Alexander the Great decided to conquer the Persian Empire to avenge the invasion of Greece by the Persians and to expand his empire as an ambitious conqueror.
Alexandre grew up in Macedonia, raised by his father Philip II, an ambitious king, and his mother Olympias, a proud and determined woman. From his childhood, he was surrounded by heroic tales of his ancestor Achilles, the mythical warrior of the Trojan War. Because his education was guided by the philosopher Aristotle himself, young Alexander developed an early fascination with adventure, greatness, and glory. At just 20 years old, he ascended to the throne with a burning desire to accomplish something extraordinary, to surpass the feats of his predecessors, including his father. Conquering the Persian Empire represented for him the ideal opportunity to secure his place in history and leave behind an immortal legacy.
At that time, the Mediterranean world was roughly divided among several powers, with two main giants: Macedonia on the European side with Alexander on one side, and the vast Persian Empire of Darius III on the other. The Persians had long dominated Asia Minor, and the Greek colonies established in that region were frankly fed up. Alexander saw this as the perfect opportunity to become the liberator of the oppressed Greeks. And let's be honest, reclaiming those territories was tempting: they were strategically important, filled with wealth, and key to controlling trade routes. At that moment, the Persian empire was powerful but significantly weakened by internal struggles and constant revolts in its peripheral territories: the perfect opportunity to attempt a conquest. In short, two great powers, huge economic and political stakes, and favorable circumstances all came together for Alexander to say, "Alright, I’m going for it!"
Alexander the Great grew up admiring the heroic tales of mythical Greek warriors like Achilles, of whom he even claimed to be a descendant. This personal fascination encouraged him to embark on a quest for glory and immortality, typical of Greek culture. Additionally, his education by the famous philosopher Aristotle directly influenced his view of the Persian Empire, portrayed as barbaric in contrast to the Greek ideal of liberty and civilization. For Alexander, conquering the Persians was as much about writing his own legend as it was about spreading Greek culture, perceived as superior, pushing what is known as Hellenization to its maximum.
Macedonia was a small kingdom with limited economic resources. Alexander wanted to expand his territory to gain access to new wealth, including precious metals, fertile lands, and strategic trade routes. More conquests also meant more soldiers to recruit, more resources to exploit, and thus, concretely, more power. The Persian Empire represented at the time a kind of economic jackpot, filled with treasures accumulated over several centuries. The capture of the Persian provinces would have allowed Alexander to fill his coffers, finance his growing army, and sustainably strengthen his position. Essentially, going to conquer the Persians was not only a political opportunity but also an essential economic necessity for the survival and future of Macedonia.
The rivalry between the Greek peoples and the Persian Empire was ancient and persistent long before Alexander. The Persian Wars, where the Persians had attempted to subjugate the Greek city-states, had already left a significant grudge among the Greeks, including in Macedonia. The Persian invasion led by Xerxes was still far from forgotten, continually fueling a desire for revenge. Furthermore, Alexander's father, Philip II, had often planned to settle accounts with the Persians, without having had the time to do so. This latent tension provided Alexander with an excellent reason to fulfill this old family dream and to avenge the past affronts suffered by Greece at the hands of its powerful eastern neighbor.
Alexander the Great was educated by Aristotle himself, one of the most famous philosophers of antiquity, who profoundly influenced his political and cultural ambitions.
During his conquest of the Persian Empire, Alexander founded over twenty cities bearing his own name, the most famous of which is Alexandria in Egypt, a major cultural center for centuries.
Despite their rivalry, Alexander deeply admired the Persian king Cyrus the Great and sought to surpass the glory of his legendary reign.
Alexander the Great sincerely believed that he was a descendant of the Greek deities, particularly Heracles, which heightened his self-confidence in his ambitions for conquest.
Sure! Here’s the translation: "Yes, Alexander wanted to surpass the achievements of his father, Philip II, and prove his legitimacy as a great warrior and leader. His admiration for mythological heroes and his desire for eternal fame also deeply motivated him."
The Persian Empire was known for its immense wealth, particularly gold, silver, fertile agricultural products, and significant trade flows from the East. Conquering Persia meant gaining access to essential economic resources to fund future campaigns and sustainably strengthen Macedonian dominance.
The tensions between the Greeks, to whom the Macedonians culturally belonged, and the Persians date back to the famous Persian Wars about 150 years earlier. These conflicts had left a deeply rooted historical rivalry in Greek culture, ideologically and culturally justifying Alexander's campaign.
The conquests of Alexander the Great led to the spread of Greek culture throughout the eastern Mediterranean and Western Asia. This intense cultural exchange gave rise to Hellenistic civilization, characterized by a unique fusion of Greek and Eastern traditions.
Alexander the Great was about 22 years old when he began his famous military campaign against the Persian Empire, just after the death of his father, Philip II of Macedonia, in 336 BC.
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