Week 12: Alexander Flashcards
What weakens Persia by the time of Alexander?
Egyptian independence 405-343 BC
Who said conquering Persia is to attain the limit of all that is humanely possible?
Isocrates
What does Isocrates mean by saying conquering Persia is to attain the limit of all that is humanely possible?
To conquer Persia is to be a step above the simple mortal being, it is to be a hero
Which one of Philip’s wives had a full Greek baby that challenged Alexander to the throne?
Eurydice
Even though Eurydice’s baby was a female, why did Olympias see it as a threat to Alexander’s power?
Because the female baby would marry a man who could then claim legitimate inheritance of the throne
What caused the quarrel between Alexander and his father?
- Philip is drunk and insults Olympias
- Alexander is infuriated
- So Philip exiles Alexander and Olympias to Illyria
Where does Philip exile Olympias and Alexander?
Illyria
Who assassinated Philip II?
Pausanias
Why did Pausanias kill Philip?
- Pausanias and Philip were lovers
- Philip supposedly sat as a bystander and allowed Pausanias to be brutally gang raped by Royal Guard members
- So Pausanias felt betrayed by Philip
Where is Philip assassinated?
At the theatre in Aigai (Vergina)
Who was the only full sibling of Alexander the Great?
Cleopatra of Macedon
What was Philip celebrating at the theatre in Aigai when he was assassinated?
The marriage between Alexander Ist of Epirus and Philip’s daughter Cleopatra of Macedon
Philips assassination occurred ____ months after Alexander and his falling out.
6 months
Who does Alexander leave as regent in Macedon?
Antipater
Before leaving for Asia-Minor, what did Alexander have to deal with first?
- The Triballi (Thracian tribe in revolt)
- Also, King Kleitos of Illyria’s revolt
What were Alexanders 2 threats to the north in Macedonia upon inheriting the throne?
- The Triballi (Thracians)
- King Kleitos of Illyria
Who was Philip’s most trusted commander?
Antipater
How large is Alexander’s invasion force?
35 000 infantry
18 000 cavalry
200 ships
How many Greek allies did Alexander have with him?
9000 (from the Corinthian League)
What is the earliest source on Alexander?
Diodorus, Bibliotheca Historica
Which source took Alexander’s story and wrote about what was useful for the Romans to hear about it?
Curtius Rufus
Which source glosses over Alexander’s war crimes and portrays him as a model for the perfect Roman Emperor?
Arrian (the Roman General)
What are the 2 LEAST informative ancient sources on Alexander?
- Justin
- Plutarch
Which oracle did Alexander travel across the Libyan desert to seek?
Siwah Oasis
What are all the surviving sources on Alexander?
- Curtius Rufus
- Diodorus
- Plutarch
- Justin
- Arrian
What did the priest at Siwah greet Alexander as?
- The son of Ammon (zeus)
What ancient source said that the priest at Siwah actually meant to say “Little Child” instead of “Son of Ammon”?
Plutarch
According to Plutarch, what did the priest of Siwah ACTUALLY mean to say instead of “son of Ammon”
“Little Child”
Which ancient source portrays Alexander as an anti-hero megalomaniac?
Curtius
According to Plutarch, which 2 questions did Alexander ask the oracle at Siwah?
- Did any of Philip’s assassins get away unpunished?
- Will I conquer the world?
What is the only source to mention Alexander’s taming of his horse Bucephalus?
Plutarch
Explain the story of Bucephalus.
- A Thessalian horse merchant comes to Philip one day asking for a huge amount of money for a beautiful horse
- Philip is about to send the dealer away, but all of a sudden, a young Alexander says “wait father, I can ride him ill take it father!”
- Philip says to Alexander: “if you can ride it, ill buy it for you”
How does Alexander manager to tame Bucephalus?
- Alexander notices the horse is afraid of its shadow
- So, Alexander turns its head towards the sun so it wouldn’t see its shadow
- This proves Alexander’s cunning ability to analyze complex situations at hand
After his son tamed Bucephalus, what is Philip credited with saying to Alexander?
“Find another kingdom, my boy, Macedon is too small for you!” (affectionately)
How can you tell the difference between coinage depicting Alexander and coinage depicting Herakles?
- Herakles has a beard
- Alexander does not
Who was Alexander’s official portraitist?
Lysippis
Who said, “Other artists render men as they are, I show them as they appear to be”?
Lysippis
What head to body ratio did Lyssipis sculpt with?
1:7
What was the standard head to body ratio on sculptures?
1:6
True or False:
Alexander was the inspiration for the traditional horned Satan as in the Quoran because of his coins with the horns of Zeus-Ammon.
TRUE
What is the later Medieval text romanticizing Alexander?
Alexander Romance
How is Alexander seen in Persian tradition?
Sometimes wise, sometimes evil
Where does Alexander first land in Asia Minor?
Troy
What does Alexander take in Troy?
Achilles’ Shield
What does Alexander vow in Troy?
To carry Achilles’ shield all the way to India
What is Alexander’s first major battle in Asia-Minor?
Granicus River (334 BC)
Who saves Alexander’s life at Granicus?
