Abstract This paper examines how Alexander III (or 'the Great') conquered the land starting from Greece in the west to India in the east to create the largest empire the world had seen until that time. This was achieved in just thirteen years between his ascension to the Macedonian throne at age twenty to his death at Babylon on 10 June 323 BCE. One of the issues surrounding Alexander's reign that has long been discussed by historians is whether he planned his conquest of Asia or if he made it up as he went along. This paper evaluates and discusses both possibilities by taking a somewhat chronological approach to Alexander's life.
From the Paper "Alexander was the son of King Philip II of Macedon and Princess Olympias of Epirus. Both his parents had strong personalities and influenced their son in different ways. Olympias had a fiery temperament and did not tolerate Philip having other wives and lovers. As Alexander was close to his mother, this bred further discontent between himself and Philip, who had a difficult relationship right up until Philip was murdered. Most importantly however, Philip was someone Alexander could emulate and because of his "passionate desire for fame," Alexander would attempt to surpass his father wherever possible. Philip II reinvigorated a formerly weak kingdom in Macedon to create the most powerful state in Northern Greece . From his childhood, Alexander had a legacy to continue and he was eager to prove himself in any way. Even Philip himself noted his son's great aspirations and perhaps put ideas in Alexander head; "My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambitions. "
Abstract This paper examines how Alexander was born in 356 BC in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia, to King Philip II and Olympias, a princess of Epirus. It looks at how, only 16, Alexander was placed in charge of Macedonia during his father's siege of Thrace and later headed a force that crushed a rebellion by the Maedi people there in the famous Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BC. It explores how he eventually became king of Macedonia, the conqueror of the Persian Empire, and one of the greatest military geniuses of all time.
From the Paper "Many historians attested to his dream to unite the East and the West into a single world empire and a new one with a single enlightened brotherhood (Microsoft 2004). He trained thousands of young Persians in Macedonian tactics and enlisted them into his huge army. Although he went after the ancient Persian Empire and its remnants, he himself adopted Persian conduct and married Roxana of Bacteria and Barsine or Stateira of Persia, eldest daughter of Darius. He encouraged and even bribed his officers to do the same (Microsoft). Some of his governors took advantage of his absence by recruiting their own private armies and abusing the local people and, upon hearing the charges, Alexander had most of them executed."
Abstract The paper conveys how the author, Paul Cartledge, attempts to read the mind of Alexander, speculating what motivated the great military leader. The paper discusses how the author centers on Alexander's great passion for hunting game and how it helped contribute to his career and fame. The paper relates that the historical situation is detailed and extensive, which helps the reader come to understand Alexander's world as well as Alexander himself. The paper recommends this book to those who are interested in Alexander's life or military history.
From the Paper "The main historical figure in this biography is Alexander the Great, as most readers would imagine. The biography covers his life, but mostly discusses his motivations and accomplishments, and what motivated him to continue to conquer other lands. However, the author does weave short but compelling descriptions of other conquers who almost reached the status of Alexander, such as Julius Caesar, so other great leaders of the epoch do make at least an appearance in the book, which helps add to Alexander's stature and overall influence to the age."
Abstract This paper explores the life and accomplishments of Alexander the Great by locating appropriate sources on the Internet. The paper first gives biographical information about Alexander as well as Internet links to where one may find more information about him. Various quotes and information from the sites are given beneath their URL. The author also critically evaluates and analyzes these Internet sites. In addition to learning about Alexander's life, the paper is also a lesson in efficient Internet searching.
From the Paper "The name Alexander the Great should tell anyone embarking on the study of a historical figure that this was someone who did important things during his time. In the study of historical figures one can choose to focus on a famous person or an infamous person with close to the same results. Lots of information exists about the historical person in question. Internet sources abound with biographical information, accomplishments, problems and other elements of that person's life. Now and again however, a historical person is so colorful that there is information that both exalts that person's life and criticizes it at the same time. This was the case with Alexander the Great. As a boy he was fearless, as a man he was powerful but according to many Internet research sites he also had a side of him that was extremely self centered and vain which prompted the actions he took. "
Tags:Alexander, the, Great, ancient, history, Hellenism, Internet, research
Abstract The author wrestles with Alexander the Greats' inclinations towards both good and evil in an attempt to show that he deserved the title: "Great". By comparing and contrasting, she is able to build a case that he was, indeed, as his name implies, 'Great'. With some interesting quotes from people that knew Alexander the Great personally.
