Alexander versus Constantine: Who is More Successful?
How does one decide who is the most successful historical figure? Success can be defined differently by individuals based on personal values or agendas. Alexander the Great and Constantine are two of the most successful leaders in history. Leading two great empires, these rulers achieved great success in their time. Constantine ruled for thirty years over a large territory and maintained and progressing a Christian empire. These events are recounted in Eusebius’ work The Life of the Blessed Emperor Constantine. Plutarch’s Lives shows how Alexander the Great expanded his lands to great lengths and created a thriving empire. Plutarch and Eusebius take similar paths in describing these two
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However, what that education included was different. Alexander’s tutor, Aristotle, had a great impact on the path Alexander would take in life. In their studies, they focused on philosophy, science, and ancient Greek legends and myths like The Iliad. Alexander read about the military successes of Achilles, which would remain his inspiration as he continued his conquests; in fact, he brought sections of The Iliad with him on his conquests (Plutarch, 243). In focusing on philosophy and Greek legends, Alexander received a thorough and profound education that would help him to expand his empire. Plutarch speaks about the role of Aristotle to show that success also must include academia. Like Alexander, Constantine received a “liberal education” (Eusebius, XIX). However, Eusebius choses to focus on his being “gifted in the first place with a sound judgement,” and his “natural intelligence and divinely imparted wisdom” (Eusebius XIX). In focusing on Constantine’s natural intelligence and in calling it a gift, he is implying that his intelligence was God given gift. This idea lends itself to the image that Eusebius has created of Constantine: a godly man who saw success because of his devotion to Christianity. The two authors deviate in focusing on how the two leaders acquired their intelligence and what inspired their …show more content…
After taking the throne at age twenty, Alexander took responsibility for fighting in the battlefield and personally fought in the battles for territory and conquest (Plutarch, 251). Alexander put a “speedy stop to the disturbances and wars among the barbarians” by launching an “army as far as to the river Danube” (Plutarch, 253). Plutarch decides to focus on Alexander’s leadership qualities on the battlefield in order to prove his success in running and expanding an empire. Under his rule, the empire could expand and flourish. For Plutarch, military skill and accomplishment are what lend themselves to being a successful leader. Unlike Plutarch, Eusebius links Constantine’s success in maintaining an empire to his devotion to Christianity and the power of God. Constantine, when faced with the failures of his enemies, turned to Christianity (Eusebius, XXVII). He used “divine assistance” to guide him on his quests to destroy tyrants, unlike Alexander who relied solely on his skills in fighting (Eusebius, XXVII). In addition, the defining feature of Constantine’s rule was his conversion after witnessing a diving intervention of a cross in the sky which bore the inscription: “conquer by this” (Eusebius, XXVII). By giving religion a role in the success of empire building, Eusebius says that Christianity can translate into success in what you do. Plutarch and Eusebius differ in the way in which they
One of the reasons for Alexander’s military success is because he was brought up by a great military leader. Alexander’s father was King Phillip II of Macedonia, a great military leader himself. When Alexander was a young man, around 16, his father realized his potential and pulled him out of school and put him out on the field to learn (McGill). He also got him a tutor, one of the best in all of history, Aristotle. Alexander’s young life will prove to be one of the largest reasons for his...
...here are few people in history that can claim the military prowess, uncanny political maneuvering, and the overall lasting effect of the dissemination of a particular culture such as Alexander. Alexander’s exploits led to the spread of the Greek culture throughout Asia and Africa. They even went so far as to impact the Romans who dominated Hellenistic Egypt. He left in his wake and expansion of territory and commerce, with expanded trading ports and the exportation of the Greek political system. Christianity emerged with the Hellenization of the Jews and spread throughout Hellenized gentile communities. It seems impossible to catalogue every impact of Alexander’s empire. In the end, I have to conclude that Alexander does ‘fully deserve’ the title of “the Great.”
Alexander the Great, son of Philip of Macedon took the throne at nineteen years of age in 336BCE and with this single event the Hellenic culture abounded. Philip did not want Alexander to be a course and boorish Macedonian so he gave Alexander a tutor, Aristotle. Between Philip and Aristotle, Alexander was raised in the Hellenic culture. The Hellenic culture’s aim was to...
Aristotle, was ordered by his childhood friend, King Philip of Macedon, to tutor the his teenage sons. One son suffered from a illness and had the intellect of a child; the other son was destined to change the world but is overwhelmed with the attainment of knowledge and the demand of his skill as a warrior. Also, Aristotle had to put his
The author’s thesis argues that Alexander became who he was based on the society he grew up in. Green describes Alexander’s surroundings as “loud, clamorous professional soldiers, who rode or drank or fought or fornicated” (pg. 40). These were the male examples that he had in his life and his father was no different. He was also surrounded by the planning and strategy of war, treachery and conspiracies. His mother Olympia’s which is so popularly known for poisoning young Alexander’s mind against Philip, the author believes is nothing more but a psychological myth. Alexander and Olympia’s did not turn against Philip till 338 BC, when Alexander...
Alexander was a smart man and there was one main person to thank for that, his father. Philip II, knowing that someday his son would be a powerful figure arranged for none other than Aristotle to be Alexander’s tutor. Alexander grew to love his tutor almost as much as his father. Alexander’s favorite book was the Iliad by Homer, it was a story about some of the things he hoped to do when he got older, such as fight in wars. As a youth Alexander also enjoyed hunting and martial arts. Alexander feared that by the time he became king there would be nothing left for him to conquer.
