Reasons why Alexander was great?

[Vergina Sun]

I found this site that lists their top 10 reasons why Alexander was great. Do you agree or disagree? This site can be found at http://www.top100lists.net/history/top- ... great.html

[aleksandros]

Alexander after conquering Susa, Persepolis, Ecbatana became the single most rich person in the world and of all times (taking account of the gold in Alexander's hands to the gold collected all over the world at that time).

I think that every single one of us if ever was given such an amound of money comparing to total world's wealth would never risk his life for the rest of his life. Alexander did risk it since Ecbatana big time! To him glory worthed more than all the money in the world and he proved it with his life. That's why i think he was great.

[jasonxx]

I have no idea what makes anyone caled Great as I have problems with.

Why Herod The Great
Peter The great
Kathryn The Great
And Alfred The Great.

And

Ghengis
Julius Ceasar Augustus
Hannibal
Saladin
Mae Tse Tung
not Great

I would say Alexander The Great. But more in the mould of a legend. and as with been in love etc and Genius its something near impossible to define.

kenny

[rjones2818]

I have no idea what makes anyone caled Great as I have problems with.

From my understanding, Alexander was the first to be called the Great (I've read that he was called the Invincible while he was alive). Look to Alexander and decide what may make him great and see if any of the others match up. I personally think everybody else pales in comparison.

[jasonxx]

Depends on your point of view. How well Known in the far east . China japan etc is Alexander known as the Great.

Just about all nations in the west Know Ghengis Khan. His impact with first the Monguls and Tartars stretched much farther than Alexanders spread Eastward.

Its a them and us issue to the East Id say Ghengis was Great. Im not sure but is Khan a word for Great. I dont think he fades into insignificance at all compared to Alexander.

Kenny

[aleksandros]

The greek word used was Megas (ΜΕΓΑΣ). I don't think that 'Great' is an acurate translation of the greek word.

[Semiramis]

I have no idea what makes anyone caled Great as I have problems with.

From my understanding, Alexander was the first to be called the Great (I've read that he was called the Invincible while he was alive). Look to Alexander and decide what may make him great and see if any of the others match up. I personally think everybody else pales in comparison.

What about Cyrus the Great or Darius the Great? Was that done in later years by historians? After Alexander's death? Or during their own lifetimes? I'm just trying to think of "Greats" the Greeks and Macedonians may have been aware of.

[alejandro]

The greek word used was Megas (ΜΕΓΑΣ). I don't think that 'Great' is an acurate translation of the greek word.

Hi Alexanthros,

That's interesting. What would be a better translation?

Best,
Alejandro

PS: though the Greek word may be itself an inaccurate translation of the Latin original -as it is broadly accepted that Alexander was first labelled as "Great" (or whatever other similar word) by the Romans.

[aleksandros]

The greek word used was Megas (ΜΕΓΑΣ). I don't think that 'Great' is an acurate translation of the greek word.

Hi Alexanthros,

That's interesting. What would be a better translation?

Best,
Alejandro

PS: though the Greek word may be itself an inaccurate translation of the Latin original -as it is broadly accepted that Alexander was first labelled as "Great" (or whatever other similar word) by the Romans.

And what was the word used by Romans? Was it different than the greek one at first place? Greek was spoken widely among the educated Roman world.

[Efstathios]

I dont know what the roman word was, and if it was roman indeed, but the word "Great" as for "Megas" is an accurate translation. It refers to size, like "big" or "gigantic", but is also used in the same time to depict the greatness of something. For example, " mega katorthoma" = great achievement.

[rjones2818]

Depends on your point of view. How well Known in the far east . China japan etc is Alexander known as the Great.

Just about all nations in the west Know Ghengis Khan. His impact with first the Monguls and Tartars stretched much farther than Alexanders spread Eastward.

Its a them and us issue to the East Id say Ghengis was Great. Im not sure but is Khan a word for Great. I dont think he fades into insignificance at all compared to Alexander.

Kenny

Not that the Alexander Romance is historically accurate, but the five (I think) main versions spread across the 'old' world to the point that there were some 80 versions in various different languages. Alexander was known in the east as well as the west, and he was known as the great.

[Callisto]

And what was the word used by Romans? Was it different than the greek one at first place? Greek was spoken widely among the educated Roman world.

The word was Magno. For example Curtius Rufus wrote "Historiae Alexandri Magni".

[alejandro]

And what was the word used by Romans? Was it different than the greek one at first place? Greek was spoken widely among the educated Roman world.

The word was Magno. For example Curtius Rufus wrote "Historiae Alexandri Magni".

Indeed, that is the word that I was thinking of. But since I don't know Latin or Greek, I thought that the Latin Magno, the Greek Megas and the English Great conveyed the same idea of greatness, as suggested by Efstathios. In any case, it is widely accepted that Alexander was first called Great (Magno) by the Romans, and that is why I suggested that the reason behind the use of the Greek Megas may have been simply the result of a literal (or not so literal) translation from the original Latin. Only guessing though.

Alexanthros, if you still think that an adjective other than Megas should be used, could you provide it?

By the way, I was re-reading Renault's Nature of Alexander, and she says that ATG's name and that of his uncle A. of Epiros are written differently in Greek. I was wondering if Alexanthros and Alexandros are these two variants. Can anyone help?

Best,
Alejandro

[aleksandros]

Everyone who speaks English and Greek knows that it is impossible for every adjectice or word in general to have an accurate counterpart in the other languge.
The best i can provide is that the greek adjective ΜΕΓΑΣ (ΜΕΓΑ when not reffering to a masculine or feminine subject) is described better with the english word MEGA than GREAT. If MEGA was not just refering to size but to valor and accomplishment as well (like in GREAT) it would almost be the word we are looking for.

About the 'Alexanthros' thing:

in Greek Alexander is written ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ.
In modern Greek the letter delta (Δ) is pronounced 'th' like in 'this'.
Many glossologists believe that in ancient Greek the letter delta was pronounced as the latin 'D'.
Even today this bipronounciation exists. some say Alexandros and others Alexanthros verbally. But there is only one way to be writen and thats ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟΣ.

[jan]

once said during the Olympic Games when held in Greece, Alexander the Not So Great! I had to laugh at that. What was he saying anyway?

Greatness is a matter of opinion, by essentially it is usually measured by the amount of real good that a person has accomplished in his life.

Did Alexander do good in his journeys? Did he do evil?

That is all a matter of opinion, according to the story teller, but to my mind, it is apparent that in today's world, there are a variety of opinions.

I believe that Alexander accomplished much good for the Hellenic cause, and for the Greek-Macedonian cause. He accomplished his own personal goals, and his belief in his mission was dictated by his belief in his own Divinity. He did good! Thus, he is Great!