Alexander the Great's Campaigns

Alexander the Great's Campaigns and Conquests

• Born in Macedonia, died in Babylon
• Commanded highly mobile, specialized armed forces with advanced military technologies, developed during Greek city-state warfare (4th-5th century BCE)
• Father was King Philip II; unified Macedonia (~350-336 BCE) and neighboring states
• Macedonia became a large, ethnically and geographically diverse state
• Troops supported by gold mines and slave trade
• Military tactics included phalanxes (infantry in close units) and large cavalry formations
• Conquered Greek city-states (Athens) in the early 330s BCE
• Conquered Persia after inheriting his father's war (with Darius III), avenging the invasion of Thrace
• Mother Olympias rumored to have eliminated rivals to assure his succession
• Showed interest in Greek culture (Achilles, Hercules, Dionysus)

Conquest of Persia

• Defeated Persia in 334 BCE (Anatolia/Turkey, Granicus River) and 333 BCE (Issus)
• Conquered Persia in 331 BCE (Gaugamela/Iraq)
• Persia's massive army (1 million infantry, 40,000 cavalry, 200 scythed chariots, 15 war elephants), opposed by Alexander’s superior technique and resourcefulness
• Persian financial resources were vast.
• Alexander’s troops were outnumbered

Aftermath of Persian Conquest

• Alexander's conquests did not lead to an organized empire, as he died before establishing institutions to unify his lands
• Military campaigns after his death aimed to unite Afro-Eurasia's eastern and western territories
• Adopted Persian customs, marrying Persian women
• Exposed Mediterranean commodities and ideas to new regions
• Seized Persian wealth, redistributing it to Mediterranean economies, leading to economic expansion
• Founded 11 cities named after himself

Impacts of Alexander's Conquests

• Expanded Macedonia
• Defeated Persia
• Thousands died in battles
• United eastern and western Afro-Eurasia
• Widespread economic growth in the Mediterranean
• Women gained greater power due to male deaths and leadership
• Military and technological advancements
• Spread of Hellenistic culture
• Silk Road development (indirectly)
• Influence on the Mauryan Empire
• Built garrison towns turning into Hellenistic centers
• Influence on Buddha sculpture's realism

Aftermath of Alexander's Death

• Macedonia fragmented, generals fought for control
• Alexander's successors (Seleucus, Antigonus, Ptolemy, Lysimachus) became absolute rulers of large territories
• Women held greater power in leadership roles.
• Example: Berenice I of Egypt (320-280 BCE)

Hellenistic World

• World shaped by Alexander's conquests.
• Three major successor kingdoms emerged:
• Seleucid Empire (Seleucus): Largest, encompassing much of old Persia; based in Mesopotamia
• Macedonia (Antigonids): Smallest; Alexander's homeland
• Egypt (Ptolemy): Longest-lasting kingdom, lasting for 275 years
• Merged kingship and priestly power with Hellenistic culture
• Rosetta Stone (196 BCE) exemplified this cultural merger; recording Ptolemy V's relationship to Egyptian temples and priesthood using three scripts

Ptolemaic Egypt

• Ptolemaic rulers united Upper and Lower Egypt into a centralized state, centered in Alexandria
• Avoided sharing power with Egyptian nobles; married within royal family
• Committed to Greek language and culture; famous example, Cleopatra VII
• Mainland Greek city-states were now part of larger territories

Hellenistic Culture

• Unification spread common Hellenistic culture across vast territories (Greece, Mediterranean, Sub-Saharan Africa, Southwest Asia, Iranian Plateau, Central and South Asia)
• Hellenism: shared Greek culture encompassing the Mediterranean