Alexander the Great - a short biography. Great generals. Alexander the Great The last years of the life of Alexander the Great

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ALEXANDER THE GREAT (MAcedonian)(356–323 BC), king of Macedonia, founder of the Hellenistic world power; the most famous general of antiquity. Born at the end of July 356 BC in Pella, the capital of Macedonia. The son of the Macedonian king Philip II (359–336 BC) and Olympias, daughter of the Molossian king Neoptolemus. He received an aristocratic upbringing at the Macedonian court; studied writing, mathematics, music and playing the lyre; acquired a broad knowledge of Greek literature; especially loved Homer and the tragedians. In 343–340 BC in Miez (a Macedonian city on the Strymon river) he listened to lectures by the philosopher Aristotle specially invited to him on ethics, politics, and natural science. From a young age, he showed a strong-willed character and prudence; possessed great physical strength; tamed the skittish horse Bukefala, which no one managed to curb - this horse became his constant companion in all military campaigns.

In 340 BC, when Philip II, having gone to fight with Perinth, a Greek city on the European coast of the Propontis (modern Sea of ​​Marmara), entrusted the fourteen-year-old Alexander with the management of the state, he discovered a military gift, decisively suppressing the uprising of the tribe of the Medes in Northern Paeonia . At the age of sixteen, he played a key role in the victory of the Macedonians over the Greeks at Chaeronea (Boeotia) on August 2, 338 BC, which led to the establishment of Macedonian hegemony in Hellas (). Successfully carried out a diplomatic mission to Athens, one of the main centers of anti-Macedonian resistance, offering the Athenians honorable terms of peace; was awarded Athenian citizenship.

Came into conflict with Philip II after his divorce from Olympias and fled to Illyria. Through the mediation of the Corinthian Demaratus, he reconciled with his father and returned to Pella. However, their relationship worsened again when Philip II opposed Alexander's marriage to Ada, the daughter of the influential and wealthy Carian king Pixodar, and expelled his closest friends from Macedonia.

first years of government.

After the murder of his father in the spring of 336 BC. (in which, according to one version, he was involved) became the Macedonian king with the support of the army; destroyed potential contenders for the throne - his half-brother Karan and cousin Aminta. Having learned that many Greek policies refused to recognize him as the hegemon of Hellas, in the early summer of 336 BC. moved to Greece, achieved his election as the head of the Thessalian Union and the Delphic Amfiktyony (the religious association of the states of Central Greece) and obedience from Athens and Thebes. He convened in Corinth a congress of the Pan-Hellenic (pan-Greek) league created by Philip II, at which, on his initiative, it was decided to start a war against the Achaemenid state (); for its conduct, he was appointed strategist-autocrator (supreme commander) of Hellas. His famous meeting with the Cynic philosopher Diogenes also took place there: in response to Alexander’s question if he had any request, Diogenes asked the king not to block the sun for him. Upon returning to his homeland, he committed in the spring of 335 BC. victorious campaign against the mountainous Thracians, Triballians and Illyrians, securing the northern borders of Macedonia.

A false rumor about the death of Alexander in Illyria caused a widespread anti-Macedonian uprising in Greece, led by the Thebans. Having interrupted the northern campaign, he swiftly invaded Central Greece and took Thebes by storm; some of the inhabitants were killed, the survivors (more than 30 thousand) were sold into slavery, and the city was razed to the ground. The rest of the policies, frightened by the fate of Thebes, submitted to Alexander.

Persian campaign.

conquest of Asia Minor.

Having distributed all the property to his entourage and warriors and entrusted the administration of Macedonia to the strategist Antipater, in the spring of 334 BC. at the head of a small Greek-Macedonian army (about 30 thousand infantry and 5 thousand horsemen), Alexander crossed the Hellespont (modern Dardanelles) to Asia Minor and entered the Achaemenid state. In early June, he defeated the sixty-thousandth army of Persian satraps in Asia Minor in the battle on the river Granik (modern Bigachai), showing great personal courage in it, and captured the Hellespontian Phrygia and Lydia. His power was voluntarily recognized by almost all Greek cities on the western coast of Asia Minor, in which he overthrew the pro-Persian oligarchic and tyrannical regimes and established a democratic system; by force he had to take only Miletus and Halicarnassus. After the subjugation of Caria, where Alexander took advantage of the struggle for power of local aristocratic groups, the entire western part of Asia Minor was in his hands.

In the winter of 334/333 BC moved along the southern coast of the peninsula and conquered Lycia and Pamphylia, and then turned north and invaded the interior of Asia Minor. Having defeated the Pisids, he occupied Phrygia; according to legend, in Gordia, the ancient Phrygian capital, he cut the tangled knot that fastened the chariot of the mythical king Midas with a sword blow - there was a belief that the one who untied it would become the ruler of the world.

Despite the attempt of the Persians to prevent the further advance of the Macedonians by transferring hostilities to the Aegean basin (the capture of the islands of Chios and Lesvos), Alexander continued his campaign deep into the Persian state. He crossed Paphlagonia and Cappadocia without hindrance, crossed the Taurus Range through the pass of the Cilician Gates and subjugated Cilicia. In the summer of 333 BC the conquest of Asia Minor was completed.

Conquest of Syria, Phoenicia, Palestine and Egypt.

