Special Question for Week 4b

Please write a five paragraph essay on the question: Was Alexander's adventure really worth it? In your body paragraphs, you must cite specific examples to back up your thesis -- examples must include one from each of the following: Egypt, Persepolis, Afghanistan, India. Due Friday.

           

Alexander the Great led an extraordinary conquest through Persia and also through Afghanistan, Egypt and India. He as one of the fiercest leaders of all time and he and his army were full of confidence on their epic journey. Alexander’s long and endless journey was definitely worth it in his eyes, and also in mine too. Alexander accomplished a feat that astonished everyone in his time, even his own army. He paved the way for what great leaders could do with a lot of power, by conquering everything. He had the knowledge of a military genius and the speed of a gazelle on his long journey of conquest. With a reliable and strong army, Alexander the Great conquered civilizations in Egypt, Persepolis, Afghanistan, and Egypt in the blink of an eye.

In 332 B.C., Alexander the Great steamed into Egypt when many people thought he was going to go to Persia directly. While in Egypt, Alexander ordered his army to build a great city along the sea which is now known as the Mediterranean Sea. Alexander named the city after himself, Alexandria. Alexandria became the intellectual capital of the Ancient world with humongous libraries that were never seen up to his date. But the most important thing happened in Siwa Oasis at the temple of Amun. Alexander with a couple of his soldiers made their way across the hot desert to this temple. When Alexander stood at the steps of this temple, he was declared the son of God by the Egyptian God Amun Re (http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet?ee_website_action_key=action.display.module&story_id=&language_id=1&module_id=330&text=text). This gave Alexander the confidence and power to march into Persia and destroy their empire completely. With Egyptians worshiping Alexander as a king since they hated the Persians too, Alexander was now determined to conquer the whole Persian Empire.

In January of 330 B.C., Alexander the Great reached Persepolis, the capital of the Persian Empire. After Alexander fled Darius and his army up north, Alexander was determined and set out to destroy Persepolis. So Alexander, along with his army, came into Persepolis and completely turned a once great city into complete ruins. He knocked down all of the standing buildings in Persepolis but the building with the most damage was the Palace of Xerxes. This great palace was burned down by Alexander because he wanted revenge on the Persians. Alexander even killed all of the men currently living in Persepolis and pulverized their houses too. The women were taken as slaves in Alexander’s army and his soldiers took all of their silver and gold jewels (http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_t12.html). The destruction of Persepolis was one part in Alexander’s journey where he corrupted his power. Alexander just came in and killed all of the innocent people and hammered down all of their houses. This event basically ended the Persian Empire and what completely downed the little that they even had.

With Alexander’s army being very strong with Greek reinforcements and Persian prisoners, he marched into Afghanistan. But with Afghanistan came harder difficulties. Alexander was still in pursuit of Darius, but Darius was actually taken prisoner by a man named Bessus, who was Darius’s kinsman. As Alexander grew closer, Bessus stabbed King Darius and proclaimed that he was the successor of Darius. But Alexander thought he was the successor of Darius, and he set out with his army to take Bessus down. While trying to find Bessus, Alexander founded many great cities, including Kandahar in modern day Afghanistan. But in 329 B.C., while near the Oxus River, Alexander found Bessus and ordered him to be executed (http://www.archaeology.org/0411/abstracts/alexander.html). This defeat of Bessus made Alexander the King of the Persian Empire, and this officially ended the once great Persian Empire. Alexander was now on his way to India, where before he thought that he had conquered the whole world. But there was still much left for Alexander to conquer.

           

In 327 B.C., Alexander and his army stormed into India and immediately invaded Punjab. But he was faced with a tough challenge after that with the battle against Porus, a powerful Indian leader at the Hydaspes River. Even though Alexander’s army was surprised by the elephants in Porus’s forces, they managed to defeat Porus (http://faq.macedonia.org/history/alexander.the.great.html). But after Alexander captured Porus, he let him go. Alexander then rode down the Hydaspes and Indus Rivers in search of the great ocean in the Southern part of the world. Alexander then conquered many villages along the way. He was almost at the village of Malli, where an arrow pierced his chest area. After reaching the mouth of the Indus in July 325 B.C., Alexander and his army headed west for home. But during Alexander’s long journey, he conquered almost all of the Ancient world in various areas with strong armies, like in Persia, Afghanistan, and India. Alexander rarely hesitated along his journey and his confidence took the better of him. When Alexander was determined to win, he won. Alexander the Great showed magnificent strength and determination and in the end, his long fought work payed off. Alexander the Great’s journey of conquest was definitely worth every day of it and with every conquered civilization came more success and worth in the life of Alexander the Great.

Works Cited in APA format

Eternal Egypt, (n.d.). Retrieved Mar. 11, 2011, from http://www.eternalegypt.org/EternalEgyptWebsiteWeb/HomeServlet?ee_website_action_key=action.display.module&story_id=&language_id=1&module_id=330&text=text

Lendering, J. (n.d.). Retrieved Mar. 11, 2011, from http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexander/alexander_t12.html

Macedonia FAQ, (2000). Retrieved Mar. 11, 2011, from http://faq.macedonia.org/history/alexander.the.great.html

Romey, K. M. (2004, Nov.). Retrieved Mar. 11, 2011, from http://www.archaeology.org/0411/abstracts/alexander.html