Was Alexander the Great really great?

[AMMO]

I was recently asked this question and it intrigued me. Was he really worthy of being called great and why? Does anyone have any suggestions for or against this idea?

[jona]

It depends on your definition of greatness.In Alexander's age, war and conquest needed no justification; the Stoics and Christians were the first to ask questions about this. If you are willing to accept war, imperialism, mass murder, and terror - yes, then he was a great man. If you stick to a more humanitarian (Stoic, Christian...) point of view, he was a criminal.The issue is, essentially, whether our ethical judgment is absolute or not.Jona

[Nicator]

Let me put it short and succintly...HELL YEAH!!!!Now for my reasoning...The intelligence, ambition, tenacity, and endurance of this incredible man are what made hime great. Sure, he went undefeated in his four great pitched battles, and conquered most of the known world under the most wretched of conditions...but his real 'GREATNESS' lies in his almost pre-cognitive ability to foresee the end from the beginning in each of his engagements (be they major or minor). Not to mention his brilliant tactics which changed warfare, forever. Whether this was strength of will over lessor wills or superior intellect over lessor minds is the real issue...On a more contemporary note, concerning the current political climate...The United States borrowed heavily from Athenian and Spartan morales during the writing of its constitution, and following suit, they are now borrowing heavily from Alexander's conquests and more specifically, the concept of 'global domination'. We all need to study the philosophy of (and the moral connotations of) what Alexander achieved and the long term consequences of these almost superhuman achievements. This question is deeper than at first appears on many fronts...Would the nay-sayers call George Bush "an evil world conquerer" 100 years from now...or would a world living in peace look back and say "Bush the Great"?You decide...later Nicator

[dean]

Hello,Yes Nicator- superhuman in the Nietzchean sense, does seem to be the term best available- although maybe I am and always will be an hopelessly unconditional flatterer.I am very surprised that Nietszche chose Caesar over Alexander for his definition of the superman but we can forgive him... I suppose.Best regards,
Dean.

[Iskander_32]

Was Alexander Great?Take a look at the map,compare the empire to others.Look how long it took one man,one vision one ambition who achieved.Alexander was overall commander of the whole gameshow from organisation to military tactics.No man in history before or since achieved sp much with so little in such a small amount of time.Great Indeedkenny

[Dr YA Qureshi]

Dear colleagues,Kind regards. My friends regularly rib me over my obsession with Alexander and they often ask that very question. They know about his intelligenice, his courage, his excellence. But they ask how do you measure his greatness. The question I ask is that would you write an extensive book about your dead younger colleague? What if you knew you would not get one cent for it and that it would not be acclaimed. Further more, would you write a book about a deceased colleague and then exaggerate his stories to the point of deifing him? I wouldn't, and I guess most wouldn't. But Alexander's colleague did. And Ptolomey was quite magnificent in his own right. But thats the aura Alexander permeated to others, even until this day.Yassar

[Nicator]

Hello Dean,Long time no chat, how are ya these days? It's interesting that you bring up Nietsche in this context, and I would say that you have hit the point quite succintly. I wasn't aware that Caesar was modeled by him, as usually when the Nietschean superman concept is mentioned, it is within the context of Alexander. later Nicator

[marcus]

I would argue (and have done before) that the morality and ethics of what someone does should not influence whether or not they deserve the title 'great'. Admittedly one generally assumes 'great' to signify approval of someone's actions/life/etc.; however, when one considers what Alexander achieved, I don't see how anyone could deny him the epithet.All the bestMarcus

[AMMO]

Alexander's accomplishments on the battlefield are well reknowned. But what of his accomplishments off the field of battle. Being a strong and intuitive general gives light to his title, but, at least in my eyes looking back, the people would have wanted or needed a reason to claim him as "great." I can understand how word spreads of the great conqueror, but what am I missing about his life and how he affected those who came under his rule? Or is this just a case of propaganda used to incite fear in his enemies?
Please understand that I am asking these questions to learn more and get a better grasp on the truth. I admire the man for his military accomplishments, and to me, that has always seemed to be enough. But the question originally posted has raised my curiosty. Thanks to everyone who replied and has taken the time to help learn me something.

[beausefaless]

There still remains a causeway with many dwellings that connects to an island with more buildings off of Lebanon, what was the ancient name, Tyre, who engineered and built this remarkable footings, Alexander and his army corps of engineers, they also built trestle bridges through impassable canyons, water bridges using small boats for pontoons and more. Unique logistics that not even a scorched earth policy would have stopped Alexander. Mapping, botany which came in handy crossing the Hindu Kush, beside organizing games produced entertainment for his troops, discovered many cities, created new mints which produced millions of silver, gold, and bronze coins during his lifetime and at least two centuries after his death that still exist and new hoards a being discovered today (The Macedonian Coinage Of Alexander The Great by Hyla A. Troxell, Numismatic Studies No. 21 is a very good book of reference). There's more but it's obvious you need to find more time to study as so do I. It was the Romans who dubbed Alexander with the name *The Great*. Caesar had his horse sculptured after Bucephalus.The cities he conquered, that he didn't destroy he left basically the same with a Macedonian as an overseer in which some became corrupt therefore a problem he would have to rectify. Tax exemption for his solders families and allies with good intelligence.

[tolis]

Hi! First, sorry if my english is not so good!
I think Alexander was great. Not only because he never lost a war. He made the impossible possible! Watch BBC's documentary about Alexander the great! I think it will be helpfull!