In the autumn of 333 BC a huge army (more than 200 thousand) of the Persian king Darius III Kodoman (336-330 BC) advanced to Cilicia and occupied the city of Iss. Not far from him on the river. Pinar On November 12, a battle took place in which Alexander, with only 60 thousand infantry and 5-7 thousand horsemen, won a brilliant victory over the Persians; the richest booty was captured, the mother, wife, young son and two daughters of Darius III were captured. Alexander provided royal family honorable position and generously endowed his army. The victory at Issus made him the ruler of the entire Western Asian Mediterranean.

Having abandoned the pursuit of Darius III, who had managed to escape across the Euphrates, Alexander headed south in order to cut off the Persians from the Mediterranean Sea, prevent their contacts with anti-Macedonian circles in Greece and gain a foothold in the conquered territories. Most of the cities of Phoenicia (Arvad, Byblos, Sidon, etc.) submitted to him, which deprived the Persians of the Phoenician fleet and the hope of conducting active naval operations in the Eastern Mediterranean. Only Tire refused to allow the Macedonians into its walls. In July-August 332 BC after a heavy seven-month siege, the city fell; its defenders were exterminated, and those who had taken refuge in the temples were sold into slavery. At the same time, Alexander's military leaders finally broke the resistance of the Persians in the Aegean: they defeated enemy detachments in the west of Asia Minor, destroyed the Persian fleet near the Hellespont, and captured the entire island of Greece. Military successes allowed Alexander to reject, against the advice of the aged commander Parmenion, the peace proposals of Darius III, who promised to give him part of the Persian state and the hand of one of his daughters.

Having taken Tire, the Greco-Macedonian army entered the borders of Palestine. The power of Alexander was recognized by the Samaritans, but Judea and the South Palestinian city of Gaza remained loyal to the Persians. The capture and defeat of Gaza by the Macedonians, however, forced the Jewish elite to submit; at the same time, Judea managed to maintain political autonomy and even receive tax breaks.

In December 332 BC. Alexander freely took possession of Egypt (). In Memphis, the ancient Egyptian capital, he was proclaimed pharaoh. He pursued a flexible policy towards the local population: he showed respect for Egyptian temples in every possible way, tried to observe native customs. He left the civil administration of the country to the Egyptians, but transferred the army, finances and border areas under the control of the Macedonians and Greeks. In the Nile Delta he founded Alexandria, which became the stronghold of the Greek-Macedonian influence in Egypt (he was personally involved in the planning of the new city). He made an expedition to the Siwa oasis in the desert west of the Nile, where the sanctuary of the supreme Egyptian god Ammon, whom the Greeks identified with Zeus, was located; the temple oracle declared him the son of Ammon. However, he had to give up his intention to make the idea of ​​divine origin the basis of his political propaganda, since it was received with hostility by his environment; in the Macedonian army, opposition began to form, led by Parmenion.

Conquest of Mesopotamia and Iran.

In the spring of 331 BC. Alexander moved to Phenicia, where he crushed the Samaritan uprising. Planning to create New Macedonia, which would defend Palestine from nomads and guard the trade route along the eastern bank of the Jordan to South Arabia, he founded several cities in the north of Transjordan (Dion, Gerasa, Pella), populating them with his veterans and Greek-Macedonian colonists. In order to acquire rights to the Persian throne, he married Barsina, a relative of Darius III. In September 331 BC, with 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry, he crossed the Euphrates near Fapsak, then across the Tigris near the ruins of the ancient Assyrian capital of Nineveh, and on October 1, he utterly defeated the Persian army near the village of Gavgamela, numbering, according to data ancient historians, up to 1 million people. The military power of the Persian state was broken; Darius III fled to Media. The satrap of Babylonia Mazeus opened the gates of Babylon to the Macedonians; Alexander made generous sacrifices to the Babylonian gods and rebuilt the temples destroyed by Xerxes (486–465 BC). In December 331 BC Susiana's satrap Abulit handed over to him Susa (the official capital of the Achaemenid state) and the state treasury. After defeating the satrap of Persis, Ariobarzanes, Alexander captured Persepolis, the dynastic seat of the Achaemenids, and the personal treasury of Darius III; as punishment for the Hellenic shrines desecrated by Xerxes during the Greco-Persian wars, he gave the city to the soldiers for plunder. At the end of May 330 BC. set fire to the luxurious royal palace in Persepolis. On the other hand, he actively pursued a policy of rapprochement with the local Persian aristocracy, giving them high positions in the administration; retained control of Babylonia and Susiana for Mazey and Abulit, and appointed the noble Persian Frasaorta as the satrap of Persia.

In June 330 BC moved to the central regions of Iran. Darius III fled to the east, and the Macedonians, without meeting resistance, occupied Media and its main city, Ecbatana. Here Alexander released the Greek warriors to their homeland, emphasizing by this act that the all-Greek war against the Achaemenid state was over and that from that moment he began the campaign as the “king of Asia”.

conquest of Central Asia.

Pursuing Darius III, Alexander passed the Caspian Gates pass and entered Central Asia. In this situation, the local satraps Bess and Barsaent plotted against Darius III; they took him into custody, and when the Macedonians overtook the retreating Persians, they stabbed him to death (late June - early July 330 BC); Bess fled to his satrapy (Bactria and Sogdiana) and, referring to his kinship with the Achaemenids, proclaimed himself the new Persian king Artaxerxes IV. Alexander ordered the solemn burial of Darius III in Persepolis and declared himself an avenger for his death. Having passed through Parthia, Hyrcania, Aria and defeated the satrap of Aria Satibarzan, he captured Drangiana and, having overcome the Paropamis mountain range (modern Hindu Kush), invaded Bactria; Bess retreated beyond the river. Oks (modern Amu Darya) to Sogdiana.

