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Alexander the Great. Philip II of Macedonia. Philip comes to power in 359 BC, building a powerful army Desires to unite all Greece Conquers Greece in 338 BC Assassinated two years later. Alexander. Becomes king at age 20 in 336 BC Student of Aristotle
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Philip II of Macedonia • Philip comes to power in 359 BC, building a powerful army • Desires to unite all Greece • Conquers Greece in 338 BC • Assassinated two years later
Alexander • Becomes king at age 20 in 336 BC • Student of Aristotle • Angry over Persians burning Athens in 480 BC • One Mission: Conquer Asia and destroy Persia
Path of Empire • Issus, 334 BC: Alexander kills 20,000 Persians in one battle, controls Asia Minor • Tyre, 333 BC: An island that thought it was invincible… • …Until Alexander built a ½ mile long bridge to destroy the city! • Conquers Egypt in 332 BC
Battle of Gaugamela, 331 BC Alexander the Great Darius III and the Persians • 47,000 total soldiers • Alexander lost 500 men • Alexander’s greatest victory • Alexander conquers Persia and Asia • 100,000 total soldiers • Persians lost 90,000 • Darius III murdered a year later, by his own nobles
“To the End of the World and the Great Outer Sea” • Battle of the Hydaspes River in 326 BC was Alexander’s last victory, and the furthest his empire ever extended • Alexander’s empire stretches from Macedonia and Greece to Egypt, across Persia to India! • Spreads Greek culture throughout the known world: TheHELLENIZATION of the world
Alexander the Great’s Legacy • Alexander dies at age 32 in 323 BC with no heir • Empire immediately divides • His friend, Ptolemy, takes command of Egypt at Alexandria • Alexander the Great never lost a battle • Still the standard by which generals measure themselves • One of the most tactically gifted and brilliant commanders in human history