Constantine I (February 27, 280 C.E.- May 22, 337 C.E.), also known as Constantine the Great, was the first Roman emperor to not only abolish persecution of Christians, but he was also the first to convert to Christianity in 312 A.D. Around 200 years later, in 496 A.D. Clovis I (466 C.E.- 511 C.E.), the King of the Franks, converted to Christianity, in which he was called a “new Constantine” . Constantine and Clovis’ reign through Christianity were alike in the way that they decided to convert. However, the two emperors were different in their commitment to God and their impacts on the church and state.
In document E it states “Years that it took Alexander to build his empire-11 Years that Alexander’s empire held together after his death-10” Alexander the “great” doesn’t show any intelligence because he forgot to make a will with an heir for his empire leaving it confused and aggressive because no one knew who was going to rule. Many small government officials took pieces of land changing the laws and affecting the citizens in big ways. Ten years later the empire fell apart leaving people with many burdens. Alexander left his empire after he died in a big mess, hoping someone could help it. This was unsmart because even though death might not be expected, it is always important to create a will with as much at stake as there was in Alexander’s situation. In summary, Alexander was not smart because he wasn’t able to think ahead to help his empire stay strong.
Plutarch’s Life of Alexander speaks of Alexander’s father telling him “my son, seek thee out a kingdom equal to thyself; Macedonia has not room for thee” (Plutarch, 6.1). Aristotle tutored Alexander where he encouraged his ambition, and taught him that bravery in a man was an admirable quality. Alexander’s birth was associated with great signs; Plutarch writes “Alexander was born the sixth of Hecatombeon … the same day that the temple of Diana was burnt while its mistress was absent, assisting at the birth of Alexander” (Plutarch, Lives).
Diodorus, and Plutarch make Alexander seem very arrogant in their writing because of his impossible goals and plans. Alexander was originally Macedonian, but over the years, he adopted many different cultures. During Alexander’s rule, he conquered many nations and won many battles. He was very confident in himself. Additionally, it is clear that historians wished to highlight his goal to unite the world and create one culture. In Plutarch’s The Mixing of Barbarians and Greeks, Plutarch explains Alexander’s goal to unify
Alexander was born in Pella, the capital of Macedon, on July 20, 356 B.C. He was the son of King Philip II and his fourth wife Olympias, an Epirote princess. Alexander was bred to be a warrior; his father was a great commander and king, and his mom’s second cousin, Pyrrhus of Epirus, was a celebrated general. So there were noteworthy examples of military genius on both sides of his family. As a child, Alexander’s mother would tell him stories of how he was a descendant to Achilles and Hercules. Achilles was his favorite hero growing up, as he read of his adventures in Homer’s Iliad. From an early age Alexander was practically raised by everyone but his parents. He was originally educated by a strict teacher named Leonidas. Alexander’s father wanted Alexander to become a great man, so he acquired the famous philosopher Aristotle to become his tutor. Aristotle trained him in rhetoric and literature, and stimulated his interest in medicine, science, and philosophy. Aristotle is credited for Alexander’s fasci...
Alexander the Great is undoubtedly one of the most famous leaders and Kings in our history. This one man miraculously led his armies into countless battles and created an empire nearly as large as the Roman Empire. Men and women all over the world have clearly heard of the amazing things that Alexander accomplished in his times; however, the question of whether his deeds were heroic or villainous still remains. To answer this question, Alexander the Great was unmistakably a villain.
argued that in the case of Mrs. Lodge, she has Rhoda's ex lover as her
Constantine the Great, first Christian Emperor, originator of Constantinople, creator of the Byzantine Empire, military conqueror, and honored saint, has been labeled by many the most instrumental emperor of the Roman Empire. Constantine played a crucial role in the development of Europe during the Middle Ages, and founded Christianity as the formal religion of the Roman Empire. His dynamic yet effective predominance laid the infrastructure of European development. From his humble beginnings, to his command of the Roman Empire, to his final days, Constantine’s impact on world history and Christianity has left behind an unforgettable legacy. He was described by Eusebius as “such an emperor as all history records not.” Ware compared him to, “a watershed in the history of the Church.” Additionally, Meyendorff states, “No single human being in history has contributed to the conversion of so many to the Christian faith.” Norwich declared that “No ruler in all of history has ever more fully merited his title of ‘the Great’…Constantine has serious claim to be considered the most influential man in all of history.” Some of Constantine’s notable acts in the history of Christianity was his calling of the first Ecumenical Council at Nicaea, his institution of freedom for Christianity with the Edict of Milan, and the relocation of the capital of empire from Rome to Constantinople.
Have you ever wondered why Alexander from Macedonia is called Alexander the Great. According to history, it is because he is the most glorious general in the history who conquered Persia, Greece, Egypt and Babylon in a very inexperienced age. He became the commander of Macedonian armies at age eighteen and the king of Macedonia at age twenty. After six years of preparation, he conquered the great Persian empire. Unfortunately, he died at age thirty-three. He would have conquered many lands if he hadn’t died at a such young age. He was a legend and an icon for great kings like Charlemagne, Julius Caesar, and Pompey. World’s most famous generals tried to compete with him but they couldn’t accomplish. After years, his tomb