to various sources, she gave birth to a baby on the twentieth of July or the sixth of October, three hundred and fifty-six BC. The capital of the country is considered the birthplace of Alexander the Great - a beautiful and Big city Pella.

Interesting

There is a legend that on the birthday of the future ruler of the world, many signs occurred. Firstly, it was on this night that Herostratus, wanting to perpetuate his memory, set fire to the magnificent Temple of Artemis of Ephesus (one of the Seven Wonders of the World). Secondly, the guy’s father took the besieged city of Potidaea on that day. Thirdly, Philip was informed that his horse was the fastest at the Olympic Games.

It is believed that the mother's ancestor was ancient greek hero demigod Achilles. That is why the boy was called the son of the gods from childhood. He had only one full sister - the Epirus princess Cleopatra, but there were quite a lot of half-bloods on his father’s side. Dad was a loving man, married seven times and managed to live with all his wives at the same time. There was also a brother - Arriday. He could not lay claim to the throne, since he had dementia since childhood.

The Making of the King of the World

The boy's father was constantly at military training camps. Tom had to stay with his mother. The woman had a hot-tempered, difficult and jealous character, and she deeply despised her own husband. The guy’s first teacher was a relative of Olympias, Leonidas from Epirus, who taught him to read and write. He was strict but fair, so he became best friend Alexandru. He was taught gymnastics, counting, literature and music, geometry and the principles of philosophy. Later his father sent him to Mieza, where he taught him himself great philosopher Aristotle.

Around the same time (340–342 BC), Philip decided to recognize his eldest son as his successor. He recalled him from Miesa and installed him as regent in Pella, under the strict leadership of two great Macedonian military leaders - Parmenion and Antipater, and he himself went to conquer the Propontides. Meanwhile, the Med tribes rebelled. Without waiting for advice or parental help, the young man brilliantly coped with suppressing the rebellion. A new city, Alexandropol, was founded on the conquered territories.

In three hundred and thirty-six, at the wedding of his own daughter, Philip II was brutally stabbed to death by his own bodyguard. It was rumored that he had personal motives, but the story was dark. The real state of affairs remains unclear. After this unfortunate incident, the army, which had already seen the heir in action, unanimously proclaimed him king. Thus began the victorious years of the reign of Alexander the Great, who at that time was barely twenty.

Heroic campaigns of the young king: the history of the conquest of the world by Alexander the Great

Alexander decided to use the untimely death of his father, whom he never loved (perhaps because of his mother’s attitude towards him), to his advantage to suppress internal enemies. He brutally dealt with those he disliked: some were crucified on crosses, some were sent into exile, and some were simply killed without trial. On the quiet, the “good” mother destroyed the youngest of her late husband’s wives, and ordered her daughter to be drowned in a vat of hot oil. However, historians consider this story legendary.

To win over the people and aristocrats to his side, the young but wise military leader Alexander the Great came up with a cunning move. He canceled all taxes at once, despite the fact that the wind was literally blowing through the state treasury. Creditors demanded repayment of a debt of five hundred talents (approximately eight and a half tons) of silver, but he simply brushed it off.

Eastern Expedition: from Granik to Egypt

After the death of the old king, the Peloponnesians and Athenians rebelled. They even planned to expel the legions they had left behind to look after them. However, the new ruler quickly suppressed the uprisings and sent his regiments to conquer Persia, which was the dream of many rulers of that time. In the early spring of three hundred and thirty-four, the king set out for Asia, crossing the Hellespont (Bosphorus and Dardanelles), at the head of an army of forty thousand, the basis of which consisted of Macedonians. Having captured Halicarnassus, the troops moved further east, conquering more and more provinces and cities.

Realizing that the Macedonian was serious, the Persian king Darius the Third sent negotiators to the commander Alexander the Great with a peace proposal. He even promised him a ransom and promised to give him his daughter as his wife. But he turned out to be adamant and contemptuously rejected all the gifts. The victorious campaign turned out to be so effective that only Egypt remained unconquered on the southern side. However, there the Roman legions were greeted not with arrows and spears, but with honors as liberators. The locals sincerely hated the Persians who enslaved them, so they surrendered without a fight.

