[246] Alexander sought to insert Greek elements into Persian culture and attempted to hybridize Greek and Persian culture. Alexander was the son of Philip II of Macedonia, king of the Macedonian Empire. [157], Alexander's body was laid in a gold anthropoid sarcophagus that was filled with honey, which was in turn placed in a gold casket. See more ideas about ancient warfare, ancient warriors, greek warrior. [45][47][50], News of Philip's death roused many states into revolt, including Thebes, Athens, Thessaly, and the Thracian tribes north of Macedon. Greek biographer Plutarch (c.  45 – c. 120 AD) describes Alexander's appearance as: The outward appearance of Alexander is best represented by the statues of him which Lysippus made, and it was by this artist alone that Alexander himself thought it fit that he should be modelled. Alexander arranged a double phalanx, with the center advancing at an angle, parting when the chariots bore down and then reforming. When Philip heard of this, he stopped the negotiations and scolded Alexander for wishing to marry the daughter of a Carian, explaining that he wanted a better bride for him. [33] At Corinth, Philip established a "Hellenic Alliance" (modelled on the old anti-Persian alliance of the Greco-Persian Wars), which included most Greek city-states except Sparta. They went on to occupy the city of Elatea, only a few days' march from both Athens and Thebes. The highest positions were in the Royal Companion Cavalry, the king’s own personal squadron, and in the Royal Hypaspists, an elite 500-man infantry unit that surrounded the king in battle. [179], Diodorus stated that Alexander had given detailed written instructions to Craterus some time before his death. Not only did the Macedonian army easily crush the Thebian rebellion, says Wrightson, “but Alexander razed Thebes to the ground and sold the entire city into slavery, except for one house owned by the descendants of his favorite poet.”. [15] Alexander was raised in the manner of noble Macedonian youths, learning to read, play the lyre, ride, fight, and hunt. [148] Olympias always insisted to him that he was the son of Zeus,[209] a theory apparently confirmed to him by the oracle of Amun at Siwa. [65][66] At first, all went well. [165] The recent discovery of an enormous tomb in northern Greece, at Amphipolis, dating from the time of Alexander the Great[166] has given rise to speculation that its original intent was to be the burial place of Alexander. The Macedonians were a Greek tribe. [259] The emperor Trajan also admired Alexander, as did Nero and Caracalla. [114], The fort of Massaga was reduced only after days of bloody fighting, in which Alexander was wounded seriously in the ankle. [88] Alexander stayed in Persepolis for five months. After quickly dispatching a small regional army near the town of Granicus, Alexander had his first real test against Darius and his Persian Royal Army near the coastal city of Issus. After a long pause due to an illness, he marched on towards Syria. ", "Alexander the Great poisoned by the River Styx", "Alexander the Great and West Nile Virus Encephalitis", "The Location of the Tomb: Facts and Speculation", "The Aftermath: The Burial of Alexander the Great", "Greeks captivated by Alexander-era tomb at Amphipolis", "Archaeologist claims opulent grave in Greece honored Alexander the Great's best friend", "Hephaestion's Monogram Found at Amphipolis Tomb", Plutarch, Regum et imperatorum apophthegmata, Alexander, Plutarch, De Alexandri magni fortuna aut virtute, 2.4, "Images of Authority II: The Greek Example", Alexander: Selected Texts from Arrian, Curtius and Plutarch, The Classical Tradition: Greek and Roman Influences on Western Literature: Greek and Roman Influences on Western Literature, "World map according to Eratosthenes (194 B.C. Left to fight alone, they were defeated. [106] Following Alexander's death, many Greeks who had settled there tried to return to Greece. [274] In Egypt, Alexander was portrayed as the son of Nectanebo II, the last pharaoh before the Persian conquest. [58], While Alexander campaigned north, the Thebans and Athenians rebelled once again. [16], When Alexander was ten years old, a trader from Thessaly brought Philip a horse, which he offered to sell for thirteen talents. On Alexander’s death at Babylon his generals divided up the satrapies (provinces) of his empire and used them as bases in a struggle to acquire the whole. The Argead dynasty (Greek: Ἀργεάδαι, Argeádai) was an ancient Macedonian royal house of Dorian Greek provenance. [114] Ambhi hastened to relieve Alexander of his apprehension and met him with valuable presents, placing himself and all his forces at his disposal. Alexander then faced the Assakenoi, who fought against him from the strongholds of Massaga, Ora and Aornos. 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