In the spring of 329 BC. Alexander crossed the Oxus; Sogdian aristocrats gave him Bessus, whom he sent to be killed by the relatives of Darius III. The Macedonians occupied Marakanda, the main city of Sogdiana, and reached the river. Yaksart (modern Syr Darya). However, soon the Sogdians, led by Spitamen, revolted against the conquerors; they were supported by the Bactrians and the Saka nomads. For two years, Alexander tried with the most severe measures to suppress the anti-Macedonian movement. He managed to win the Sakas over to his side. In 328 BC Spitamenes fled to the Massagetae, who, fearing reprisals from the Macedonians, killed him. In 327 BC Alexander captured the Sogdian Rock - the last center of the uprising. As a sign of reconciliation with the local nobility, he married Roxana, the daughter of the Bactrian nobleman Oksiart. To strengthen his power in this region, he founded the city of Alexandria Eskhata (Extreme; modern Khodjent) on Jaxart and conquered the mountainous country of Paretaken southwest of Sogdiana. ( Cm. AFGHANISTAN).

After the capture of Mesopotamia, Alexander, in an effort to ensure the loyalty of the conquered regions, increasingly entered into the image of an eastern sovereign: he tried to assert the idea of ​​\u200b\u200bhis divine origin, established a magnificent court ritual, started a harem of three hundred concubines, observed Persian customs and wore Persian clothes. The distance of the king from the Macedonians caused great irritation among the soldiers, who were already dissatisfied with the continuation of the difficult campaign, as well as part of his entourage, mostly from Lower Macedonia. Autumn 330 BC the conspiracy of Philotas to kill the king was revealed; by decision of the Macedonian army, the conspirators were stoned to death; Alexander also ordered the death of Parmenion, the father of Philotas. In order to remove the most potentially rebellious part of the army from it, he sent home veterans and soldiers who were not fit for further service.

During the uprising in Sogdia, his relations with the Greek-Macedonian environment became even more aggravated. In the summer of 328 BC at a feast in Maracanda, Alexander killed one of his closest friends, Cleitus, who publicly accused him of neglecting his compatriots. There was an increase in autocratic tendencies, the ideological justification of which was the concept of the permissiveness of the monarch, formulated by the court philosopher Anaxarchus. Alexander's attempt to introduce the Persian rite of proskinesis (prostration to the monarch) became the reason for a new conspiracy drawn up by young Macedonian aristocrats from the king's personal guard ("conspiracy of pages"); their ideological inspiration was the philosopher and historian Callisthenes, a student of Aristotle. Only chance saved Alexander from death; the conspirators were stoned to death; Callisthenes, according to one version, was executed, according to another, he committed suicide in prison.

Hike to India.

Fascinated by the idea to reach the “edge of Asia” and become the ruler of the world, Alexander decided to undertake a campaign in India. In the late spring of 327 BC, having set out from Baktra, he crossed Paropamis and the river. Coffen (modern Kabul). Most of the kingdoms on the right bank of the Indus, including the strong state of Taxila, voluntarily submitted to him; their rulers retained their power and political autonomy, but were forced to accept the presence of Macedonian garrisons in their cities. Having defeated the Aspasians and Assakens (Ind. Asawaks), Alexander crossed the Indus and invaded the Punjab, where he faced fierce resistance from King Pora (Ind. Paurava), who owned a vast territory between the rivers Gidasp (modern Jelam) and Akesina (modern Chenab) . As a result of a bloody battle on the Hydaspes (late April - early May 326 BC), Porus's army was defeated, and he himself was captured. Alexander became the master of the Punjab. In an effort to make Time an ally, he not only left him his possessions, but also significantly expanded them. Having founded the cities of Nicaea and Bukefalia (in honor of his deceased horse) on the Hydaspes, he moved east: crossing the river. Hydraot (modern Ravi), conquered the Cathays and approached the river. Hyphasis (modern Sutlej), intending to invade the Ganges valley. However, the soldiers rebelled - they were tired of the endless campaign, hard to endure the natural and climatic conditions of India, and they were frightened by the prospect of war with the powerful state of the Nandas. Alexander had to turn back and give up his dream of world domination. He actually gave up control of the lands east of the Indus, handing it over to local rulers.

On the Hydaspes, the land army met the Macedonian fleet under the command of Nearchus and moved with it to the Indian Ocean. During the campaign, Alexander made a successful military expedition against the Malli and Oxidraks (Ind. Shudraka), who lived east of Hydraot, and subjugated the regions of Musikana, Oksikana and Samba. At the end of July 325 BC. reached Patala (modern Bahmanabad) and the Indus Delta.

Return to Babylonia.

In September 325 BC. led an army to Persis along the ocean coast; the fleet was given the task of exploring the coastal sea route from the mouth of the Indus to the mouth of the Tigris and Euphrates. During the passage through Hydrosia (modern Balochistan), the Macedonians suffered greatly from a lack of water and food and from heavy rains. Only in November did they reach Pura, the administrative center of Hydrosia. When the army crossed Karmaniya (modern Kerman and Hormozgan), it turned into a disorderly and demoralized crowd. At the beginning of 324 BC. Alexander arrived at Pasargadae and then went to Susa, where he celebrated the end of the campaign (February 324 BC).

