HISTORY REPORT #1
My report is on Alexander III(354-323 B.C.E) of Macedon. My source for report
is an article from January, 1968 edition of the National Geographic. The article is titled
“In the Footsteps of Alexander The Great Essay”.
It discusses entire journey through Asia and
Egypt conquering every country that he wished. As if being king of Macedon wasn’t
enough for an eighteen year old boy to handle. Throughout his battle he took over
countries like Egypt, Persia, Mesopotamia, and Asia Minor. At the age of twenty-four he
was king of more than three countries.
Alexander the Great became king of Macedon in 336 B.C.
E. ascending his father’s
throne. Since his father, Philip II, had conquered Greece too. Beginning his voyage in
334, at the age of twenty, Alexander crossed the Hellespont into Asia. The Persian
offered Alexander battle at the Granicus River on the coast of Asia Minor. Alexander led
a cavalry charge across the river into the teeth of the enemy.
His courage, inspired his
soldiers, and the victory opened all of Asia Minor to conquest by the Greeks.
In 331 B.C.E. Alexander marched into Mesopotamia to meet an army Darius III,
Persia’s king, had assembled. Once again Alexander and his army broke the Persian line
and Darius was forced to flee.
Eventually in 330 B.C.E., in a series of brilliant battles,
Alexander destroyed the power of Darius III and took his lands and titles for himself. He
might have stopped then, rich in glory and plunder. But his thirst for fame and his
questing sprit drove him on.
For seven more years he fought his way up from mountain to
mountain, from city to city, from the steppes of Russia to the valley of Indus, as his troops
turned sullen and mutinous. In time he brought them back to Babylon, which he saw
death and the break up of his subjugated but unreconstructed empire. .
