HISTORY Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

HISTORY - Essay Example Alexander thus was a far better war tactician than Caesar. However when comparing merits as a ruler, it is not just war exploits and successes that need to be considered, but the issue of what was done for their people, and were the people better off under their rule and subsequent to their rule. At the age of twenty Alexander succeeded his father King Phillip as King of Macedonia. He spent the next few years consolidating his power among the Greek nations, and by 334 BC was ready to set out to conquer the world, though handicapped with a small army, no navy, and lacking in the means to finance his dreams. Still he crossed over into Asia Minor to begin the conquest of the Persian Empire. He conquered Asia Minor and at Syria met the forces of the Persian King Darius and defeated them. Darius fled to Mesopotamia. Alexander took Palestine an Egypt and then turned his eyes on Mesopotamia. He soon conquered Mesopotamia. The vast lands and wealth of the great Persian Empire was all his now. He then turned his attention to Afghanistan and India. He gained Afghanistan and a hold on the north-western parts of India, At this point he had to turn back, as his army had become restless with so many years of fighting away from home. His eastward thrust thus ended in 327 BC, just seven years after he had set out. There is no doubt that no ruler ever has achieved so much in conquests in so limited a period of time (Alexander the Great). The driving force behind Alexander’s dreams of conquering the world is a much debated topic. The debate remains on whether wanting to spread Greek civilization or whether it was his megalomania that was the cause. However there is agreement in that his conquests and the speed at which they were executed remain with a parallel in history. However, the same speed with which the conquests were seen in the collapse of his empire after his death. In that sense his conquests did