Having completed the campaign, he began to streamline his huge power, which included Greece, Macedonia, Thrace, Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Libya, Mesopotamia, Armenia, Iran, Central Asia and Northwestern India. He tried harsh measures to deal with the abuses of the Macedonian and Persian officials. He continued the policy of merging multilingual tribes into one whole; sought to create a single elite from the Greek-Macedonian and Persian elite. Ordered ten thousand Macedonian soldiers to marry women of local origin; married about eighty of his associates to Persian aristocrats. He himself married Stateira, daughter of Darius III, and Parisatis, daughter of Artaxerxes III Och (358–338 BC), legitimizing himself as the heir of the Achaemenids. Wanting to dilute the purely Macedonian composition of the guard, he actively enrolled noble Iranians in it; organized a special native corps, which included thirty thousand young men from the eastern regions of his empire. This increased the dissatisfaction of the Macedonian soldiers, which could not be extinguished by generous cash payments. In 324 BC in Opis (on the Tigris), where Alexander arrived with part of the army, the soldiers, having learned about his decision to dismiss veterans and unfit for service, raised a rebellion, which he managed to pacify with great difficulty.

To consolidate his power in Greece (especially after the unsuccessful campaign of the Macedonian commander Zopyrion in the Northern Black Sea region and the anti-Macedonian uprising in Thrace) in the summer of 324 BC. issued a decree on the return to the Greek policies of all political emigrants (except for the enemies of Macedonia) and on the restoration of their property rights. Seriously limited the powers of the Achaean, Arcadian and Boeotian unions (and maybe even completely dissolved). He achieved from the Greek states the recognition of himself as the son of Zeus-Ammon; in Hellas began to build the sanctuary of Alexander.

In the winter of 324/323 BC conducted his last campaign - against the Cossians (Kassites), who carried out robbery raids on Mesopotamia. After its successful completion, he led the army to Babylon, where he began to prepare for a campaign to the west: he intended to defeat Carthage, capture Sicily, North Africa and Spain and reach the Pillars of Hercules (modern Strait of Gibraltar). He also developed plans for military expeditions around the Hyrcanian (modern Caspian) Sea and to the south of the Arabian Peninsula; already announced the collection of the fleet and army. However, at the beginning of June 323 BC, having been at the feast of his friend Media, he fell ill: perhaps he caught a cold and got pneumonia, complicated by tropical malaria; there is a version that he was poisoned by Iola, the son of Antipater, whom he was going to deprive of the post of governor of Macedonia. He managed to say goodbye to the army and on June 13, 323 BC. died in his Babylonian palace; he was only thirty-three years old. The king's body was transported by one of his associates, Ptolemy Lagos, the ruler of Egypt, to Memphis and then to Alexandria.

The personality of Alexander is woven from contradictions. On the one hand, he is a brilliant commander, a courageous soldier, widely educated person, admirer of literature and art; on the other hand, an immense ambitious man, a strangler of Greek freedom, a cruel conqueror, an autocratic despot who considered himself a god. The historical significance of Alexander's activities: although the power he created fell apart shortly after his death, his conquests marked the beginning of the Hellenistic era; they created the conditions for the Greek-Macedonian colonization of the Middle East and Central Asia and for the intensive cultural interaction of the Hellenic and Eastern civilizations.

Both sons of Alexander - Hercules (from Barsina) and Alexander IV (from Roxana) - died during the wars of the Diadochi (Alexander's generals who divided his Empire): Hercules was killed in 310 BC. by order of the imperial regent Polysperchon, Alexander IV in 309 BC. by order of the ruler of Macedonia, Cassander.

Ivan Krivushin

Perhaps, every person from the school bench remembers who Alexander the Great is. It was under Alexander the Great that a whole historical period known as the Hellenistic era began, and the cultural influence of Greece on Europe, Asia and Africa during his reign reached its peak. In our review, little-known facts about this amazing man who lived only 32 years, but managed to change the world beyond recognition.

1. Alexander III the Great

Alexander the Great, also known as Alexander III the Great, was a king of ancient Macedonia, a pharaoh of Egypt, a king of Asia, and a Persian king. It belonged to the ancient Greek Argead dynasty from the Peloponnese. His name comes from the Greek words "Alexo" (protect) and "Andr" (man). Thus, his name means "protector of the people".

2. Alexander was taught by Aristotle

Alexander's father, Philip II of Macedon, hired Aristotle, one of the greatest philosophers in history along with Socrates and Plato, as a teacher for thirteen-year-old Alexander. Aristotle taught Alexander everything he knew for three years (until Alexander's sixteenth birthday, when he ascended the throne of Macedonia). Alexander's mother, Olympias of Epirus was the daughter of the Epirus king Neoptolemus I.

3. Alexander had two children

There is still controversy regarding sexual orientation Alexander the Great. However, he had three wives: Roxana, Stateira and Parisat. It is believed that Alexander had two children: Hercules ( illegitimate son from mistress Barsina) and Alexander IV (son from Roxana). Unfortunately, after Alexander's death, his children were killed before they reached adulthood.

4. Founded cities

Alexander founded over seventy cities, of which at least twenty he named after himself (the most famous being Alexandria in Egypt). In addition, not far from the site of the battle near the Hydaspes River (today known as the Jelam River in India), Alexander founded the city of Bucephalus, named after his favorite horse, which was mortally wounded in battle.

