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Learn about the rise of the Macedonian Empire under the rule of Philip II and his son, Alexander the Great. Discover the military strategies and conquests that allowed Alexander to establish a vast empire. Explore the impact of Alexander's reign on Greek culture during the Hellenistic period.
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Greek defenses were weakened after the Peloponnesian War. This left room for invasion from the outside…
THE MACEDONIAS https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQfBinQwPGs
Philip II, King of Macedon • Ruled Macedonia from 359-336 B.C. and transformed it into a powerful military machine • Moved into northern Greece and met little resistance due to residual effects of Peloponnesian War • By 338 he had Greece under his control
Alexander the Great • Philip intended to use Greece as a launching pad to invade Persia, but he was assassinated before he could begin his plan • Instead the invasion of Persia would be left for Philip’s son Alexander who was just 20 when Philip was assassinated • “Alexander inherited from his father the most perfectly organized, trained, and equipped army of ancient times.” • J.F.C. Fuller, The Generalship of Alexander the Great
Conquests of Alexander • Ionia and Anatolia 333 • Syria, Palestine, Egypt 332 • Mesopotamia 331 • Persepolis 331 • King of Persia 330 • India 327 • Returns to Susa 324 • Dies (age 33) 323 Established an empire from Greece to Egypt and the margins of India
Warfare • Companions • Alexander’s elite cavalry, the offensive arm of his army, and his elite guard. • They would be used in conjunction with the phalanx. The phalanx would fix the enemy in place and then the companion cavalry would attack on the flank. • Alexander would lead the charge with his cavalry, normally in a wedge formation. • These troops would also protect the flanks of the Macedonian line during battle.
Warfare • Sieges involved the surrounding and blockading of a town or fortress by an army trying to capture it. • A variety of weapons were built to hurl projectiles over city walls, scale or batter the walls, and transport soldiers over them.
The End of the Empire • Alexander • Married Roxanna and had his men also intermarry • Adopted Eastern dress and habits • Publicly insisted upon his descent from the gods • Began giving key positions to Persians • The Macedonians were tired of campaigning and resented the changes in Alexander’s behavior and become mutinous • Alexander died in June 323, perhaps as a result of poisoning "The Marriage of Alexander the Great and Roxanna" by Ishmail Parbury
After Alexander • After Alexander died, his generals fought for power and by 275 they had divided up his kingdom into three large states • The period of Alexander and his successors is called the Hellenistic period to reflect the broad influence of Greek culture beyond Greece’s borders. • The word “Hellenistic” comes from the word Hellazein, which means “to speak Greek or identify with the Greeks.” • It lasted from the death of Alexander in 323 B.C. until 31 B.C., when Roman troops conquered the last of the territories that the Macedonian king had once ruled.