Defeat of the Persian Empire

In the spring of three hundred and thirty-one, the army moved out of Egypt towards Mesopotamia, where Darius tried to gather and arm new soldiers. By mid-summer she crossed the Euphrates, and at the beginning of autumn - the Tigris. The decisive battle of Gaugamela took place in early October. An army of millions lined up against the fifty-thousand-strong “handful” of Macedonians. The ruler himself, as always, led the cavalry. Like a whirlwind, he burst into the orderly ranks of the enemy and put Darius to shameful flight.

The Persian managed to escape with his life, but he lost the trust of his own subordinates forever. The satraps (military leaders) of the Persians began to surrender one after another to the mercy of the winner. In April of the year three hundred and thirty, Alexander headed to Media, and then further east. One of the traitors arrested and killed Darius, and then threw away the remains to be desecrated. Macedonian found the body of the enemy and took pity on him. He ordered the ashes to be buried in the imperial tomb in Persida. This marked the end of the Achaemenid rule, and Bess, that same traitor, became Alexander’s main antagonist.

Golden years of Alexander's reign

After the death of Darius, Alexander did not behave like a cruel conqueror, but tried to equalize the victors and the vanquished. He began to wear oriental clothes, surrounded himself with Persian nobles, and even started a real harem. However, he preferred to be called the king of Asia rather than the king of kings, so as not to imitate the Persians and avoid conspiracies. In the year three hundred and twenty-seven, the “revolt of the pages” was exposed. The youths who intended to kill the ruler were stoned to death.

The years of Alexander the Great's life were devoted to war. As soon as he dealt with the undesirables in the satrapies (subordinate regions), he immediately went to pacify the usurper Bessus, who imagined himself to be the successor of Darius and decided to reign in the east. He made a fatal mistake and did not make friends with the local tribes in Sogdiana, where he was hiding at that time.

He was betrayed, captured and taken to the Macedonian commander Ptolemy Lage. By order of the commander, he was executed, and only one ruler remained in Central Asia - Alexander the Great. But he could no longer stop. I wanted total ownership of the world. He headed to India, where the army at one point refused to move further. The troops rafted down the Indus to the delta, conquering the coastal tribes and suffering huge losses from disease, unknown flora and fauna, and lack of food. They had to return home, where they arrived in three hundred and twenty-four BC.

Personal life of Alexander the Great

The historian Plutarch wrote that in childhood and adolescence, the future ruler did not show any special interest in the opposite sex. Before his marriage, he “took” only one mistress, which was quite strange at that time - relationships with women, and sometimes with men, were not considered immoral. Perhaps the reason for this was the hostile relationship between his parents, which the boy saw from an early age.

Wives, children and versions of bisexuality

Alexander married three times. He first married a Bactrian princess named Roxana, then married the daughter of Darius, and then the daughter of Artaxerxes III - Parysatis. The total number of children is unknown, but he had two sons.

• Hercules.
• Alexander IV.

Many contemporaries considered the ruler bisexual. Ancient authors talk about his secret connection with his childhood playmate Hephaestion. The ancient Greek writer and philosopher Athenaeus believed that the ruler adored young men. This was not considered something shameful in society if it did not develop into a lack of interest in girls, because this way one could be left without heirs.

Religious views and last years of the master of the whole world

In his youth, the future military leader professed the traditional Hellenic religion and regularly made sacrifices. However, with the first military successes, his respect for this matter noticeably decreased. He even visited the famous Delphic oracle, which was strictly forbidden. The ruler of the whole world, who considered himself the child of the celestials, diligently deified his own personality. He was firmly convinced that he was right. The Egyptians did not argue and unconditionally recognized him as the son of god and a living god. The Greek city-states followed their example and “established” a direct relationship with Zeus.

