Notes 2/25/10

• Alexander the Great
• Goes to Persepolis which was the ancient capital of Persia
• Once the greatest capital in the world, and is now in ruins
• Alexander fights Darius at Issus
• Darius's leave and betray him
• Gave Alexander Persia in his dying words
• Alexander needs to get Persian population behind him. He does this by going after the people that left Darius behind
• Goes as far as Afghanistan to find them
• Many leaders have the ability to make their armies do what is needed
• Get to their destination before the betrayers and kill them
• Alexander goes to Tajikistan and is defeated their. This is his first defeat.
• Their is only Europe and a small portion of Asia and the Middle East. Because of this, Alexander thought that he had conquered the world
• His campaign then goes south into India
• Meets fierce resistance their, being attacked daily. He suffered what appeared to be a mortal wound. An arrow pierces his lung. Many of his men think that he is going to die.
• He hears stories of more people in India and wants to go. His men do not want to. Alexander sees an omen and decides to go home.
• His and his mens' culture was changed by Persia.
• He doesn't know where home is and travels to Iraq. This is his last great march
• Loses a friend in Babylon and becomes extremely depressed. Coupled with his wounds and his binge drinking, he comes ill with a fever and dies. Not in glory, because of sickness. He died at the age of 32
• What happens to his empire after death? It was split up between his generals
• Two large areas that were split up were the Seleucid Empire and Egypt
• Egypt was taken over by Ptolemy. His descendants would rule Egypt until Cleopatra
• Hellenistic refers to Greek. This was established by Alexander and his soldiers