Alexander The Great

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Topic: #3 Discuss the Conquests of Alexander the Great. Why is Alexander often lauded as being a Great Military Commander? Do you believe he was more lucky than skilled in his victories against the Persians?
Alexander the Great, the son of Philip of Macedon, conquered the ancient world in a span of twelve years. His efforts ensured he consolidated his influence over his native Balkans, he invaded India and conquered the Persian Empire. He was also successful in subjugating the tribes of Afghanistan and Central Asia (Heckel and McLeod 234). At the time of his demise, he had plans to conquer Rome, Arabia, and Carthage, which is present-day Spain.
The military brilliance of Alexander the Great cannot be disputed; however, the foundation was laid down by Philip, his father. He taught young fighters how to effectively use a spear known as Sarisa that was sixteen feet in length (235). The weapon gave them an edge over their enemies because they were able to inflict injury at a distance before coming into range of the enemies’ swords.
Upon inheriting his father’s army, Alexander the Great deployed new military technologies and equipment. He did research on his foes and studied topography to evade surprise attacks. The only time his troops came under surprise attack was in the battle of Hydaspes River in India. He was leading his troops when they found themselves on a small island in the river. Nonetheless, he managed to reorganize his men for battle, which he eventually won against Poros, the General from India.

Alexander was at the center of each battle, where he inflicted damage on his enemies while assuming the highest risk. His troops moved swiftly to eliminate the enemy and with ferocity. They managed to scare armies into escaping. Alexander’s courage inspired confidence in his men, who could do anything for him (Stoneman 1171). Alexander still remains the greatest military commander because, in fifteen years, he never lost a single battle.
Alexander the Great had talent and was also lucky to have excellent mentors in his life. His personal tutor was Aristotle, a learned fellow from Plato, who studied Socrates. The lessons he was taught did not co-relate to battle tactics but enlightened his thinking as a person. He also learned valuable lessons from his father’s war tactics.
Works Cited
Heckel, W., and J. L. McLeod. “Alexander the Great and the Fate of the Enemy: Quantifying, Qualifying, and Categorizing Atrocities.” The Many Faces of War in the Ancient World (2015): 233-267.
Stoneman, Richard. “From Tyrant to Philosopher-King: A Literary History of Alexander the Great in Medieval and Early Modern England.” (2015): 1170-1172.