Arriving in Susa after the not very successful Indian campaign, the military leader decided to give his people a rest. The war continued without a break for more than ten years, everyone was exhausted and tired. It was time to get busy internal problems. The ruler ordered a grand wedding of Macedonian boys and Asian girls to be organized so that the peoples would assimilate. The king also planned new campaigns, in particular against Carthage. He wanted to completely own the Arabian Peninsula, Asia and Europe, but the villainous fate did not allow him to realize his ambitious plans.

The death of the great military leader and the fate of the empire after the departure of Alexander

The body was mummified after death, but no one knows where exactly it was buried. The tomb of the king was built only in the fourth century, and whose ashes are kept in it is not known for certain. The great commander Alexander the Great died without leaving any instructions regarding his heirs. A month later, his wife Roxana gave birth to a male baby, who was named after his father.

But all this could no longer save them from the turmoil, and the satraps divided the once great power into many small states. In the year three hundred and nine, Roxana herself and her son were killed, followed by his half-brother Hercules. Thus, the Argead clan was cut short in the male line, and the empire collapsed.

Memory of Alexander

After the death of the ruler, his name began to be actively used in political propaganda. Temples were built for him and even full-fledged cults were created. The main source of information is considered to be the “Ephemerides” (the court journal) and the “Hipomnemata” (the records of the emperor himself).

• In Catholic Europe of the twelfth century, the pseudo-historical ancient “Roman of Alexander,” the author of which remained unknown, was especially popular.
• Around the same time, Walter of Chatillon published the poem “Alexandridea” in Latin, and in the eleventh century, Eastern Christian “worshippers” of the ruler of the world also became involved. Then handwritten translations of texts about him appeared in Kievan Rus.
• In Muslim tradition, Alexander was represented as the ruler of Dhul-Qarnain, who is mentioned in the eighteenth sura of the Koran.
• In the “Book of Righteous Viraz,” written by followers of Zoroastrianism, the Macedonian king is presented as a messenger of the lord of hell.
• Legends about him still circulate throughout the Muslim world. The most famous of them is the one in which the ruler grew horns. Allegedly, he carefully hid them, but one of the barbers (hairdressers) exposed him.

During the Renaissance, European views on Macedonian rule and life changed. For the first time, the works of ancient authors – Arrian and Plutarch – were published, which contained more reliable information than in the above-mentioned “Novel”. In the fifth year of the twentieth century, the novel “Alexander in Babylon” by the writer Jacob Wasserman was published, giving a new impetus to interest in his person. The theme of the military leader’s homosexual orientation opens up in the feature film “Alexander” directed by Oliver Stone. It fell to Colin Farrell to play the conqueror there. Many paintings are dedicated to this man, musical works and even computer games about epic campaigns.

Alexander the Great ( Alexander III Great, ancient Greek Ἀλέξανδρος Γ" ὁ Μέγας, lat. Alexander III Magnus, among Muslim peoples Iskander Zulkarnain, presumably July 20, 356 - June 10, 323 BC) - Macedonian king from 336 BC from the Argead dynasty, commander, the creator of a world power that collapsed after his death. In Western historiography, he is better known as Alexander the Great. Even in Antiquity, Alexander gained the fame of one of greatest commanders in history.

Having ascended the throne at the age of 20 after the death of his father, the Macedonian king Philip II, Alexander secured the northern borders of Macedonia and completed the subjugation of Greece with the defeat of the rebellious city of Thebes. In the spring of 334 BC. e. Alexander began a legendary campaign to the East and in seven years completely conquered the Persian Empire. Then he began the conquest of India, but at the insistence of the soldiers, tired of the long campaign, he retreated.

The cities founded by Alexander, which are still the largest in several countries in our time, and the colonization of new territories in Asia by the Greeks contributed to the spread of Greek culture in the East. Almost reaching the age of 33, Alexander died in Babylon from a serious illness. Immediately his empire was divided among his generals (Diadochi), and a series of Diadochi wars reigned for several decades.

