1. Section 3: Alexander the Great
The Greek World
Section 3: Alexander the Great

2. Macedonia Conquers Greece
Phillip II – King of Macedonia
Phillip’s Military Strength
He defeated the Greeks because he was a brilliant military leader
He borrowed and improved many of the strategies Greek armies used in battle
Phalanx – a group of warriors who stood close together in a square
When Philip died, his throne was left to his son, Alexander

3. Alexander Builds an Empire
Controlling the Greeks
Alexander destroyed Thebes and enslaved the Theban people
Used them as an example to other Greeks of what would happen if they turned against him
His efforts to build an empire made him one of the greatest conquerors in history
This earned him the name – Alexander the Great
Building a New Empire
His army defeated the Persians
Became ruler of the Persian Empire after the battle at Gaugamela
Was crowned pharaoh in Egypt without a fight
Marching Home
Never made it back to Greece
Got sick and died after visiting Babylon
Buried in Egypt in a golden coffin

4. Spreading Greek Culture
Alexander’s empire was the largest the world had ever seen
Worked to spread Greek influence throughout his empire by founding cities in the lands he conquered
Modeled new cities after the cities of Greece
Named many of them Alexandria
Built temples and theaters like those in Greece
Encouraged Greek settlers to move to the new cities
He still encouraged conquered people to keep their own customs and traditions
New blended culture developed as a result
Historians call it Hellenistic, or Greek-like

5. Hellenistic Kingdoms
After Alexander died, there was a fight between his generals for power
Three powerful generals divided the empire among themselves
One, king of Macedonia and Greece
One ruled Syria
The third claimed Egypt
Hellenistic Macedonia
Had the weakest government
Many revolts took place
Damaged by the revolts, Macedonia couldn’t defend itself against the Italian Peninsula and Rome’s armies
Hellenistic Syria
Home to many different people with many different customs
People rebelled against their leaders because of being unhappy with the Hellenistic rule
Romans marched in and took over Syria after slowly being broken apart from years of fighting and revolts

6. Hellenistic Egypt Rulers encouraged the growth of Greek culture
Built the ancient world’s largest library in the city of Alexandria
Built the Museum in Alexandria
A place for scholars and artists to meet
Alexandria became a great center of culture and learning
The Egyptian kingdom lasted longer than the other Hellenistic kingdoms
It too was eventually conquered by Rome