5. Pilgrimage to the tomb of Alexander

He was one of the most revered foreign figures in Rome, even many years after his death. Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Augustus made a pilgrimage to the tomb of Alexander in Alexandria.

6. Ailurophobia

Few people know what Alexander, Genghis Khan and Napoleon had in common. The first thought that comes to mind is that these are plans for world domination, but in fact all these people suffered from ailurophobia - fear of cats.

7. Not a single lost battle

The tactics and strategy of Alexander the Great are still being studied in military academies. From the time of his first victory at the age of eighteen until his death (at the age of thirty-three), the great commander did not lose a single battle.

8. Greco-Buddhism

Few have heard of Greco-Buddhism. The term refers to the cultural syncretism between Hellenistic culture and Buddhism that developed between the fourth and fifth centuries AD in Bactria and the Indian subcontinent (modern-day Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan). This unusual culture was the cultural consequence of a long chain of events that began with the Greek raids into India during the time of Alexander the Great. Further, its development took place during the creation of the Indo-Greek kingdom and the heyday of the Kushan Empire.

9. Gordian knot

One of the most famous legends associated with Alexander the Great is the legend of the Gordian knot. The myths say that the Phrygian king Gordius tied the most difficult knot and declared that whoever could untie it would become the next king of Phrygia. In 333, when Alexander conquered Phrygia, he, without thinking for a long time, cut the famous knot with a sword.

10. First Macedonian State

The Republic of Macedonia is a modern country located in the center of the Balkan Peninsula in South-Eastern Europe, which has no historical connection with the ancient Greek Macedonian kingdom. The first Macedonian state was founded in the 8th century BC. e.

11. Contest drinkers

One day, Alexander held a drinking contest among his soldiers. Although the troops were delighted with such an undertaking, in the end forty-two soldiers died from alcohol poisoning.

12. Alexander's Tolerance

After the victory over the Persians, Alexander began to dress like a Persian king and got two Persian wives. The reason for this is simple - he believed that the peoples he conquered would feel more comfortable when their new ruler adhered to their customs.

13. Cause of death of Alexander

While there have been many theories over the years, real reason Alexander's death remains one of the mysteries ancient world. Modern medical experts argue that malaria, a lung infection, liver failure, or typhoid could have been the cause. However, no one can say anything for sure.

14. Hero of Alexander

His favorite books were the Iliad and the Odyssey. From childhood, Alexander the Great was inspired by the heroes of Homer, he even slept with the Iliad under his pillow. The imagination of the future great commander and ruler was subdued by the Greek warrior Achilles, who fought in Troy.

15. Idol Alexander

However, Alexander's biggest idol, who had a significant influence on him, was Hercules (Hercules). His admiration for the most famous Greek mythological figure of all time was so deep that Alexander called himself the son of Zeus (just like Hercules) and always boasted that he was a descendant of Hercules.

The name of Alexander the Great is inscribed in gold letters on the list, each of which has gone down in history more than deservedly.

Alexander the Great was born in the autumn of 356 BC. e. in the capital of ancient Macedonia - the city of Pella. From childhood, in the biography of Macedonian, he was trained in politics, diplomacy, and military skill. He studied with the best minds of that time - Lysimachus, Aristotle. He was fond of philosophy, literature, did not attach himself to physical joys. Already at the age of 16, he tried on the role of a king, and later - a commander.

Rise to power

After the assassination of the king of Macedonia in 336 BC. e. Alexander was proclaimed ruler. The first actions of Macedonian on such a high public post were the abolition of taxes, the reprisal against the enemies of the father, the confirmation of the union with Greece. After the suppression of the uprising in Greece, Alexander the Great began to consider a war with Persia.

Then, if we consider a brief biography of Alexander the Great, military operations followed in alliance with the Greeks, the Franks against the Persians. In the battle near Troy, many settlements opened their gates to the great commander. Soon, almost all of Asia Minor submitted to him, and then Egypt. There Macedonian founded Alexandria.

King of Asia

In 331 BC. e. the next major battle with the Persians took place at Gaugamela, during which the Persians were defeated. Alexander conquered Babylon, Susa, Persepolis.

In 329 BC. BC, when King Darius was killed, Alexander became the ruler of the Persian Empire. Becoming the king of Asia, he was subjected to repeated conspiracies. In 329-327 BC. e. fought in Central Asia - Sogdean, Bactria. Alexander in those years defeated the Scythians, married the Bactrian princess Roxana and set off on a campaign in India.

The commander returned home only in the summer of 325 BC. The period of wars ended, the king took up the management of the conquered lands. He introduced several reforms, mostly military ones.

Death

From February 323 BC. e. Alexander stopped in Babylon and began planning new military campaigns against the Arab tribes, and then to Carthage. He raised troops, prepared a fleet, and built canals.

But a few days before the campaign, Alexander fell ill, and on June 10, 323 BC. e. died in Babylon from a severe fever.

Historians have not yet established the exact cause of the death of the great commander. Some consider his death natural, others put forward versions of malaria or cancer, and still others - about poisoning with a poisonous medication.

After the death of Alexander, his great empire fell apart, wars for power began among his generals (Diadochi).

Alexander III of Macedon (356 to 323 BC) is one of the most influential political figures of antiquity. The majestic commander who conquered the territory from the coast of Greece to the northern part of Africa, including the lands of modern Turkey, Pakestan and Iran.