Alexander was born in July, 356, Pella (Macedonia). The son of the Macedonian king Philip II and Queen Olympias, the future king received an excellent education for his time; Aristotle was his teacher from the age of 13. Alexander's favorite reading was the heroic poems of Homer. He underwent military training under the guidance of his father.

Already in early years Macedonian demonstrated exceptional abilities in the art of military leadership. In 338, Alexander's personal participation in the Battle of Chaeronea largely decided the outcome of the battle in favor of the Macedonians.

The youth of the heir to the Macedonian throne was overshadowed by the divorce of his parents. Philip's remarriage to another woman (Cleopatra) became the cause of Alexander's quarrel with his father. After the mysterious murder of King Philip in June 336 BC. e. 20-year-old Alexander was enthroned.

The main task of the young king was to prepare for a military campaign in Persia. Alexander inherited from Philip the strongest army Ancient Greece, but he understood that to defeat the huge power of the Achaemenids, the efforts of all of Hellas would be needed. He managed to create a Pan-Hellenic (pan-Greek) union and form a united Greek-Macedonian army.

The elite of the army consisted of the king's bodyguards (hypaspists) and the Macedonian royal guard. The basis of the cavalry were horsemen from Thessaly. The foot soldiers wore heavy bronze armor, their main weapon was the Macedonian spear - the sarissa. Alexander improved his father's fighting tactics. He began to build the Macedonian phalanx at an angle; this formation made it possible to concentrate forces to attack the right flank of the enemy, traditionally weak in armies ancient world. In addition to the heavy infantry, the army had a considerable number of lightly armed auxiliary detachments from different cities of Greece. The total number of infantry was 30 thousand people, cavalry - 5 thousand. Despite the relatively small number, the Greek-Macedonian army was well trained and armed.

In 334, the army of the Macedonian king crossed the Hellespont (modern Dardanelles), and a war began under the slogan of revenge on the Persians for the desecrated Greek shrines of Asia Minor. At the first stage of hostilities, Alexander the Great was opposed by the Persian satraps who ruled Asia Minor. Their 60,000-strong army was defeated in 333 at the Battle of the Granik River, after which the Greek cities of Asia Minor were liberated. However, the Achaemenid state had enormous human and material resources. King Darius III, having gathered the best troops from all over his country, moved towards Alexander, but in the decisive battle of Issus near the border of Syria and Cilicia (the region of modern Iskanderun, Turkey), his 100,000-strong army was defeated, and he himself barely escaped.

Alexander the Great decided to take advantage of the fruits of his victory and continued his campaign. The successful siege of Tire opened the way for him to Egypt, and in the winter of 332-331 the Greco-Macedonian phalanxes entered the Nile Valley. The population of the countries enslaved by the Persians perceived the Macedonians as liberators. To maintain stable power in the captured lands, Alexander took an extraordinary step - declaring himself the son of the Egyptian god Ammon, who was identified by the Greeks with Zeus, he became the legitimate ruler (pharaoh) in the eyes of the Egyptians.

Another way to strengthen power in conquered countries was the resettlement of Greeks and Macedonians, which contributed to the spread of the Greek language and culture over vast territories. Alexander specifically founded new cities for the settlers, usually bearing his name. The most famous of them is Alexandria (Egyptian).

After carrying out financial reform in Egypt, Macedonian continued his campaign to the East. The Greco-Macedonian army invaded Mesopotamia. Darius III, gathering all possible forces, tried to stop Alexander, but to no avail; On October 1, 331, the Persians were finally defeated at the Battle of Gaugamela (near modern Irbil, Iraq). The winners occupied the ancestral Persian lands, the cities of Babylon, Susa, Persepolis, and Ecbatana. Darius III fled, but was soon killed by Bessus, satrap of Bactria; Alexander ordered the last Persian ruler to be buried with royal honors in Persepolis. The Achaemenid state ceased to exist.

