Alexander of Macedon
Ancient Macedon(ia)
unstable & relatively insignificant kingdom before 4th century
weak ties to Greek world
not considered completely Greek by southern Greeks
"Medizers" during Persian Invasion (sided with Persia)
Macedonian Society
distinctive culture – fringe of the Greek world
dialect, tumulus burials, unmixed wine, royal polygamy
powerful monarchy: personal allegiance (treaties, etc.)
warrior aristocracy loyal to king (not state, laws etc.)
increasing role in Greek politics
export of grain to Athens & potential
to control N. Aegean grain
century of inter-Greek war creates opportunities
problem: internal strife nearly
destroys Macedon in early 4th C
Philip II of Macedon (ca. 382-36 BCE): early years
son of Amyntas III and Illyrian Eurydice
sent as hostage to Epaminondas in Thebes (369-367 BCE)
learns innovative military tactics from Ep.
takes power in 359 after death of brother Perdiccas in civil wars
consolidates power against pretenders;
defeats external enemies in region by 357
Philip II of Macedon: reforms
goal: stabilize the archaic Macedonian government & army
influence of Epaminondas
military reforms
Development of siege engines (catapults)
Macedonian phalanx: longer spears (sarissa – 18feet)
Light armed infantry and cavalry (scouts, speed)
Recognition of common soldiers (“foot companions”)
Philip II of Macedon
military reforms
Recognition of common soldiers (“foot companions”)
Expands ranks of warrior aristocracy (devastated by civil wars)
Institution of Royal Pages (children of nobles, serve king)
Rewards for nobles increase loyalty
Battle of the Crocus Field – Gains Thessaly (cavalry; double force
size)
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Philip II vs. Athens
Athens: major Greek power in early 4th C
357: Athenian Ally Amphipolis taken by Philip
(effective siege warfare)
Athenians fail to unite Greece against Philip
Demosthenes: Athenian orator opposes Philip
Philip II vs. Athens
Athens: major Greek power in early 4th C
Demosthenes: Athenian orator opposes Philip
alliance with Olynthos, destroyed by Philip II in 348
Peace of Philocrates (346)
attempt to prevent war between Athens/Macedonia
Athens accepts Philip’s power in NE
Demosthenes helps negotiate, then seeks to undo
aftermath of Peace
brief lull in hostilities while Philip consolidates power in north
4th Sacred War: Philip again uses Delphi as excuse to invade
Athens fails to gain full coalition with other Greeks
Demosthenes
Battle of Chaironeia (338)
coalition of Athens & Thebes faces Philip in Boeotia
Resounding victory for Philip
Theban Sacred Band annihilated
1000 Athenian hoplites killed, 2000 captured
Philip's 18-yr-old son Alexander leads decisive cavalry charge
Philip II after Chaironeia
Philip’s plans for Greece
harsh treatment of Thebes, leniency toward Athens
Corinthian League: legitimizes Macedonian control of Greece
rhetoric: Philip II will lead "free Greeks" in attack on Persia
reality: foundation for Macedonian World Empire
assassination of Philip II
summer 336: killed by member of bodyguard
conflicts within Macedonian aristocracy
Olympias, mother of Alexander possibly responsible
in response to Philip’s marriage to Macedonian noble
tomb of Philip II
Greece at the death
of Philip II (336)
Alexander III "the Great" of Macedon (356-323)
early years
born to Philip II and main wife Olympias
tutored by Aristotle
Boucephalus legend
accession to throne at age 20 (336)
consolidation of power (336-34)
purge of Macedonian royal family
immediate trip to Greece
enforces pro-Macedonian regimes
defeats northern "barbarians"
returns to crush Greek revolt; Thebes
destroyed
Alexander the Great: invasion of Western Asia
Alexander takes up Philip’s war against Persians; invades Asia
brings retinue of scientists and historians
Faces and defeats force of Persians at Battle of Granicus (334)
Persians fail to turn Greeks against Alexander
Alexander executes Greek mercenaries in Persian army
Alexander sweeps through Ionia (tribute > "contributions")
Unties ‘Gordian Knot’
Alexander the Great: invasion of Western Asia
leads army south along Mediterranean
