Alexander the Great Failure

Description

Alexander the Great’s empire stretched across three continents and his achievements changed the nature of the ancient world. But for all his military prowess and success as a conqueror, John Grainger argues that he was one of history’s great failures. Alexander’s arrogance was largely responsible for his own premature death; and he was personally culpable for the failure of his imperial enterprise. For Alexander was king of a society where the ruler was absolutely central to the well-being of society as a whole. When the king failed, the Macedonian kingdom imploded, something which had happened every generation for two centuries before him and happened again when he died. For the good of his people, Alexander needed an adult successor, but he refused to provide one while also killing any man who could be seen as one. The consequence was fifty years of warfare after his death and the destruction of his empire.
The work of Philip II, Alexander’s father, in extending and developing the kingdom of the Macedonians was the foundation for Alexander’s career of conquest. Philip’s murder in 336 BC brought Alexander to the kingship in the first undisputed royal succession on record. Alexander’s campaigns achieved unparalleled success and the young king of Macedonia, leader of the Greeks, Pharaoh of Egypt, became Great King of Persia at the age of twenty-five.

Introduction1: Macedon 370 – 359 BC – A Failing StateWorld View 1: 360 BC2: Security of Macedon 359 – 354 BC3: Defence of the Kingdom 354 – 346 BC4: Cold War 346 – 340 BC5: Conquest of Greece 340 – 334 BC6: The Great Campaign 334 – 325 BC7: The United Empire 325 – 319 BCWorld View 2: 319 BC8: Antigonos the One-Eyed 319 – 311 BC9: The New King 311 – 306 BC10: Antigonos’ Failure 306 – 298 BC11: New Kings for Macedon 298 – 291 BC12: King Demetrios and his Enemies 291 – 285 BC13: Last Chance for the Empire 285 – 281 BC14: The New Kings, and Disaster 281 – 277 BC15: The New World 277 – 272 BCWorld View 3: 272 BCConclusion