Alexander the Great: Gordian Knot and Campaigns
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Questions and Answers

What is the knot that Alexander attempts to untie called?

the Gordian knot

According to the legend, what happens to the person if they can untie the knot at Gordium?

they will rule Asia

In one version of the story, how does Alexander deal with the knot?

he cuts it with his sword

Which sea does Alexander try to establish ports after dealing with the knot?

<p>the Aegean Sea</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does Alexander march through in his conquering Asian campaign?

<p>Tarsus</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who is Alexander warned not to trust when he becomes ill?

<p>Philip the physician</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Alexander react to the note of warning?

<p>doesn't seem concerned, puts down the note, drinks the draught</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to Alexander after he takes the potion?

<p>he starts healing</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which mountains does Alexander pass on the way to the Syrian gates?

<p>Ammanus mountains</p> Signup and view all the answers

How many talents in the town of Soli are fined by Alexander?

<p>200 t</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why does Alexander fine the town of Soli?

<p>supporting Persians</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which one of the following is secured by the Macedonians while Alexander is at Soli?

<p>Halicarnassus</p> Signup and view all the answers

What festivities does Alexander conduct?

<p>music games and poetry</p> Signup and view all the answers

How far away is Sochi when Alexander learns that Darius is there?

<p>2 days away</p> Signup and view all the answers

What slows Alexander down when he crosses the Syrian gates on his way to Sochi?

<p>violent storm</p> Signup and view all the answers

As Alexander moves, where does Darius move his troops?

<p>Issus</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Alexander do before engaging Darius?

<p>sends a party back to Issus to see if it was true that Darius sent them</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the Macedonian army pass through the gate on the way to Darius?

<p>crossed high grounds in narrow lines under darkness</p> Signup and view all the answers

How wide is the battlefield between the Mediterranean Sea and the coastal mountains where Alexander and Darius meet?

<p>1 mile and 3/4</p> Signup and view all the answers

How are the sides matched in the battle?

<p>Alexander is outnumbered</p> Signup and view all the answers

What part of his army does Alexander reinforce before charging Darius's army?

<p>Macedonian, Thessalian, right flank</p> Signup and view all the answers

How many talents does Alexander seize from Darius's royal tent?

<p>3,000 talents</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does Alexander dispatch his troops to receive Darius's treasure after the battle?

<p>Damascus</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Alexander respond to Darius's offer to be allies?

<p>he refused and promised to hunt down the Persian king</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which island does Alexander experience problems with while trying to secure Egypt?

<p>Tyre</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is used to burn down the towers Alexander built?

<p>flaming cattle boats</p> Signup and view all the answers

What temple is the source of refuge for Alexander as he tries to secure Egypt?

<p>temple of Heracles</p> Signup and view all the answers

How many talents does Darius offer to Alexander as he attempts to retrieve his royal family?

<p>10,000 talents</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Alexander respond to Darius's suggestion that he should marry Darius's daughter?

<p>if he wants to, he will, but he refuses</p> Signup and view all the answers

How high are the earthworks that Alexander must build in his sieges against Gaza?

<p>50 ft</p> Signup and view all the answers

How much resistance does Alexander encounter in Egypt?

<p>none</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where is the former governor of Egypt killed?

<p>Issus</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does Alexander order his fleet to sail as he makes his way to Heliopolis?

<p>to proceed up the Nile to Memphis</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the city of Alexandria known as?

<p>pearl of the Mediterranean</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where is the oracle of Amun that Alexander visits located?

<p>Libya</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where is Alexander crowned the pharaoh?

<p>Thebes</p> Signup and view all the answers

How was Amun first depicted?

<p>ram</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which ancestor is Alexander trying to outdo?

<p>Perseus and Heracles</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not included in the description of the scenery surrounding the shrine of Amun?

<p>wild berry bushes</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Alexander reportedly hear from the oracle?

<p>the answer to which his heart desires</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are some of the accounts of Alexander's visit with the oracle as other historians describe?

<p>fabrications</p> Signup and view all the answers

What season is it when Alexander finishes reorganizing the government of Egypt and heads north?

<p>spring</p> Signup and view all the answers

What river is Thapsacus located near?

<p>Euphrates</p> Signup and view all the answers

When does Alexander arrive in Thapsacus?

<p>August</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does Alexander encounter Darius and his refortified army?

<p>Guagamela</p> Signup and view all the answers

How long do Alexander and Darius's armies prepare for battling each other for a second time?

<p>a few days</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is Alexander looking for when he surveys the land before battling Darius for the second time?

<p>hidden trenches and traps</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Darius and the Persian army prepare to battle Alexander for the second time?

<p>they leveled the land</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does Alexander first attack the Persian army in their second battle?

<p>the left flank</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the Macedonians enter the second battle against Darius and the Persian army?

