Background

Alexander III of Macedon achieved a great deal at an early age. He was tutored by Greek philosopher Aristotle as a teenager. By age 18, he had ended rebellions and won battles. He was crowned king of Macedon at age 20 and ruled over the Greek peninsula. He destroyed the mighty Persian Empire and conquered all the lands between Egypt and India. He did all of this before his death at age 32. History remembers him as Alexander the Great.

Formation

Alexander the Great inherited a kingdom from his father, Phillip II of Macedon. Phillip had conquered the divided Greek city-states and united them under Macedonian rule. Alexander united the city-states under a common cause. He did so by attacking an old enemy, the Persian Empire.

In 12 years (334–323 BCE), Alexander conquered everything from the Mediterranean Sea to India. His influence lasted for centuries. Hellenistic (ancient Greek) culture spread in the lands he had conquered.

Administration

Alexander ruled over what historians call the “Macedonian Empire.” It is sometimes called “Alexander’s Empire.” It was held together by the personality, legend, and military victories of one man. This was not a good thing. After Alexander’s death, his empire soon crumbled.

The Persians had large networks of roads connecting their empire. Ironically, this helped Alexander to conquer it. Alexander’s armies used the Persians’ roads to resupply and communicate with their own forces.

Yet, Alexander was careful not to destroy the empire he had conquered. He kept Persian elites in positions of power to ensure that there was a smooth transition.

Religion and culture

Alexander hoped to spread Greek culture across the world. He built new cities with Hellenistic architecture. He created new educational institutions to spread Greek ideas. Greek became the common language of elite culture in Western Asia.

However, Alexander was also tolerant of local religions and customs. He supported Persian and Egyptian priests. He sponsored the building of their temples.

Greeks also integrated into the culture and traditions of those they conquered. Alexander encouraged his men to marry Persian women. The effects of Hellenistic religion and culture on local traditions endured for centuries.

Trade

Alexander founded cities that became important points of trade. One such city was Alexandria in Egypt. It was a part of networks that extended from the Mediterranean through the Middle East and into India.

Alexander greatly expanded trade. He injected money into the economy by turning the Persians’ large supply of gold and silver into coins. Historian Frank Lee Holt says that Alexander’s military “dominated the Near East for years, but his money dominated Eurasia for centuries.”

Women in society

Women in the Hellenistic world saw an increase in their power and influence. However, they were generally still valued for marriage, motherhood, and virtue.

Privileged women were able to participate in local politics as government officials. Non-Greek women seemed to have more freedoms than those who came from more restricted city-states. For example, a Greek woman needed a guardian present when doing official business. Other women, such as Egyptians, did not. Educational opportunities expanded for women during this era. This was particularly true for those of the upper classes.

Decline and fall

The successes of Alexander’s conquests would also be his downfall. His soldiers did not wish to continue conquering new lands. After conquests in India, the soldiers refused to travel any farther. Alexander was forced to turn around.

Alexander turned his attention to governing his empire. However, he died of a sudden illness in 323 BCE. His generals and governors began fighting over the empire, splitting into rival factions. Alexander’s empire was divided into various kingdoms ruled by his generals. They continued to spread Greek culture and religion across Asia long after Alexander the Great’s death.