On the 13th anniversary of his reign, the legendary warrior ancient egypt united the lands of East and West through a certain technique of warfare and cultural exchange. By the time of the death of Alexander the Great, which overtook him on the battlefield at the age of 32, his reputation had reached such a peak that he was considered a saint. It is not always possible to separate the truth from the myths that have been woven around the ruler for centuries. Everyone knows about the conquests of the king, but few know who Alexander the Great really was.

1. Macedonsky's main teacher was Aristotle, and he studied with other philosophers.

Philip II of Macedon invited to raise his son, 13-year-old Alexander - the heir to the throne, Aristotle, the greatest of all philosophers in history. Few facts are known about the three years spent by the future commander under the tutelage of a scientist. At the same time, in Greece, Alexander the Great tried to find the famous ascetic Diogenes, who was a great cynic and spent his nights in a large earthen vessel to prove his beliefs. Alexander approached the thinker in the public square and asked Diogenes if he could offer him something from his untold riches. To which the philosopher replied:

“Yes, you can. Step aside, you've blocked the sun from me". The young prince was fascinated and impressed by Diagen's refusal and declared: "E If I had not been born Alexander, I would have been Diogenes.”

A few years later, in India, Macedonsky stopped fighting because of the need to continue the conversation with a gymnosophist, a representative of the religious Hindu group "Jane", who avoided human vanity and wearing luxurious clothes.

2. For 15 years of military conquests, the Macedonian army has not lost a single battle.

The strategy and tactics of fighting Alexander the Great is still included in the curriculum of military schools. The first victory was won by him at the age of 18. He led troops at great speed while allowing them to expend the minimum amount of force to reach and break enemy lines before the enemy could react. Having acquired the Greek kingdom in 334 BC. the commander crossed over to Asia (today - the territory of Turkey), where he won the battle with the Persian troops led by Darius III.

3. Macedonian named after himself more than 70 cities and one - in honor of his horse.

In memory of his victories, the commander founded several cities. As a rule, they were built around military forts. He called them Alexandria. The largest city was founded at the mouth of the Nile River in 331 BC. Today, the northern capital ranks second in terms of area among the cities of Egypt. Other settlements located along the path of military achievements of the Greek heir to the throne: in Iran, Turkey, Tajikistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Near the Khidaspes River, where the most difficult victory of the Indian campaign was won, the city of Busefal was formed, named after the beloved Macedonian horse, which was mortally wounded in battle.

4. Alexander's love for his future wife Roxana flashed at first sight.

After a lightning capture in 327 BC. hitherto impregnable mountain fortress, Sogdian Rock, the 28-year-old commander examined his captives. At that moment, Roxana, a teenage girl from a Bactrian noble family, caught his eye. Shortly thereafter, as was customary according to the wedding ceremonies, the king cut the loaf of bread with his sword and shared half with his bride. A son from Roxana, Alexander IV, was born after the death of Macedon.

5. Alexander had a great smell.

Plutarch in The Life of the Noble Greeks and Romans, almost four centuries after the death of the king, reports that the skin of Alexander “ gave off a pleasant smell", And his “his breath and body were so fragrant that the clothes he wore were covered in perfume". “The detail inherent in the olfactory characteristics of the image of the king is often attributed to a tradition that arose during his reign. The rulers were endowed with divine attributes as all-conquering and powerful.” Alexander himself openly called himself the son of Zeus during his visit in 331 BC.

6. After the victory over Persia, Macedonian adopted the traditional style of clothing of the Persians.

After six years of constant incursions into the territory of the Persian Empire in 330 BC. The Macedonian army managed to capture Pesepolis, the ancient center of Persian culture. Realizing that the best way to maintain control over the local population was to adopt their way of life, the Greek commander began to wear a striped tunic with a belt and a diadem. This horrified the cultured Punists in Macedonia. In 324 BC he made a magnificent wedding in the city of Susa, where 92 Macedonians were forced to marry Persians. Alexander himself married Stateira and Parysatis.

7. The cause of death of Alexander the Great represents the greatest secret of the ancient world.

In 323 BC. the illustrious ruler fell ill after drinking wine at a feast. A few days later, at the age of 32, Macedonian died. Considering that the father was killed by his own assistant, among the suspects were the close circle of the king, especially the wife of Antipater and her son, Cassandra. Some ancient biographers even suggested that the whole Antipater family became the organizers. Modern medical experts speculate that Macedonsky's cause of death was malaria, liver failure, a lung infection, or typhoid fever.

8. The body of Alexander is kept in a vat of honey.

Plutarch reports that the body of Macedon was first sent to Babylon to the Egyptian embalmers. However, leading Egyptologist A. Wallis Budge suggested that the remains of an ancient Egyptian warrior were dipped in honey to prevent decay. A year or two later, it was returned to Macedonia, but it was intercepted by Ptolemy I, one of the former generals. Therefore, knowing the location of the body of Macedon, Ptolemy received the status of the successor to the great empire.

The chronicles describe how Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and the future emperor of Rome Octavius ​​(August Caesar) made a pilgrimage to the grave of Macedon in. In 30 BC. Octavian examined the 300-year-old mummy of Macedon and laid a wreath on it. The last record of a visit to the grave by the Roman emperor Caracal dates back to 215 BC. Subsequently, the tomb was destroyed and its location was forgotten due to political upheavals and the beginning of the Roman era.

