Alexander's Aims?

[Kit]

What was Alexander the Great hoping to achieve? What was his primary motivation and goal?I have always wondered if the desire to go further than Heracles, or achieve more than Achilles, was his primary driving force. Was the actual conquest just a means to an end? Did it all come down to winning glory!?Kit

[nick]

Hi Kit -Some of the other Forum members will strongly disagree, but here is my interpretation (after years of reading, also the Persian side).In Alexander's world there was one ruler that rose in omnipotence, magnificence, glory and power above all others: that was the Persian King. Alexander's world had been like that for over two centuries. The anti-Persian feeling in e.g. Greece might (is this tricky or what?) possibly be compared with anti-American feelings in our modern world.In my perception, Alexander's aim was to transplant that glory of Persian Kings onto his own person. When he returned to Babylon he had restored his empire in India exactly to the boundaries of what once was Persian territory (the entire Indus Valley, conquered under Darius I). OK, I will admit Alexander had the ambition to venture forward from there - the Ganges, Arabia, Carthage maybe. But his indulgement in drink & power might (might!) have equaled his taste for conquest once he had shown that he was the single rightful heir to the Achaemenid throne.Translated to our modern context the achievements of Alexander might be compared to (choose whatever you like):
- Osama bin Laden becoming president of the USA;
- J.P. Balkenende becoming president of the USA;
- Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming governor of CA.Come to think of that: if Osama bin Laden ever (pure speculation) could make it to presidency of the USA, would he still burn the White House? (Persepolis?) Even though the White House would be "his property", would he still be tempted to destroy the very symbol of what he despised and was obsessed by at the same time?I don't mean to offend anyone. These are just my genuine thoughts. I think that we can look for answers about Alexander's behavior by closely examining our modern world - on the assumption that basically the same patterns of human nature still account for many things that happen.Best regards -
Nick

[Nicator]

Hello Nick,"The anti-Persian feeling in e.g. Greece might possibly be compared with anti-American feelings in our modern world."In reference to the anti-American feelings you mention from presumably, the rest of the outside world, you might be surprised by just how anti-American, Americans themselves feel. I was surprised just how ignorant foreigners were to the way Americans truly feel about many issues. The outside world doesn't know what really goes on inside America, only what propaganda and headlines they've been exposed to. The outside world may see America as a warlike, male dominated society. The truth is that men in America are oppressed by laws which empower women and a media which fosters a feminist agenda. I could go on about this, but I'll try to stick to the point. "Translated to our modern context the achievements of Alexander might be compared to (choose whatever you like): - Osama bin Laden becoming president of the USA; - "...careful here, Nick. This could definitely offend. But your point is powerful. I'll never forget how bad I felt after 9/11. There are few things that most Americans, across lines of: race, sex, age, and religious orientation agree on...this is the most hated man in the world! I would personally turn down large sums of cash for a chance to put him in the ground. For me, it is just about as offensive to imagine Osama as my president as it is to imagine him as Alexander. "Arnold Schwarzenegger becoming governor of CA."...only in America? Just like Jesse "the body" Ventura becoming governor of Minnesota. Schwarzzy has had political ambitions since at least the late 80's. "Come to think of that: if Osama bin Laden ever could make it to presidency of the USA, would he still burn the White House? (Persepolis?) Even though the White House would be "his property", would he still be tempted to destroy the very symbol of what he despised and was obsessed by at the same time?"Osama is no Alexander. Remember, Alexander was intelligent, and appears to have had some semblance of a grand plan (at least after Guagamela). Osama is just a hateful murderous piece of garbage. Alexander would have shuddered at the thought of flying planes into buildings. This was low, base, and underhanded. Prior to Guagamela, Alexander appears to have been following military expediancy. Securing flanks, supply lines, and critical bases. After Guagamela, he had more luxury to go after non-strategic goa

[Nicator]

Prior to Guagamela, Alexander appears to have been following military expediancy. Securing flanks, supply lines, and critical bases. After Guagamela, he had more luxury to go after non-strategic goals. Particularly after Persepolis and its vast sums of gold and silver. It could be argued that his only plan was to simply conquer, regardless of any vision which later epitaph historians might place upon his headstone. By conquering he achieved these goals (if they existed) as a by-product. It appears to me, however, that he definitely had something in mind. As evidence, I would point out his treatment of the Persian royal women, wearing of Persian dress, taking up foreign religions, integrating foreigners into his army, and marrying Darius' daughter. Not to mention the rest of the mass marriages at Susa. later Nicator

[nick]

Thanks, Nick. You're absolutely correct. I had no intention to offend anyone, only to see to what conclusions a comparison could lead.Isn't it true that at one stage or another Alexander must also have been "the most hated man in the world"?Regards -
Nick

[susa]

I personally think Osama hilarious.Actually the world is cheerful with the amount of powerful [some not really] funny people around!!:)
Do you know WB Yates poem? 'Those that i fight i do not hate/Those that i guard i do not love'?