The Great Military Mind

A. Greece was politically unstable B. Greece viewed the Macedonians as backward mountain peoples (although they were descendants of the Dorians) C. Phillip II desired 3 things: 1. Create a strong standing army 2. Unify the Greeks under Macedonian rule 3. Destroy the Persian Empire D. Philip II made a simple attempt to conquer Greece and succeeded

A. Learned great military tactics as a hostage in Thebes B. Organized his army into Greek-style phalanxes C. Forced Greek city-states to cooperate with each other D. Allied a polis through marriage; 6-7 wives total

E. The great Athenian Demosthenes appealed to the Greeks to fight for their freedom, but they didn’t listen F. Formed the League of Corinth 1. Unified Macedonia with Greek city-states 2. Intended use: defeat the Persian Empire, bring them “Macedonian freedom” G. Assassinated in 336 B.C. by Pausanias (Or Olympias?) before he could conquer Persia

A. Well educated (Aristotle) B. Great military mind at age 7 1. Persian envoys in Macedon 2. He entertains them alone 3. Asks military questions Length of journey Conditions of the roads Weather Size of the Persian army C. Military commander at 16 D. King at age 20; 334 B.C. set out to defeat Persia

A. Persia: wealthiest and mightiest empire on earth B. Macedon: tiny, rather poor nation C. Battle of Issus (333 B.C.) D. Fought on a plain transected by the River Pinarus E. Macedonians: 32,000 foot soldiers; 5,000 cavalry F. Persia: 150,000 soldiers

Step 1: Cavalry charge Step 2: Phalanxes move in 16 men x 16 men with 16 ft. spears Step 3: Cavalry redirected at Darius Step 4: Darius flees/pursued by Macedonians Step 5: Alexander attacks Babylon Other evidence shows that Philip and Alexander both used catapults, siege towers, and rams when attacking cities.

B. Imperial Goals 1. Create an empire that would unite Europe and Asia and combine the best of their cultures 2. He promoted his goals by example a. Wore Persian dress and imitated the court life of Persian kings b. Married the daughter of Darius III and oversees 10,000 marriages of his men to Persian women c. Treated conquered people as equals d. Recruits soldiers from conquered lands e. Leaves trusted veterans behind in charge of cities/territories (satraps)

C. Keeps going into India, until men force him back 1. Feared the Elephant armies of India’s pashas 2. Wished to return home to families 3. Spent a total of 9 years away from Babylon D. Returns to Babylon with army E. Dies of fever (probably malaria) in 323 B.C. at age 33

A. Roxanne and son (Alex. IV) assassinated 18 months after his death B. Empire divided among his three generals:

Opened trade routes between the East and West (influenced Greek art/architecture) Brought forth Hellenistic Civilization (Greek culture) and the respect for it all over the world Alexander Magnamus: the “Great” military leader