Most people live simple and unremarkable lives. After their death, they leave practically nothing behind, and the memory of them quickly fades. But there are those whose name is remembered for centuries, and even millennia. Let some people not know about the contribution of these personalities to world history, but their names are forever preserved in it. One of these people was Alexander the Great. The biography of this outstanding commander is still full of gaps, but scientists have done a great job to accurately reproduce the story of his life.

Alexander the Great - briefly about the deeds and life of the great king

Alexander was the son of the Macedonian king Philip II. His father tried to give him all the best and bring up a reasonable, but at the same time decisive and unshakable person in his actions, in order to keep in submission all the peoples that he would have to rule in the event of the death of Philip II. And so it happened. After his father died, Alexander, with the support of the army, was elected the next king. The first thing he did when he became ruler was to brutally crack down on all pretenders to the throne in order to guarantee his safety. After that, he crushed the rebellion of the rebellious Greek policies and defeated the armies of nomadic tribes that threatened Macedonia. Despite such a young age, twenty-year-old Alexander gathered a significant army and went to the East. For ten years, many peoples of Asia and Africa submitted to him. A sharp mind, prudence, ruthlessness, stubbornness, courage, courage - these qualities of Alexander the Great gave him the opportunity to rise above everyone else. The kings were afraid to see his army near the borders of their possessions, and the enslaved peoples obediently obeyed the invincible commander. The empire of Alexander the Great was the largest state formation of that time, spanning three continents.

Childhood and early years

How did he spend his childhood, what kind of upbringing did the young Alexander of Macedon receive? The biography of the king is full of secrets and questions to which historians have not yet been able to give a definite answer. But first things first.

Alexander was born in the family of the Macedonian ruler Philip II, who came from the ancient Argead family, and his wife Olympias. He was born in 356 BC. e. in the city of Pella (at that time it was the capital of Macedonia). Scholars debate the exact date of Alexander's birth, some of which speak of July, while others favor October.

Since childhood, Alexander was fond of Greek culture and literature. In addition, he showed interest in mathematics and music. As a teenager, Aristotle himself became his mentor, thanks to whom Alexander fell in love with the Iliad and always carried it with him. But above all, the young man showed himself as a talented strategist and ruler. At the age of 16, due to the absence of his father, he temporarily ruled Macedonia, while managing to repel the attack of barbarian tribes on the northern borders of the state. When Philip II returned to the country, he decided to marry another woman named Cleopatra. Angry for such a betrayal of his mother, Alexander often quarreled with his father, so he had to leave for Epirus with Olympias. Philip soon forgave his son and allowed him to return.

New king of Macedonia

The life of Alexander the Great was filled with a struggle for power and keeping it in his hands. It all started in 336 BC. e. after the assassination of Philip II, when it was time to choose a new king. Alexander enlisted the support of the army and was eventually recognized as the new ruler of Macedonia. In order not to repeat the fate of his father and save the throne from other applicants, he brutally cracks down on everyone who could pose a threat to him. Even he was executed cousin Aminta and the young son of Cleopatra and Philip.

By that time, Macedonia was the most powerful and dominant state among the Greek policies within the Corinthian Union. Hearing about the death of Philip II, the Greeks wanted to get rid of the influence of the Macedonians. But Alexander quickly dispelled their dreams and with the help of force forced them to submit to the new king. In 335, a campaign was organized against barbarian tribes threatening the northern regions of the country. The army of Alexander the Great quickly dealt with the enemies and put an end to this threat forever.

At this time, they rebelled and rebelled against the authority of the new king of Thebes. But after a short siege of the city, Alexander managed to overcome the resistance and crush the rebellion. This time he was not so lenient and almost completely destroyed Thebes, executing thousands of citizens.

Alexander the Great and the East. Conquest of Asia Minor

Even Philip II wanted to take revenge on Persia for past defeats. To this end, a large and well-trained army was created, capable of posing a serious threat to the Persians. After his death, Alexander the Great took over this business. The history of the conquest of the East began in 334 BC. e., when the 50,000th army of Alexander crossed into Asia Minor, settling in the city of Abydos.

He was opposed by a no less numerous Persian army, the basis of which was the combined formations under the command of the satraps of the western borders and Greek mercenaries. The decisive battle took place in the spring on the eastern bank of the Grannik River, where Alexander's troops destroyed the enemy formations with a swift blow. After this victory, the cities of Asia Minor fell one by one under the onslaught of the Greeks. Only in Miletus and Halicarnassus did they meet with resistance, but even these cities were eventually captured. Wanting to take revenge on the invaders, Darius III gathered a large army and set out on a campaign against Alexander. They met near the city of Iss in November 333 BC. e., where the Greeks showed excellent preparation and defeated the Persians, forcing Darius to flee. These battles of Alexander the Great became a turning point in the conquest of Persia. After them, the Macedonians were able to subjugate the territory of a huge empire almost without hindrance.

The conquest of Syria, Phoenicia and the campaign against Egypt

After a crushing victory over the Persian army, Alexander continued his victorious campaign to the South, subjugating the territories adjacent to the Mediterranean coast to his power. His army met virtually no resistance and quickly subjugated the cities of Syria and Phoenicia. Only the inhabitants of Tyre, which was located on the island and was an impregnable fortress, could give a serious rebuff to the invaders. But after a seven-month siege, the defenders of the city had to surrender it. These conquests by Alexander the Great were of great strategic importance, as they made it possible to cut off the Persian fleet from its main supply bases and secure itself in the event of an attack from the sea.

