How Great Was Alexander The Great?

What is a truly great leader? It is someone with courage, discipline, creativity, remarkable achievement, and integrity. Unfortunately, Alexander the Great does not have any of these valuable traits to be called a “great” leader. Even though Alexander left a mark in history’s book, it was a mark of a brutal tormenter. Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C.E. in a kingdom on the edge of northern Greece called Macedonia. (B.G.E.) His parents, Phillip and Olympia, constantly adored and spoiled him.

They hired a famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, to teach him academic subjects, politics, sports, and warfare. (B.E.) As he grew older, an inner beast was growing inside of him and at last it exploded when his father died, and Alexander was only then able to take the throne. But who would want an unjust leader, who is an egomaniac, a ruthless narcissist, and whose empire would not last?

Alexander the “not-so-great” was a psychotic maniac with a huge ego. He was conceded and had absolutely no concern for others. For example, when Alexander’s army was struggling across the hot, dry desert of sand, he could’ve taken them around the desert, so they didn’t have to suffer. (doc.D)

Also, every new place Alexander went to he founded a new city and named it after himself….. Alexandria!!! In total he named eleven cities after himself. Because he was spoiled and everyone treated him like he was royalty at a very young age, he came up with the idea that he was part god and told everyone to treat him that way. (B.E.)

There were always consequences for when people tried to stand up against Alexander. One example is in the battle with Tyre, when they refused to surrender, so he wouldn’t let them be and ordered his army to destruct and destroy all of Tyre into little pieces.(Doc.C) Therefore, because of his lack of concern for others and huge ego, he was proven, once again, to be Alexander the “not so great”!!!

A second reason Alexander was not great at all was because he was a ruthless narcissist who had savage relish. Evidence to prove my opinion is how he killed hundreds of thousands of innocent people that were slaughtered by Alexander and his army in only four major battles.(Doc.E)

Alexander’s main goal was to conquer many territories. Also, during the battle of Tyre his army killed thousands of people and sold the thirty thousand remaining survivors into slavery. How is that the act of a “great” leader? To add on to all the other horrifying murdering he also crucified two thousand men who didn’t even harm him!!!This shows that Alexander was nothing but a brutal murderer!

Many people wonder why Alexander’s empire did not last. Well, I will tell you why! The first thing that Phillip the Second of Macedon did was name an heir to the throne after he died and it was Alexander. But as soon as Alexander gained the throne all he cared about was conquest and he didn’t seem to plan ahead, because after he died he didn’t name a successor who would expand the empire, therefore his whole empire collapsed. (Doc.E)

Besides an empire as vast as his took at least 11 years of hard work and conquering to build. Unfortunately it only took 10 years to destroy it which showed what a poor job Alexander did with leadership. Because of Alexander’s ignorance and foolishness towards his empire, he became an irresponsible leader, instead of a caring, great man, as the world thinks he is.

In conclusion I believe that Alexander should not be called great anymore and that people should see the villainous side of him. Though, he did have some good points in his life. For example he built an incredibly vast empire, spread Greek art and literature, and was a major influence on Julias Caesar.

However, the three reasons presented above- he was a big egomaniac, a ruthless narcissist, and his empire did not last- show that when all is said done, Alexander is not at all what our history books claims him to be. In my opinion I don’t think Alexander the Great should be called a “legend” of history, but a moronic monster!

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How Great Was Alexander The Great?. (2016, Jul 05). Retrieved from https://phdessay.com/how-great-was-alexander-the-great/

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