Alexander being Great

[Becca]

I personally feel that Alexander doesn't deserve the title Great. He was a very rude man and he did other stuff to make him not deserving of the title Great. Do you feel i am wrong and he does deserve it or do you feel i am right.

[aen]

With respect, Becca, that's a very modern, very politically correct view of him; one that fails, in my opinion, to try to understand the social and ethical mores of his own time, which were spectacularly different from our own. In general, I feel it's a bad policy to judge historical figures by standards that simply didn't apply in their world. How do you suppose you would qualify in their lexicon of values? Are you strong, fearless, independant, powerful, motivated, ambitious? Could you hold your own in the front line when the blades and blows are slinging and there's screaming and visceral horror all around? Could you hunt a lion when you're naked but for a cloak and finish off your quarry with a spear? Could you down four or five pints of wine with dinner, then rise at dawn and march thirty miles with a full pack on your back? Could you sleep out in the open in the freezing chill of an Afghan winter? Could you take an arrow through your lungs, then march through a desert with little food or water a short time later? Could you found thirty odd cities, some of which are destined to last two and a half thousand years and more? Could you keep up with the powerful intellect of Aristotle when he tutors you every morning throughout your youth? Could you retain a love of the arts, poetry and acting when you spend all of your life surrounded by an army that you, you personally, are responsible for? These are just a few of the standards Alexander set in his own time. And they laid the world before his feet.If you are capable of similar stuff, by all means judge him by your values; you're fully entitled to. If not, try to understand the nature of the world he lived in before condemning him; it was very different from your's, and therefore required a very different approach.History is not a comparitive field. And when we treat it as though it were, we do more to confuse our perception of the past than we do to clarify it. They should teach this in universities, but sadly often don't.Laters. Aengus.

[marcus]

Aengus,If I can show that *I've* done all that, do I get the sobriquet, too? :-)Marcus

[aen]

Naturally.

[Kit]

Use the search forum option and look up a post from Jared on 12th November 2003- this generated a debate on this topic, and will save everyone having to repeat themselves.regards,Kit.

[Thalestris]

Greetings Becca!Aengus stated it precisely, and this site will educate you thoroughly and objectively. Throughout 2000 years of history writing there are always revisionist writers (those who invert facts or sensationalize events), but you need to research Alexander yourself, and read the empirical sources(i.e. Arrian's "Anabasis", Curtius' "ATG", etc.)first, before assessing Alexander's life achievments and character. Then draw your conclusion from your inferences and analysis. There are detractors and sycophants of Alexander, so maintain objectivity when you read.Cheers,ATG's Amazon Queen

[jan]

I have to laugh. Years ago, I kept on my desk a gift to me from my brother. It read: It hard to be humble when you are as great as I am.Of course, Alexander deserves to be considered THE GREAT! Anyone who could survive Olympias is naturally great!

[blackajax1]

What do you mean by "other stuff"? It sounds like you don't know the subject at all, maybe you should do some reading before you judge the greatest man who ever lived!

[Becca]

Hello!I want to thank you for your reply it was fulhearted and well spoken. I thank you for taking time out of your busy day to reply to my comment. Have a great day and have a very Merry Christmas.Thanks again,
Becca

[alexs desciple]

Alexander was the greatest man ever to have lived, the man was the nearest there has been to been a god without been blasphemous.Read the mans achievement and the attempts he tried to endorse one race of man.from a true alexander apostle