The Conquests and Legacy of Alexander the Great

Alexander III of Macedon, more commonly known as Alexander the Great, is one of the most legendary figures in our history and in the history of the world. His conquests and endeavors echoed far and wide, bringing about new eras and ideas to the world. Alexander earned his place in the world’s history and is worthy of the title ‘The Great’ because of his military prowess, his idealism and his legacy.

During the course of his life and reign, Alexander had fought and won many battles and wars, defeating many kings and warlords throughout the ancient world. Perhaps his most recognized conquest was of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia and its ‘King of Kings’ Darius III during the Battle of Issus 1. After defeating the Persians at the Battle of Granicus, Darius gathered an enormous army from his empire and moved through the Greek line of supply, these actions required Alexander to counter attack which staged the battle near the Pinarus River and south of the Village of Issus 2. Darius’ army outnumbered Alexander’s by a 2:1 ratio 3. Attesting to his title, he deployed superior battlefield tactics and practices that led his army to victory, causing the Persian king to flee, leaving his empire to Alexander. The phalanx was used throughout history as an effective battlefield maneuver from roughly 2500 B.C until around 200 B.C and altered and refined as time passed 4. Never was this tactic used more effectively and more efficiently than by Alexander the Great, who used it to expand his empire as far as Punjab, India 5. As a final testament to his military prowess, the fact that under Alexander’s control, the Macedonian civilization army effectively conquered and controlled almost every known region in the ancient world 6. As a military lea...

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...to fund further conquest and exploration, leading to the age known as the Hellenistic period 14. Amidst the vast wealth the Macedonians had acquired through Alexander’s conquests, India and other countries had benefited from the dispersion of Persia’s mass wealth. Trade routes opened from each end of Asia that were bountiful and rich with commerce, called the ‘Silk routes’ 15. Alexander’s incredible life and many achievements outlived him, only giving him greater influence and recognition after he died.

Alexander the Great was in many ways a figure of mythical proportions, as his battles were epic and his conquests legendary, his deeds to be forever remembered in the books of time. His title is brutally earned on the battlefield as ‘The Great’ military leader, in the ranks of his ancestors as ‘The Great’ idealist, and in the halls of time as ‘The Great’ legacy.