Alexander was proclaimed "King of Asia". After occupying Ecbatana, he sent home all the Greek allies who wanted it. In his state, he planned to create a new ruling class from Macedonians and Persians, and sought to attract the local nobility to his side, which caused discontent among his comrades. In 330, the oldest military leader Parmenion and his son, the chief of cavalry Philotas, were executed, accused of involvement in a conspiracy against Alexander.

Having crossed the eastern Iranian regions, the army of Alexander the Great invaded Central Asia(Bactria and Sogdiana), the local population of which, led by Spitamen, put up fierce resistance; it was only suppressed after the death of Spitamenes in 328. Alexander tried to observe local customs, wore Persian royal clothes, and married the Bactrian Roxana. However, his attempt to introduce Persian court ceremonial (in particular, prostrating before the king) met with the rejection of the Greeks. Alexander mercilessly dealt with the dissatisfied. His foster brother Cleitus, who dared to disobey him, was immediately killed.

After the Greco-Macedonian troops entered the Indus Valley, the Battle of Hydaspes took place between them and the soldiers of the Indian king Porus (326). The Indians were defeated. Pursuing them, the Macedonian army descended down the Indus to the Indian Ocean (325). The Indus Valley was annexed to Alexander's empire. The exhaustion of the troops and the outbreak of rebellions among them forced Alexander to turn west.

Returning to Babylon, which became his permanent residence, Alexander continued the policy of uniting the multilingual population of his state and rapprochement with the Persian nobility, which he attracted to govern the state. He arranged mass weddings of Macedonians with Persian women, and he himself married (in addition to Roxana) two Persian women at the same time - Statira (daughter of Darius) and Parysatis.

Alexander was preparing to conquer Arabia and North Africa, but this was prevented by his sudden death from malaria June 13, 323 BC. e., in Babylon. His body, taken to Alexandria Egypt by Ptolemy (one of the great commander’s associates), was placed in a golden coffin. Alexander's newborn son and his half-brother Arrhidaeus were proclaimed the new kings of the huge power. In fact, the empire began to be controlled by Alexander's military leaders - the Diadochi, who soon began a war to divide the state among themselves. The political and economic unity that Alexander the Great sought to create in the occupied lands was fragile, but Greek influence in the East turned out to be very fruitful and led to the formation of the Hellenistic culture.

The personality of Alexander the Great was extremely popular both among European peoples and in the East, where he is known under the name Iskander Zulkarnain (or Iskandar Zulkarnain, which means Alexander the Two-horned).

Alexander III of Macedon (356 to 323 BC) is one of the most influential political figures of antiquity. A majestic commander who conquered territory from the coast of Greece to northern Africa, including the lands of modern Turkey, Pakistan and Iran.

On the 13th anniversary of his reign, the legendary warrior Ancient Egypt united the lands of East and West thanks to certain fighting techniques and cultural exchange. By the time of the death of Alexander the Great, which overtook him on the battlefield at the age of 32, his reputation had reached such a peak that he began to be canonized. It is not always possible to separate the truth from the myths that have woven around the ruler for centuries. Everyone knows about the king's conquests, but few know who Alexander the Great really was.

1. Macedonian's main teacher was Aristotle, and he studied with other philosophers.

Philip II of Macedon invited Aristotle, the greatest of all philosophers in history, to raise his son, 13-year-old Alexander - heir to the throne. Few facts are known about the three years spent by the future commander under the tutelage of the scientist. At the same time, in Greece, Alexander the Great tried to find the famous ascetic Diogenes, who was a great cynic and, to prove his beliefs, spent his nights in a large clay vessel. Alexander approached the thinker in the public square and asked Diogenes if he could offer him anything from his countless riches. To which the philosopher replied:

“Yes you can. Step aside: you blocked the sun from me" The young prince was fascinated and impressed by Diagenes' refusal and declared: “E If I had not been born Alexander, I would have been Diogenes.”

A few years later in India, Macedonsky stopped the fighting due to the need to continue his dispute with the gymnosophist, a representative of the religious Hindu group “Jane”, who shunned human vanity and wearing luxurious clothes.