Battle of Issos (333) in NW tip of Mediterranean
Persian army led by King Darius III
Persian army soundly defeated
royal family captured; king Darius III flees back east
Family treated as his own (new king of Asia)
Alexander the Great: eastern Mediterranean (332-1)
Siege of Tyre – Phoenician city, Persian naval stronghold
Siege lasts 8 months; city falls in August of 332
City razed to the ground, inhabitants sold into slavery
Alexander continues south to Gaza
Gaza besieged for 2 months, destroyed
Path to Egypt opened
Alexander the Great: eastern Mediterranean (332-1)
destruction of Tyre & Gaza puts end to resistance; path to Egypt opened
Alexander in Egypt
Persian satrap surrenders without fight
identifies himself with pharaohs, local gods (syncretism)
called son of Zeus-Ammon by oracle at Siwa (effect on psychology)
founds Egyptian Alexandria (later site on Library, Pharos Lighthouse)
Alexander as pharaoh
Alexander the Great: conquest of Asia (331-30)
seeks final confrontation with Persian king Darius III; rejects peace
Battle of Guagamela (331): Persian defeat, Darius escapes east
Greeks face war elephants for first time
Alexander assumes title of Persian king
Alexander the Great: conquest of Asia (331-30)
Alexander takes Western capitals of empire
Babylon: sacrifices to local gods/restores temples
Susa: local customs respected, treasury left intact
Alexander the Great: conquest of Asia (331-30)
Destruction of Persepolis – conquest complete
spiritual center of Persian Empire (major royal festivals)
Main powerbase for Persian rule
burned: revenge for Athens, symbolic of Persian loss of power, he was drunk
Ecbatana in Media, last of capitals
taken; all treasuries controlled
Darius III
Alexander the Great: conquest of Asia (331-30)
Death of Darius III (330)
flees to Bactria (Afghanistan), killed & replaced by local satrap Bessus
Alexander assumes role of avenging Darius III, portrays self as successor
buries Darius with honors
Bessus turned over to Alexander, executed
Darius III
Alexander the Great: conquest of Asia (331-30)
invasion of central Asia – most difficult part of expedition
Bactria and Sogdiana (330-27): subdued with difficulty
Appointed Greeks as satraps (provincial governors)
Established military colonies throughout area to secure territory
Tensions among Macedonian generals grows
Alexander the Great: conquest of Asia (330-27)
Orientalization
marriage to Sogdian Rhoxane – first wife; unrest increases
behaving like a Great King (dress, customs)
proskynesis – first sign of open resistance to Alexander by Greeks
Incorporation of Iranians to king’s inner circle
personality problems
paranoia – execution of Philotas, Parmenion
alcoholism – murder of Cleitus the Black
Alexander & Rhoxane
Alexander the Great: invasion of India (327-25)
Approach to India (Indus Valley), edge of known world
Land of mystery, fantastic peoples and creatures
goal: control the whole world
Kashmir surrenders without opposition
Battle of Hydaspes (326): defeats King Poros
Reinstates Poros to his throne, adds territory
Alexander the Great: invasion of India (327-25)
Had enough: army refuses to go further east
They campaign to mouth of Indus before returning westward
return takes two years
Macedonian satraps hang on in India only a few years
Return by land through Gedrosian dessert, be sea
thousands die on two month march
Alexander's policies
administration of Empire
adopts the Persian model (Macedonian satraps, loyal locals)
relations between Greeks and non-Greeks
urges fusion between cultures (especially royal families)
Mass marriage at Susa in 324 between Greek/Persian nobles
Iranians incorporated into high ranks of army
Greeks mutiny at Opis in summer of 324
Alexander's policies
death of Alexander
increasingly erratic behavior
grief over death of Hephaistion
plans to conquer Arabia (armies not eager)
dies in Babylon June 10 323 aged 32
Generals divide empire amongst themselves;
Successor kingdoms fight each other for next 2 centuries.
Ptolemy founds longest lasting kingdom
in Egypt
ends with Cleopatra in 31 BC
Alexander's Empire (332-26)