At this time, Darius III tried twice to negotiate with the Macedonian commander, offering him money and land, but Alexander was adamant and rejected both proposals, wishing to become the sole ruler of all Persian lands.

In the autumn of 332 BC. e. Greek and Macedonian army entered the territory of Egypt. The inhabitants of the country met them as liberators from the hated Persian government, which Alexander the Great was pleasantly impressed with. The biography of the king was replenished with new titles - the pharaoh and the son of the god Amon, which were assigned to him by the Egyptian priests.

The death of Darius III and the complete defeat of the Persian state

After the successful conquest of Egypt, Alexander did not rest for a long time, already in July 331 BC. e. his army crossed the Euphrates River and moved to Media. These were to be the decisive battles of Alexander the Great, in which the winner would gain power over all Persian lands. But Darius found out about the plans of the Macedonian commander and came out to meet him at the head of a huge army. Having crossed the Tigris River, the Greeks met the Persian army on a vast plain near Gaugamel. But, as in previous battles, the Macedonian army was victorious, and Darius left his army in the midst of the battle.

Having learned about the flight of the Persian king, the inhabitants of Babylon and Susa submitted to Alexander without resistance.

Having placed his satraps here, the Macedonian commander continued the offensive, pushing back the remnants of the Persian troops. In 330 BC. e. they approached Persepolis, which was held by the troops of the Persian satrap Ariobarzanes. After a fierce struggle, the city surrendered to the onslaught of the Macedonians. As was the case with all the places that voluntarily did not submit to the authority of Alexander, he was burned to the ground. But the commander did not want to stop there and went in pursuit of Darius, whom he overtook in Parthia, but already dead. As it turned out, he was betrayed and killed by one of his subordinates named Bess.

Advance into Central Asia

The life of Alexander the Great has now changed radically. Although he was a big fan of Greek culture and the system of government, the permissiveness and luxury with which the Persian rulers lived captivated him. He considered himself a full-fledged king of the Persian lands and wanted everyone to treat him like a god. Those who tried to criticize his actions were immediately executed. He did not spare even his friends and loyal associates.

But the matter was not over yet, because the eastern provinces, having learned about the death of Darius, did not want to obey the new ruler. Therefore, Alexander in 329 BC. e. again went on a campaign - to Central Asia. In three years, he managed to finally break the resistance. Bactria and Sogdiana offered him the greatest opposition, but they also fell before the might of the Macedonian army. This was the end of the story describing the conquests of Alexander the Great in Persia, the population of which completely submitted to his authority, recognizing the commander as the King of Asia.

Hike to India

The conquered territories were not enough for Alexander, and in 327 BC. e. he organized another campaign - to India. Having entered the territory of the country and crossed the Indus River, the Macedonians approached the possessions of King Taxila, who submitted to the King of Asia, replenishing the ranks of his army with his people and war elephants. The Indian ruler hoped for Alexander's help in the fight against another king named Por. The commander kept his word, and in June 326 there was great battle on the banks of the river Gadispa, which ended in favor of the Macedonians. But Alexander left the life of Por and even allowed him to rule his lands, as before. On the battlefields, he founded the cities of Nicaea and Bukefaly. But at the end of the summer, the rapid advance stopped near the Hyphasis River, when the army, exhausted from endless battles, refused to go further. Alexander had no choice but to turn south. Having reached the Indian Ocean, he divided the army into two parts, half of which sailed back on ships, and the rest, along with Alexander, moved by land. But this was a big mistake of the commander, because their path ran through hot deserts, in which part of the army died. The life of Alexander the Great was in danger after he was seriously injured in one of the battles with local tribes.

The last years of his life and the results of the deeds of the great commander

Returning to Persia, Alexander saw that many satraps rebelled and decided to create their own powers. But with the return of the commander, their plans collapsed, and execution awaited all the disobedient. After the massacre, the King of Asia began to strengthen the internal situation in the country and prepare for new campaigns. But his plans were not destined to come true. June 13, 323 BC e. Alexander dies of malaria at the age of 32. After his death, the commanders divided among themselves all the lands of a huge state.

So one of the greatest commanders, Alexander the Great, passed away. The biography of this person is filled with so many bright events that sometimes you wonder - is it possible for an ordinary person? The young man with extraordinary ease subjugated entire nations, who worshiped him as a god. The cities founded by him have survived to this day, recalling the deeds of the commander. And although the empire of Alexander the Great collapsed immediately after his death, but then it was the largest and most powerful state that stretched from the Danube to the Indus.

Dates of campaigns of Alexander the Great and places of the most famous battles

1. 334-300 AD BC e. - conquest of Asia Minor.
2. May 334 BC e. - a battle on the banks of the Grannik River, the victory in which enabled Alexander to freely subjugate the cities of Asia Minor.
3. November 333 BC e. - a battle near the city of Iss, as a result of which Darius fled from the battlefield, and the Persian army was completely defeated.
4. January-July 332 BC e. - the siege of the impregnable city of Tyre, after the capture of which the Persian army was cut off from the sea.
5. Autumn 332 BC e. - July 331 BC e. - the annexation of Egyptian lands.
6. October 331 BC e. - a battle on the plains near Gavgemal, where the Macedonian army won again, and Darius III was forced to flee.
7. 329-327 BC e. - campaign in Central Asia, the conquest of Bactria and Sogdiana.
8. 327-324 BC e. - trip to India.
9. June 326 BC e. - battle with the troops of King Por near the river Gadis.