introduction:
Alexander the Great was born in the Macedonian royal family, was a world-famous military and politician, and posterity often referred to him with Julius Caesar, Napoleon, etc. as the head of the four greatest military commanders in European history. When he was young, he was taught by the famous scholar Aristotle and learned a lot from his teachers.
Alexander the Great
As an adult, he used his military prowess to lead the army through Europe, leading the country to become the largest country in the world. In terms of external expansion, the accomplished Alexander the Great also had his own set of experience in governing the country. Under his rule, the exchange of cultures and economic and trade between the East and the West was greatly promoted, thus strengthening the ties between the regions of the world. In addition, he also advocated equality for all in China, vigorously developed science and technology, and created a good environment for the development of ancient Greek culture.
Arian once said: "Therefore, even I cannot imagine that a man like him, who is above all men, is born without the influence of a little divine power." ”
Son of a king, he was a teenager who made his debut on the battlefield
According to historical records, Alexander was born in the capital of Macedonia as the son of King Philip II. From an early age, Alexander loved to read ancient books and had a certain interest in academic research. After he reached a certain age, his father invited the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle as his teacher. Aristotle was originally a very talented man, and under his teaching, Alexander was very respectful of learning from an early age, which also laid the foundation for him to relax the restrictions on academic research after he came to power.
In 340 BC, Philip II led an army to capture Byzantium, and Alexander, sixteen years younger, took the place of his father in governing Macedonia. During this period, there was a rebellion within Macedonia, and since the king was absent, Alexander took the place of his father on the battlefield, and he also skillfully used a strategy to break through the enemy's encirclement and annihilate the strongest Greek army at that time, thus leading Macedonia to victory. The battle also made him famous, and in this year, he was only eighteen years old, but he had already shown extraordinary military talent.
Become a king and lead an army to conquer the world
Unexpectedly, Alexander's path to becoming king was bumpy. It should start with his father's decision to divorce his mother, but regardless of the process, Alexander finally eliminated all difficulties and was elected as the new king by the commander of the Macedonian army.
Due to his outstanding performance in his father's funeral and governance of the country, Alexander soon gained the support of the Macedonian people and army. After consolidating his rule internally, the ambitious Alexander began to train his army and prepare for expeditions. His first target was Athens, which, with great military might, soon came to the feet of Alexander. But this did not satisfy Alexander, but rather fueled his ambitions for outward expansion.
After that, he continued to lead the army to the east, conquering Persia, Egypt and other countries. Even after this, he tirelessly led an expedition to India. Crushed by absolute military might, Alexander soon became the hegemon of Europe, and Alexander's empire became the most territorial country in the world.
Carry out reforms to develop and strengthen the country's strength
While expanding abroad, Alexander did not forget to reform the country. In his view, only by solving the rear first and having no worries about the rear can we devote all our energy to fighting the enemy. During his reign, he reformed the country from several different fronts. Militarily, he inherited and developed the military system of ancient Greece and created more strategies and tactics, thus greatly promoting the development of ancient Western military. Culturally, perhaps influenced by his teacher Aristotle, he attached great importance to the development of culture, so he relaxed the restrictions of cultural creation and promoted the development of Western culture. In addition to this, there are many other aspects to which he has also made great contributions.
The Grand Strategy records that "the battles commanded by Alexander fully embodied every principle of warfare, and he was a master of the application of operational principles not only in the military but also in all aspects." ”
Indeed, Alexander was awe-inspiring in military affairs, always able to lead his army to victory in war. He was indeed a born military man. It is undeniable that he has a high degree of military attainment, but his political achievements are equally remarkable. Under his rule, he established more than twenty cities and even made the city of Alexandria the cultural center of the world. Suddenly, Alexander's empire was thriving, and everything was moving on the good side.
Resources:
A History of Western Strategic Thought
Grand Strategy