Alexander The Great Research Paper

In 356 BC, Alexander III of Macedon, a future King of Macedonia, was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia. Alexander III, commonly known as Alexander the Great, is considered one of the utmost military geniuses of all times (Plutarch). Alexander’s leadership and supremacy influenced later conquerors and emperors, to follow his brilliant actions. Plutarch presented the young life of Alexander as he grew into the dominant leader he was and his presence changed the way Greek culture viewed their previous and future kings. Alexander was destined for greatness ever since he was a young boy due to his courage and marked his footprints in history. At the age of 16, he was a warrior, at age 18, he became a commander and by the time he was

In order for Alexander to secure the throne, he slayed everyone who could have a conceivable right to the kingship. Although Alexander did not immediately gain power of the Corinthian League, he quickly led his armies to Greece to stop the independence movement from the Greek states. They rapidly accepted Alexander as their leader, giving him infinite military powers to attack Persia, a prodigious kingdom east of Greece. Two years later, after winning battles at Granicus and Issus, conquering Tyre, and then wintering in Egypt, Alexander’s army finally met the Persian’s army for the first time (Kurke 71). Alexander's assets were inferior to those of Darius III, the king of Persia at the time, but managed to defeat the Persians and keep moving deeper into the kingdom. This was the ignition to the Battle at Gaugamela, perhaps the most important battle of Alexander’s young life as a king. Writer of Wisdom of Alexander the Great, Lance Kurke noted, “How, you might ask, can destroying an army build alliances? The Greek and Persian cultures could not be merged while a Persian army could be fielded. Sometimes you have to destroy to build” (71). That was the mentality of Alexander the Great, he used his power to his full

According to Arrian, Darius’ army outnumbered Alexander’s army by thousands of bodies; the Persian army even had about 200 chariots and 15 elephants (1). Elephants impulsively prefer to run through gaps rather than to run into sharp objects, therefore, the reason why Alexander ordered his army to shape some gaps in their formation. The army then leaves the elephants behind, Macedonian phalanxes charge the Persians, and Alexander and his soldiers personally chased after Darius. The Macedonian cavalry, with Alexander himself at the head of them, energetically surged the attack, fighting hand to hand and propelling at the Persians’ faces with their spears, and the infantry phalanx in close order and bristling with pikes (Arrian 4). Arrian reports that Darius had been on the very back since the battle begun and once he saw his army being defeated, he quickly fled the scene, but was later murdered by his own generals.