<p>they were outnumbered and didn't have as many arms</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the Macedonians kill the horses that lead the chariots of the Persian army in their second battle?

<p>with javelins</p> Signup and view all the answers

After being arrested by a relative, when is Darius killed by his own troops?

<p>July of 330 BC</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which river does Alexander cross before defeating Bessus?

<p>the Oxus</p> Signup and view all the answers

As stated in the beginning of the final section, what do historians speculate about Alexander?

<p>his ambitions in the Asian empire</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was Alexander concerned about towards the end of his life?

<p>the rise of the Romans</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does a marriage take place?

<p>in Susa</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which former enemy's daughter does Alexander marry?

<p>Darius's daughter</p> Signup and view all the answers

How many men receive wedding presents from Alexander?

<p>10,000</p> Signup and view all the answers

Whom do Alexander's men marry after receiving wedding presents?

<p>Asian women</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does Alexander allow men to accept debt payments?

<p>present I.O.U.s without names</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which one of the following doesn't anger the Macedonians?

<p>Alexander taking military advice from Persians</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does Alexander announce the retirement of some of the Macedonian veterans?

<p>Opis</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the cause given by Alexander for the retirement of certain Macedonians?

<p>age or disability</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does Alexander promise the Macedonians he retires for their service?

<p>compensation</p> Signup and view all the answers

Following their retirement objection, how many men does Alexander execute?

<p>13</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to a speech in the last section, what were his men before his father turned them into soldiers?

<p>simple craftsmen and herdsmen with no experience in military</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which one of the following campaigns does Alexander recount during his speech to his men?

<p>Asian campaigns</p> Signup and view all the answers

In a speech, how much compensation does he claim he has taken for his trouble on the campaign?

<p>very little</p> Signup and view all the answers

After rejecting his troops for the last time, where does Alexander go to sulk?

<p>a tent</p> Signup and view all the answers

How long does Alexander sulk?

<p>a few days</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do the Macedonians respond to Alexander's rejection of them in the last section?

<p>shocked</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is not included in the things Alexander does for his men after they plead for forgiveness?

<p>allow them to choose the next destination</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the final section, how many talents does Alexander offer as a bonus?

<p>1 t</p> Signup and view all the answers

What becomes too much for Alexander's friend, Antipater?

<p>Alexander's mother</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where is the rebellion that Alexander travels to at the end of the story?

<p>in the east</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where does Alexander die?

<p>Babylon (Iraq)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How old is Alexander when he dies?

<p>32 years old</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Alexander the Great and the Gordian Knot

  • The Gordian knot is a legendary challenge that Alexander attempts to untie, with the belief that untying it would lead to ruling Asia.
  • Alexander, instead of untying, famously cuts the knot with his sword, showcasing his decisiveness.

Campaigns and Conquests

  • After dealing with the knot, Alexander seeks to establish ports on the Aegean Sea, aiming to enhance his naval strength.
  • His Asian campaign includes marching through Tarsus, a strategic city.
  • Alexander receives a warning from Philip the Physician regarding his health, which he disregards, choosing to continue without concern.

Battles and Strategies

  • Key geographic features such as the Amanus Mountains and Syrian Gates play crucial roles in Alexander's military strategy.
  • Alexander fines the town of Soli 200 talents for supporting Persians and secures Halicarnassus while at Soli.
  • During the battle at Issus, Alexander employs strategic maneuvers, despite being outnumbered by Darius' forces.

Leadership and Alliances

  • Alexander refuses Darius' offer of alliance and is determined to hunt him down, demonstrating his ambition.
  • In Egypt, Alexander faces minimal resistance and eventually visits the oracle of Ammon in Libya, where he is crowned Pharaoh in Thebes.

Personal Life and Marriages

  • In Susa, Alexander marries the daughter of his former enemy, Darius, reflecting his strategy of unifying his conquered territories.
  • He provides 10,000 wedding presents to his soldiers, encouraging marriages with Asian women to promote cultural integration.

Military Challenges and Death

  • Following multiple military campaigns, which include the Battle of Guagamela, Alexander faces internal dissent but continues to maintain his authority.
  • He experiences a rebellion in the east, and ultimately dies at the age of 32 in Babylon, Iraq, amidst speculation about his ambitions and concerns over the rising power of the Romans.

Leadership and Legacy

  • Alexander's leadership style involved significant interaction with his soldiers, but also included harsh decisions such as executing 13 men for dissent.
  • His campaigns transformed simple craftsmen into soldiers, radically changing the social structure of Macedonian society.
  • His legacy is marked by both his military genius and complex personal relationships, including his eventual distancing from his Macedonian roots.

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Explore the legendary tale of Alexander the Great and his encounter with the Gordian Knot. Dive into his military strategies, significant battles, and the campaigns that led to his conquests across Asia. Test your knowledge of key events and decisions that shaped his legacy.

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