From the Paper "Alexander the Great was a charismatic person who won the heart of the people he ruled throughout his short reign. He led them to victory against their enemies and had a generous nature. There was another side to Alexander though; he could be cruel, irrational and was known for his drunken rages. Despite his faults, Alexander's conquests, achievements and personal traits made him worthy of the title, ?the Great.? "
Tags:alexander, ancient, great, greece, greek, history, macedonia, military
Abstract This essay is about the life and times of Alexander Graham Bell. The author discusses his innovations and contributions to the progress of communication and global revolution.
From the Paper "Alexander Graham Bell lived in an era of rapid change. Change was occurring in every aspect of life including the economy, population, transportation, and communication. Even the people's needs and wants were changing. The era that he lived in was called the transportation and communication revolution. Bell is responsible for half of this revolution. His innovations in communication were of a global magnitude."
The essay examines the composition of the army that Alexander inherited from Philip II and looks at how he utilized the army in his four major battles during his campaign into Asia.
3,900 words (approx. 15.6 pages), 3 sources, 2002, $ 106.95
Abstract The paper explains why made Alexander the Great was one of the finest military commanders in history. The composition and organization of the army are analyzed and his tactics used in his four great battles.
From the Paper "Alexander the Great ascended to the throne at a time when the Macedonian empire was at a crossroads, yet within ten years of coming to power in 336BC Alexander was within striking distance of the Indus valley after destroying the greatest empire the world had ever seen up to that point. The noted military tactician and historian J.F.C Fuller says of Alexander's succession to the throne, ?When Philip was assassinated Alexander was barely twenty years of age and as yet so inexperienced and untried that it seemed to all Greece that the Macedonian empire was about to dissolve.? The description of Alexander by Arrian as "always masterly" says a lot of his capability as a general, but Alexander had inherited numerous advantages from Philip II. This essay will seek to demonstrate whether or not Alexander was a tactical genius or not, on and off the battlefield. I will now go on to discuss the advantages that Alexander had inherited from Philip II."
Tags:alexander, great, ii, macedonia, military, philip, tactics, war, 336BC, greece, philip, II, persia
Abstract This paper discusses the death of Alexander the Great. The paper puts forward the circumstance surrounding his death and the various versions of his death as recalled by various people and cultures.
Abstract A paper on Alexander the Great. The paper answers the following questions: Where was he born, who was he, did people like him? What did he accomplish during his reign and what was the outcome and consequences?
Abstract This paper is a detailed comparison of the Roman Empire and the Chinese Empire. The author shows how the imperial dynasties of Han and Qin along with the classical empire of Rome offered their people a combination of protection against external enemies and an infrastructure that was far more functional than individual cities or regions would have been able to provide for themselves. This paper describes the reign of all three of these dynasties and their effect on their people as well as world history.
From the Paper "While it is difficult to make any general statement that can cover the political and cultural complexities of the Roman Empire along with the Han and Qin dynasties in China because they were sufficiently different from each other as well as being possessed of substantial internal diversity. And yet, even given the range of institutions and ideals that the three cultures exemplified, there are some commonalties that strike the observer from the vantage point of the 21st century. The primary one of these is that neither the Chinese empire nor the Roman one could have extended its reach as far as it did in geographic terms, had as great a control over its subjects' personal lives as it did, nor ruled for such a long period of time had not the ruling house combined a high degree of bureaucratic efficiency with a depiction of the imperial family that was at least semi-divine."
