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Alexander The Great Influence

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The celebrated king, Alexander, has been one of the most enduring figures in history; his great skill as both a leader and a general has made him renown for 2,000 years and others have adapted his strategies and tactics. In his lifetime Alexander the Great established the greatest empire in the ancient world, and the interest regarding him has ceased to fade because we are always learning more about what he did and his personal insight on the world at his time. His achievements throughout his short yet fulfilled life provides us insight on his characterization and what made him “great”. Without him, the influence on Greek culture during the ancient world would not be near as rich as it is today, and even though his goal might not have been …show more content…

His attackers were Alexander used the method of the phalanx as an advantage in many of the battles he fought to take control over territory. “The sight of Alexander’s phalanx in full battle and also absolute silence was almost bone chilling”. The phalanx was the ancient form for infantry established by the Greeks where the soldiers were arranged in rows, their arms at the ready, making a block that could weep though the enemy’s displeased ranks. By using the phalanx, Alexander conquered all of Greece and the Middle East. With the Persians cavalry of 34,000 to Alexander’s of 7,000, Alexander had devised a daring and inventive tactic. This one had been copied by generals in similar circumstances ever since. Alexander planned to give the enemy an idea that his forces were weaker than they were, and then he would use his left and right phalanx to draw as many of the Persians as he could onto the sides; when the emney center showed an opening he would drive his phalanx into it. Overall Darius’ power was shattered along with his army and personal prestige. The persian empire was ready to be entered. Another example is the Sogdian Rock. Oxyartes and his troops laughed at Alexander when he had asked them to surrender as part of his great conquest, the fortress was perched halfway up on a rock face and the chieftain said Alexander would need soldiers who could fly to get him up there. This was the sort of challenge Alexander just could not resist. So, he called on his troops for mountain climbers to first reach the top, offering $20,000 at the most. Having promised prizes, he had no trouble finding 300 men who were prepared to risk a secret night assault on the Sogdian Rock. About 30 fell to their death, but by morning the rest had used their ropes and iron tent pegs to signal their king from the

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