Alexander the Great Revision

Alexander the Great Revision

1. Arrian

   • Strengths
     • Used contemporary sources
       • Eyewitnesses such as Ptolemy
     • Had experience in the military
   • Weaknesses
     • Wrote 400 years after the life of Alexander - so his writing is not contemporary
     • Idolised Alexander (biased)

2. Plutarch

   • Strengths
     • Uses a variety of sources
       • Court journals
       • Alexander's personal letters
       • Eyewitness accounts
     • Writes about the virtues and vices (good and bad qualities) of Alexander
   • Weaknesses
     • Wrote 400 years after the life of Alexander - so his writing is not contemporary
   • Plutarch is a biographer so focuses more on Alexander's character than events that took place

3. Diodorus

   • Wrote about Alexander's life 300 years after Alexander's life - so his writing is not contemporary
   • He does not name his sources of information
   • Diodorus got some of his facts wrong
     • He did not know who assassinated King Philip
     • He made a mistake about Philip's new wife

4. Olympias

   • Alexander's mother
   • Believed that she was impregnated by Zeus
   • Was often possessed by spirits

5. Childhood and Youth

   • he offered help to friends who were ill
   • He kept a dagger under his pillow
   • At 16, he was left in charge of Macedonia
   • Alexander tamed Bucephalus after realising that the horse was afraid of its own shadow

6. Alexander wanted to conquer Persia

   • Because his childhood role model Achillies fought there
   • Because he didn't want to inherit the land his father Philip had already conquered
   • Because he had a large loyal army

7. The battle of Issus

   • Alexander uses his battle knowledge and realises that King Darius has covered the inexperienced infantry with archers

8. Murder of Cleitus

   • Cleitus was angered by Alexander
     • So Cleitus insulted Alexander by reminding him that if he hadn't have saved Alexander's life, then he wouldn't be so great or wonderful
   • Alexander was angered at what Cleitus said and so he murdered him