Abstract This paper explores the creation of the Dutch and Portugese maritime empires, attempting to understand the primary impetus. The author maintains that in both the Dutch and Portuguese cases, means-not motivation-was the major factor in determining the creation and form of the countries' respective empires.
The Portuguese Maritime Empire in Monsoon Asia (1498-1825)
The Dutch Maritime Empire (1400-1800)
Conclusion
From the Paper "In the first stages of imperial expansion, means is more important than motivation. Some empires, such as the Dutch (though not the Portuguese), have a pre-imperialist phase of expansion in which this is particularly true. In this earliest stag, the country is simply trying to preserve the status quo, as the Dutch were trying to preserve their access to spices at the end of the 16th century. Without planning to, they lay the groundwork for imperialism-in the Dutch case, by consolidating trade under the VOC and forming alliances with Asian leaders not already allied with the Portuguese. Only when the necessary means for empire materialize does the country opportunistically and imperialistically expand."
Abstract This paper discusses Muslim Empires and the interpretation of Islam. It looks at the power of the Ottoman Empire and its demise, the Mughal Empire and emperors and the views of Edward Said regarding historical knowledge of another culture.
From the Paper "According to Akbar S Ahmed the main Muslim empires were the Ottomans the Safavids and the Mughals. At its height the empire of the Ottomans extended from Budapest to Yemen and from Baghdad to Algeria. In spite of the size of the empire and the power of the ..."
Tags: Said, Ahmed, Islam, Muslim empires, Ottoman, Mughal
Abstract The paper describes the birth of the Roman republic and the rise and fall of Julius Caesar and notes the aspects that are common to the Roman and the Greek cultures. The paper then discusses the end of the Republic and the beginning of the Empire that was marked by the naming of Octavian Augustus emperor for life. The paper outlines the era of the Five Good Emperors and focuses on Diocletian and Constantine who were some of the most important figures of the Roman Empire at that time and had a role in the spread of Christianity. Finally, the paper overviews the main reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire.
From the Paper "The history of the Roman republic and then empire represents one of the most important segments of the history of the world. It represents the first elements of the organization of the state. However, at the same time the development of the system of government pointed out the different means through which a community can evolve from a political point of view. From the early days of the republic to the late years of the Empire, the Roman state and its institutions were a representative example for the political development of a form of government."
Abstract An outline of the early medieval period, which saw the rise of new kingdoms in Western Europe. The paper discusses the rise and development of the Carolingian Empire. It also provides special attention to the economic and social structure that came from the collapsed Roman Empire and the Barbarian kingdoms.
From the Paper "In the pre-Christian era, the German tribes migrated from the northern Europe to the Roman Empire and occupied the northern lands. There were clashes between the German tribes and the Romans who considered them intruders into their lands and called them "barbarians". The collapse of the Roman Empire enabled the German tribes to explore the Western Roman Empire. There were three basic factions of these German tribes-Germanic Lombards who settled in northern and central Italy, Anglo-Saxons in Britain, And Franks in Gaul (France). The Frankish kingdoms later became one of the new western European civilizations."
Abstract This paper discusses the fall of the Roman empire, and the theory that the destruction of the empire was based on the greed of the wealthy Romans. The paper looks at evidence which contends that Rome experienced a time of peace, and that in that peace there was a need for wealth. Therefore, the wealthy began to tax the poor, and this was the beginning of the fall.
From the Paper "Throughout ancient history Rome was considered the strongest governmental and military force in the world. Researchers indicate that Rome had conquered many lands through the use of innovative military tactics, and with the numerous citizens who loyally served the country. Yet, as Rome had defeated its greatest enemies there came a time of peace for the nation. While this time should have been a rebirth for Rome, the opposite affect occurred. This was evident because without any other country to battle, Rome lost the opportunity to accumulate wealth that had built with each conquest. Therefore, peace for Rome meant growing poverty for it's citizens. This financial strain then spread to the country's hierarchy. It was then that Rome began to fall - for it was the greed of the wealthy that both built, and then destroyed this great power. "
