Alexander III Essay -- essays research papers

Alexander III     According to Plutarch, Alexander was born on the sixth of Hecatombaeon(July) in the year 356 B.C. He was the son of Philip, king of Macedon,andOlympias. Supposedly on the day he was born the temple of Artemis burnt down,signifying his future glory. Not much is cognize of the youth of Alexander. Itis known that he was taught by Aristotle and had a love of the Greek epic poems.One famous story from his youth is told in Plutarchs life of Alexander.Philonius the Thessalian brought the horse Bucephalus to Philip offering to trade inhim for thirteen talents. Philip and his attendants brought the horse to afield to try him. When they got there none of Philips attendants could evenmount him. They were leading the horse away when young Alexander asked for achance to ride him. A wager was do that if Alexander could not ride the horsehe would pay the price for the horse. After the wager was made Alexander tookthe horse and pointed him in the direction o f the sun. He had noticed that thehorse was afraid of his own shadow. He then mounted the horse and began to ride,to the amazement of each who watched. When he got off the horse Philip kissedhis son.     Plutarch also tells of Alexander entertaining Persian ambassadors whilehis father was not present. When Alexander was 16 Philip left him in stir up ofMacedon when Philip went to fight the Byzantines.     When Alexander was 20 his father was murdered at the theatre. Some saythat Alexander had a part in the plot to assasinate his father yet almost allagree that his mother Olympias was a key figure in the death of Philip.Whatever the case may be Alexander took the hindquarters in 336 B.C.     Alexander is known for his conquest into Persia. When there, heperformed hellenization. Hellenization is the attempt to become "Greek."Alexander helped this process along in the lands that he conquered.    &nbs pAnother of the things that Alexander did was he slew up cities where everhe went. Garrisons were left in these cities. These colonists would become theruling class. They would then impose laws or rules to promote hellenization.Also in these cities gymnasiums were set up. Gymnasiums were the center of mostGreek cities. What better way to make Persian cities sim... ...at the theatre, Hephaestion ate a fowlfor dinner, and drank a large draught of wine. He right away fell ill and shortlythereafter, died. Alexander was so completely upset that he ordered the tailsand manes of all the horses be cut to instal respect. He then crucified the doctor,Glaucus.     Alexander III had another party in Susa. Susa was the adminsrativecapital of the Persian empire. Alexander first went to Susa shortly after theBattle of Gaugamela. in that location he took control of the money, totalling 50,000talents($60 million) as well as the rest of the royal property.      Alexander was again in Susa in 324 B.C. There he performed a massmarriage. Between eighty and a hundred Macedonian officials took one Persianwomen each, including Hephaestion and Ptolemy. Alexander himself took two newbrides. The wedding was done in traditionalistic Persian style. The bridegroom wouldsit down in chairs, after a toss the brides came in, took them by the hand, andkissed them. Every guest that sat down for the banquet(roughly 30,000) had a favorable cup before them. The celebration went on for no less than 5 days. There wasalso a big parade in the park.