Workshop 5 - Alexander the Great
Luis J. Dominguez
Universidad Ana G. Méndez, Metro Orlando Campus
HUMA 101-O: World Cultures I
Prof. Glenda L. Torrealba
Jun 16, 2021
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great was known as the greatest conqueror of all Greece and thanks to his
achievements, he had a great impact on humanity. He began his reign very young after the death
of his father. He and his father turned Macedonia into a mighty house of military culture and
power. His father had a vision of dominating all of Greece, but he was killed by some of his
commanders. After this, Alexander the Great takes power and continues the legacy that his father
had started. He begins with all the preparations to dominate all of Greece and the entire western
continent. Alexander was an extremely powerful king, and to this day we can see the great
achievements that he was able to achieve. He confirmed descent directly from the gods, and his
works were immortalized after his death. In ancient times as today, Alexander is considered a
symbol of power, military genius, and conqueror. The king who supplanted him created a coin to
honor him.
Alexander not only received knowledge from his father. He also learned philosophy,
medicine, politics, among other things directly from the great philosopher Aristotle. His
conquests spread throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. As he was a great emperor in ancient
times, a great deal has been found written about him. Many historians have tried to separate them
and thus get to know which was true and which was false. He always took advantage of political
contexts in order to conquer new territories. His reign and his empire spread throughout Greece
and Persia, Babylon, Egypt and much more.
Some consider that one of his greatest achievements was the expansion of Greek culture,
which Alexander spread throughout his empire. This culture has had a great impact on humanity.
An example of this is that in his language there are many symbols or characters that we use today
in science, mathematics, etc.
One of Alexander the Great's tactics was that he did not try to impose a new system on
the conquered peoples. He adapted them to his own systems, and he also allowed people to
maintain their own beliefs. During all his conquests, he created 20 cities that were named after
him. These cities continued to progress even after Alexander's death. Which means that these
cities were well prepared by his empire.
Alexander is believed to have died of a serious illness. One way he used to maintain
power and avoid internal wars was to mix countries and cultures through marriage on the part of
the conquered. Part of his last conquest was India, but he died before achieving it. He did not
have a descendant to supplant him at the time of his death, since his son Alexander IV was born
after his death. His life was impressive, he began as a great leader from a very young age and in
a short time he achieved a great empire that caused his name to be remembered forever.
References:
Partially adapted from “Alexander's Empire.” Boundless World History I: Ancient
Civilizations-Enlightenment Boundless, 19 Nov. 2016. Retrieved 17 Mar. 2017.
Partially adapted from "Alexander the Great." Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2013.
Partially adapted from "Philip II of Macedon." Ancient History Encyclopedia, 2014.
Bibliography:
Bentley, Jerry H. et. al. Traditions and Encounters: A Global Perspective on the Past.
New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015, 202
Bowden, Hugh. Alexander the Great: A Very Short Introduction. England: Oxford
University Press, 2014.
Freeman, Charles. Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the Ancient Mediterranean.
England: Oxford University Press, 2014, 313.