Cleitus the Black
What does Alexander do to the 7000 Greek mercenary prisoners he captures after Granicus?
He executes them all
What is Alexander’s strategy at Granicus?
He puts his army’s back to the sun, so the Persians will be charging with the sun in their eyes
Which oracle does Alexander visit after Granicus?
Apollo’s oracle at Didyma
What does Alexander install along the way across Asia Minor?
“Democratic” governments
Which small hilltop town could Alexander simply not capture, to his great vexation?
Ternessos
How does Alexander nearly drown his entire army?
By choosing to march down the treacherous pass of the Lycian Coast
Where is the rope-knot with the legend that whoever unties it will become ruler of Asia?
Gordion
How does Alexander untie the knot at Gordion?
He hacks it with his sword
In which battle is Darius so confident, he brings all his womenfolk to watch as spectators?
Issus (333 BC)
Why does Alexander want to take Phonecia?
Because if he could take Phonecia, he could take away a huge source of Persian ships and finances.
Which city does Alexander besiege and slaughter women and children in retaliation for Phonecian resistance?
Tyre
Which gardener does Alexander give the throne of Sidon to?
Abdalonymus
What was professor Weir’s first coin? (bonus question?)
- Alexander coin from Tarsos
How many varieties of Alexandrian coins were there?
4000
1000 while he was alive
3000 posthumously (ex successors put Alexander on their coins)
Why was there such a massive period of minting from 325-323?
- So Alexander could pay off soldiers and discharge them to the Mediterranean
Why is modern day Tyre not an island?
- Tyre used to be an island
- But during the siege, Alexander connected it to mainland to assault it
Where is Alexander proclaimed Pharaoh?
Memphis
What is Darius’ offer to Alexander?
-all territory west of the Euphrates
- co-rulership of the Achaemenid Empire,
- the hand of one of his daughters in mariage
-30,000 talents of silver
After Issus, what was Darius’ peace offer to Alexander?
- He offered ransom money for his family that Alex. captured
- Co-Rulership of Persia
- All the Achaemenid empire west of the Euphrates
- His daughter Stateira’s hand in marriage
- 30 000 talents in silver
What was the name of Darius’ daughter that he offered to Alexander in mariage?
Stateira
When advised by Parmenion to take Darius’ offer, what does Alexander say?
“If I were Parmenion, I suppose I would, yes. But I am Alexander, and I say push on”
Who advises Alexander to take Darius’ offer?
Parmenion
Who was Alexander’s lover?
Hephaistion
What prevents Alexander from killing Darius at Gaugamela?
- Parmenion’s cavalry on the opposite flank got encircled so Alexander went to save him
What god did Alexander pay respects to in Babylon?
Bel-Marduk
What temple does Alexander rebuild in Babylon?
Esagila
What city did Alexander proclaim as his capital?
Babylon
Who did Alexander leave behind as governor of Babylon?
Mazaeus (a Persian satrap)
(This will come back to bite Alexander)
What were considered to be the 3 great cities of the Persian Empire?
- Babylon
- Susa
- Persepolis
In which city does Alexander famously sit on Darius’ throne?
Susa
What was the narrow pass Alexander had to cross to get from Susa to Persepolis?
The Persian Gates
Where was the last major Persian resistance to Alexander?
The Persian Gates (aka the Persian Thermopolaye)
Which city does Alexander burn down accidentally?
Persepolis
How did Alexander manage to burn down Persepolis?
- One night, Alexander got drunk with his friends and an Athenian prostitute and burned the Great Palace down
- The drunken Alexander supposedly does this in revenge for the Persian Wars
What does Alexander visit to pay his respects?
Cyrus the Great’s tomb
Who assassinates Darius?
Spitamenes (a Sogdian warlord allied to Persia)
After Darius is dead, who does Alexander need to pursue?
Bessus
Where does Alexander fall in love with Roxanne?
Iksander Gul, Bactria
Where do Alexander’s troops mutiny?
Hyphasus River
How does Alexander react to the mutiny?
He executes the ringleaders, has a temper tantrum, but then realizes he can’t push on so they start to return home
What does Alexander find in the Swat Valley Pakistan?
A blue-eyed tribe called the Kalash
How did Alexander interpret the blue eyed Kalash tribe?
- Alexander said that they must be descendents of Dyonisos, for he was born in a nearby mountain (mount Nyssa)
Where was Dyonisos said to have been born?
Mount Nyssa
Which Indian king did Alexander fight at the Hysaspes River?
King Porus
In what year does Alexander die?
323 BC
Who is the new ruler of Macedon after Alexander’s death?
Philip III Arhhidaeus
What were Alexander’s 5 great legacies?
- Brought Greek culture to new lands
- Brings Eastern thought into Europe
- Founds the paradigm for future rulers
- Sets a paradigm for public image
- Opens up a new cosmopolitan world
True or False:
Alexander had an heir upon his death
FALSE
Roxanne was pregnant, but he has no successor at his death.
Who is the ultimate beneficiary of Alexander?
Rome
Why does Alexander chose to march down the treacherous Lycian coast?
To deny the Persians of friendly harbours
