Alexander The Great Dbq Essay

Madelyn Youtsey
Mr...Caros/Mr. Bishop
Western Civ. I/Composition
31 March 2023
The Legacy and Military Prowess of Alexander the Great Many conquerors have earned kleos, have built magnanimous empires, and had their name carved into stone like Julius Caesar, Genghis Khan, and Napoleon but one of the most famous and influential conquerors was Alexander the Great. These conquerors all have one thing in common: greatness. But what is greatness? Greatness is being an influential person for the better. It is accomplishing seemingly impossible feats. Greatness is when someone rises to the top and society remembers their contributions. Despite Alexander not being politically great, society remembers him as great because of his military prowess

When Alexander became king of Macedon, Thebes decided to rebel in hopes to break free from the empire. Hearing this news, Alexander rushed to Thebes and broke through the city gates. He destroyed some of the city and brought every citizen together. He pardoned the descendants of Pindar. Also, he pardoned the loyal citizens and their whole families regardless of any unloyal relatives. The remaining citizens became slaves (Doc. C). Alexander shows compassion because one member’s loyalty saves the entire family. His tactic definitely worked and gave people a reason to be loyal. If he massacred all of the city, then people would have seen him as a cruel tyrant and grown to hate him which would lead to mutinies and rebellions. He also proved to his subjects that he was more than a boy, he was a man. This is why Thebes first revolted but through the rebellion, he was able to prove his point, show his military brilliance, and rule with a gentle but strong hold. During the time of his death, Alexander the Great had a large influence and a massive number of cities. His empire was two million square miles and he had founded seventy cities. He accomplished this over eleven years (Doc. X). His army marched, marched, and marched on and year after year, day after day, they conquered. The seventy cities founded over a course of eleven years meant Alexander established a new city about every two months. Also, there is the fact that he never lost any battles. In his eleven years, he accomplished an amazing feat hardly human because of his military strength. His soldiers were loyal for the whole time, dedicated to his cause, and marched with him. In the Battle of Granicus, Alexander the Great not only won an entrance into Asia but also the loyalty of his soldiers. Aristobulus records, “[The Greeks] were not wanting