preview

King Alexander: Hero Or Villain?

Decent Essays

Although Alexander can be considered the protagonist of Greek history, there is overwhelming evidence that suggests that he is the villain as he demonstrates the antagonistic qualities of felony, extreme impatience, and greed. First and foremost, Alexander has used felony and destruction during his rule. “Any visitor to the spectacular ruins of Persepolis - the site of the ceremonial capital of the ancient Persian Achaemenid empire, will be told three facts: it was built by Darius the Great, embellished by his son Xerxes, and destroyed by that man, Alexander” (Ansari 2). Alexander destroyed a monument that was dear to the Persians, and more, while he was drunk. First, any true hero would not drink so much that they would become drunk. It is simple knowledge, and heroes are supposed to be wise, and thoughtful of decisions. In addition, it is cruel to destroy a civilization’s most prized possession. Especially if the monument has religious or national value. For a modern analogy, when the United State’s Twin Towers were destroyed, and many citizens were injured or even killed, the people of the …show more content…

Alexander had some respectable accomplishments that proved him to be heroic. At the “age of 30, Alexander ruled over an empire spanning three continents and covering more than two million square miles” (The John Maxwell Company). Alexander had a large area of land that he ruled at the age of just 30. This means that he is capable of controlled rule at a young age, furthermore proving that he is a hero. This is because he understands the principle of responsibility, which is an essential trait of any hero. For example, a hero must be able to save cities at a moment’s notice. That demonstrates responsibility. In addition, if Alexander can control a two-million square mile empire, you can imagine how well he ruled in his last two years of life (he died at age

Get Access