Re: Ancients Behaving Badly
Posted: Sun Feb 27, 2011 4:58 am
All these cruelties are very interesting when one considers that early in his career shortly after the death of Philip, when he had to assert his own authority and power, he confronted the getae and the Treballians. He was merciless in his decimation of tribes from the first, and when the Triballians finally came to him, he asked them what they feared most. Some authors seem to think that he wanted the Treballians to say," Why, sire, you, of course." But instead of satisfying his desire to be the most fearsome, the Treballian chieftain said, " We fear most that the sky might fall upon us", quoting an old and ancient belief.
I have read that same attitude that Alexander had wished for them to say that it was he they feared from several authors who obviously are quoting from the same source. The point is that if that is true, he made certain that he would be feared, thus respected, and made certain that the world would know of it. When one reads these posts, one almost gets the idea that either the sources are pouring it on, or that Alexander was pouring it on. Because of his need to conquer and control, I suspect that he poured it on.
He was establishing rule by example, power, and if need be, torture. It was rather common in that time frame to realize that torture was a weapon of war, and that often it would elicit information that bribery alone wouldn't. Mostly, it was an example to others not to let this happen to you too. So his adversaries had a choice of join him or die. This attitude has continued to the present day.
Because Alexander was so young he had no compunction about asserting his own power and rules over others. So if he had tied Batis's ankled with thongs to a chariot, he would have thought I will teach you a lesson, old man, for not submitting to me. He was ruthless and devoid of empathy for his adversary if his adversary defied him. However, if he truly did do this, I do believe that he was still under the influence of the Iliad and Achilles. Proving that he was still a bit wet behind the ears as we say in the states. A more mature Alexander would not have done that particular deed. I find it a bit hard to believe that he did drag Batis around, but I have learned that Alexander's temperament is such that he would have done it if he thought it worth doing. The timing of that event is such that he would have still been under the influence of his former teachers, and Homer and the Iliad.
Also, It is the kind of thing that soldiers would brag to one another about...and did you hear this story? and the more often told, the bigger it grows. I often wonder how many storylines about Alexander and his trophies are not just so many "fish" stories. Many authors seem to claim that he was a braggart, even as an adolescent, keeping his friends up all night long, arguing and bragging about activities..
I have read that same attitude that Alexander had wished for them to say that it was he they feared from several authors who obviously are quoting from the same source. The point is that if that is true, he made certain that he would be feared, thus respected, and made certain that the world would know of it. When one reads these posts, one almost gets the idea that either the sources are pouring it on, or that Alexander was pouring it on. Because of his need to conquer and control, I suspect that he poured it on.
He was establishing rule by example, power, and if need be, torture. It was rather common in that time frame to realize that torture was a weapon of war, and that often it would elicit information that bribery alone wouldn't. Mostly, it was an example to others not to let this happen to you too. So his adversaries had a choice of join him or die. This attitude has continued to the present day.
Because Alexander was so young he had no compunction about asserting his own power and rules over others. So if he had tied Batis's ankled with thongs to a chariot, he would have thought I will teach you a lesson, old man, for not submitting to me. He was ruthless and devoid of empathy for his adversary if his adversary defied him. However, if he truly did do this, I do believe that he was still under the influence of the Iliad and Achilles. Proving that he was still a bit wet behind the ears as we say in the states. A more mature Alexander would not have done that particular deed. I find it a bit hard to believe that he did drag Batis around, but I have learned that Alexander's temperament is such that he would have done it if he thought it worth doing. The timing of that event is such that he would have still been under the influence of his former teachers, and Homer and the Iliad.
Also, It is the kind of thing that soldiers would brag to one another about...and did you hear this story? and the more often told, the bigger it grows. I often wonder how many storylines about Alexander and his trophies are not just so many "fish" stories. Many authors seem to claim that he was a braggart, even as an adolescent, keeping his friends up all night long, arguing and bragging about activities..