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The Roman Invasion Of Greece Essay

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Roman Invasion of Greece After the death of Philip II, his son, Alexander the Great, became ruler of Macedonia. Alexander ruled for thirteen years until his death at 33 years old (Parker 312). Unlike most military leaders, he did not destroy the cities that he conquered. He believed that the barbarians also contributed to society. During his reign, Alexander greatly expanded his empire from Greece to Egypt and also to India (310). In addition to acquiring land, the expansion spread Greek philosophy and culture; although Alexander was certainly not the first Hellenistic leader. Approximately three centuries after Alexander’s death, the Romans invaded and conquered the final territories formerly governed by Alexander the Great. Many factors such as geography contributed to the successful invasion of Greece by the Romans; however, the lack of unity within Greece was the primary contributing factor. The geography of Greece is primarily comprised of mountains and islands between and around the Aegean, Mediterranean, and Adriatic Seas. Greece is positioned at the base of the Balkan Peninsula in southern Europe (Parker 1). The main land mass is a peninsula with smaller peninsulas jutting from the main peninsula. Although the Roman invasion of Greece occurred over a long period of time, the Romans were able to use the geography of Greece to penetrate gradually. It is important to note that “given the mountainous nature of the land, which tended to impede travel overland,

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