2. For 15 years of military conquests, the Macedonian army did not lose a single battle.

The strategy and tactics of warfare of Alexander the Great are still included in the curriculum of military schools. He won his first victory at the age of 18. He led troops with great speed while allowing them to expend a minimum of force to reach and break enemy lines before the enemy could react. Having gained the Greek kingdom in 334 BC. the commander crossed to Asia (today the territory of Turkey), where he won a battle with Persian troops led by Darius III.

3. Macedonian named more than 70 cities after his name and one in honor of his horse.

In memory of his victories, the commander founded several cities. As a rule, they were built around military forts. He called them Alexandria. Most Big City was founded at the mouth of the Nile River in 331 BC. Today northern capital ranks second in area among Egyptian cities. Other settlements are located along the path of the military achievements of the Greek heir to the throne: in Iran, Turkey, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Near the Hydaspes River, where the most difficult victory of the Indian campaign was won, the city of Busefal was founded, named after the favorite horse of Macedon, who was mortally wounded in battle.

4. Alexander’s love for his future wife Roxana flared up at first sight.

After a lightning capture in 327 BC. hitherto impregnable mountain fortress, Sogdian Rock, the 28-year-old military leader examined his captives. At that moment, Roxana, a teenage girl from a noble family of Bactria, caught his eye. Soon after, as was customary in wedding ceremonies, the king cut a loaf of bread with a sword and shared half with his bride. A son from Roxana, Alexander IV, was born after the death of Macedon.

5. Alexander had a wonderful smell.

Plutarch in “The Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans,” almost four centuries after the death of the king, reports that Alexander’s skin “ gave off a pleasant smell", And his “his breath and body were so fragrant that the clothes he wore were as if covered with perfume" “The detail inherent in the olfactory characteristics of the king's image is often attributed to tradition that arose during his reign. The rulers were endowed with divine attributes as all-conquering and powerful.” Alexander himself openly called himself the son of Zeus during his visit to Zeus in 331 BC.

6. After the victory over Persia, Macedonian adopted the traditional Persian clothing style.

After six years of constant invasions of the Persian Empire in 330 BC. The Macedonian army managed to capture Pesepolis, the ancient center of Persian culture. Realizing that The best way maintain control over local population- to adopt their way of life, the Greek commander began to wear a striped tunic with a belt and a diadem. This horrified the cultural Punists in Macedonia. In 324 BC. he held a magnificent wedding in the city of Susa, where 92 Macedonians were forced to marry Persian women. Alexander himself married Stateira and Parysatis.

7. The cause of death of Alexander the Great represents the greatest secret of the ancient world.

In 323 BC. The famous ruler fell ill after drinking wine at a feast. A few days later, at the age of 32, Makedonsky died. Considering that the father was killed by his own assistant, the suspects included close environment the king, especially his wife Antipater and her son, Cassandra. Some ancient biographers even suggested that the entire Antipater family became the organizers. Modern medical experts speculate that the cause of Macedonski's death was malaria, liver failure, lung infection, or typhoid fever.

8. Alexander’s body is kept in a vat of honey.

Plutarch reports that the body of Macedon was first sent to Babylon to Egyptian embalmers. However, leading Egyptologist A. Wallis Budge has suggested that the remains of the ancient Egyptian warrior were immersed in honey to prevent decay. A year or two later it was returned to Macedonia, but it was intercepted by Ptolemy I, one of the former generals. Therefore, knowing the location of the Macedonian body, Ptolemy received the status of successor to the great empire.

The chronicles describe how Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and the future Emperor of Rome Octavin (Augustus Caesar) made a pilgrimage to the tomb of the Macedonian in . In 30 BC. Octavian examined the 300-year-old mummy of Macedon and laid a wreath on it. last record a visit to the tomb by the Roman Emperor Caracal was dated to 215 BC. The tomb was subsequently destroyed and its location forgotten due to political upheaval and the beginning of the Roman era.