Alexander: diplomat or anthropologist?

[Athanasios]

Companions, As you are aware, Alexander came under heavy scrutiny for not only assigning 'barbarians' to high office, but also for his mass mixed-marriages and also for wearing local attire. I leave the issue of deitifaction aside.Now, Alexander would not have been the first to realise that you could not reign over an empire so great without 'giving the dog a long leash'. Cyrus, the first global hegemon, was known to exercise tolerance to local customs, etc. in each given satrapy, especially at the extremties of his empire.However, Alexander, being of mixed origin (Macedonian and Epirote), would he have not been more open (receptive) to globalisation as we know it? Would the sight of Babylon, for example, the first, true cosmopolitan city have inspired him at all? Did he have a vision of harmony amongst the races? Or were these all token gestures for the political good, i.e. diplomacy and careful manoeuvring in newly acquired lands?We do know that Alexander showed high regard for people of power (be it a king or philospoher) irrespective of race...Was he more an elitist than a campaigner for racial equality?Your thoughts?Regards,
Atha

[jan]

Nobody seems to want to respond to this, but without a lot of supportive evidence, I can only cite one example of how to consider this question of elitism or racial balance and equality. In terms of destruction and sacrifice, I believe that Alexander destroyed and killed equally men, women, and children alike but in the case of King Darius proves himself an elitist due to his response in giving him proper burial and ceremony. In terms of equality, the point is that he is the Head or Ruler of the entire kingdom, not yet a democratic republic, but a kingdom as he is king of Asia, and thus, all are supposed to be the same under his rule, while he made appointments quite similar to the manner in which Cyrus did. They do seem to be much alike, but now I am certain that Alexander was very knowledgeable about Cyrus's methods and history. I believe his multiple marriages at Susa is supposed to symbolize the beginning of a one world, one people concept, yet it didn't really take hold.

[kenny]

Janet hailFundamentally the idea of Cohesion and tollerance from the day in history when one had a different opinion to some one else it became Impossible.Fundamentally Humans dont get along. Neighbours would argue about some elses fence or be envious of his friends bigger car. I believe the real examples of such cohesion lie within Deogenese.Satisfied with a humble life to even live in a barrel.Human biengs in my opinion are totally Alien to this world and planet. We suffer more ailments and illness to the world than any other species. We are the only species that need clothes and to cook food.And in all reality the only species to cause such destruction murder war every type of mysery known.Whatever Alexanders dream thats all it was and will ever be untill the day people can learn to be happy with all they need to live on to live in harmony without predudice and capitalism.take the guns and weapons of war and burn them into space.if ever there were to be utopia peace and life for all. i could guarentee someone would rise to war conquest and everlord.lets accept alexander and above all accept basic human nature.cases aside i know there are good but too much bad.where i to have a dream is that mankind just disapear and give this beautiful planet back to the animals. we dont deserve it/kenny

[Athanasios]

Sometimes I think Alexander would have been happy to continue alone just to see the rest of the World. It seems he got more and more intrigued by where the boundaries of humanity lay.As for cohesion, well, I see humanity as light. If you slow it down, it separates into the many colours that we know (and don't see). If you can get to the the bottom of what links one race to the next, we could eventuallt see all races as one.

[Athanasios]

Sometimes I think Alexander would have been happy to continue alone just to see the rest of the World. It seems he got more and more intrigued by where the boundaries of humanity lay.As for cohesion, well, I see humanity as light. If you slow it down, it separates into the many colours that we know (and don't see). If you can get to the the bottom of what links one race to the next, we could eventuallt see all races as one.