Q: Motivation for Alexander to Invade Persian Empire?

[AlexNewbie]

There seem to be several alternatives for the paramount reason(s) why Alexander went after the Persian Empire. I would appreciate input from anyone who has spent a lot of time studying Alexander's conquests, if you could help me to have a better understanding of this issue.Was the primary reason revenge because they attacked the Greeks in Athens or elsewhere? If this is true, why since he also attacked Greek city-states?Thank you for your help!

[ruthaki]

Before he was assassinated (and there may have been Persian money behind this) Philip had planned the invasion. For one thing, the Persians had occupied Asia Minor, the colonies that had once been Greek. Also, before Alexander's birth, a deposed pharoah/shaman,
Nectenabo, had come up to Macedonia to appeal to Philip to help get the Persians out of Egypt.
I think when Alexander started the invasion successfully and realized he was 'on a roll'and winning, he wanted to keep going. For one thing the Persians had untold wealth, and also his curiosity about what was over the next mountain. He would likely have kept going as far as China had his men agreed and not threatened to mutiny at the Hydaspes in India.

[nick]

My explanation would be far more simple: in Alexander's world the Persian King stood far above all others in terms of power, might, splendour and authority. If you wanted world fame - forever - the simple thing to do was to replace him.Regards -
Nick

[ruthaki]

well said, Nick. However I'm not so sure that had been Philip's original intent. I'm sure Alexander thought of it though.

[John]

I read a letter from Isocrates to Philip. In it, Isocrates encourages Philip to go against and overthrow the great king of Persia. This would exact vengeance for what the Persians had done to the Greeks. And if Philip succeeded in this, Isocrates said it would qualify him as a god.Maybe Isocrates was the prime motivator?John

[dean]

Hi, welcome to the forum. The previous replies to your question seem to answer it perfectly well but I'd like to add a few thoughts of my own. It is true that Philip had his sights on Asia. In the Attalos incident at Philip's disasterous wedding ceremony- Alexander points out hilariously "there! you see the man who is planning to pass over to Asia and can't even pass from one bed to the next without falling flat on his ass!!!" Alexander wanted to fulfill his father's "dream" not only that, Alexander also wanted to live out a childhood fantasy and wage a Homeric war. He longed to be the Achillean hero and his first contact with enemy in Granicus shows a great lack of practicality and recklessness on his part probably due to his youth. Best regards, Dean.

[maciek]

HI!
This is one of the most interesting issues for me about Alexander.
I think that revenge on the Persians was his secondary objective. He wanted to make the revenge because he felt to be the Hellen, and it was the dream of the Hellens to take the revenge on the Persians and to take back the collonies in Asia Minor. Also to free Egipt as Ruth said.But I'm convinced that his primary objective was to conquer the world to unite it,s cultures, establish one general law, with diferencies for every region.
I don't think that the persian wealth was the reason of conquest. He gave all treasures to his soldiers and started money circulation which made the bsics for economy grove. This could spread the culture all over nown world.
He wanted to be a hero as the Achilles was and gold ment nothing to him, as we see when Parmenio gave his this rich decorated box and only reason why he tooked it was that he placed there a book - Iliad.All the best
Maciek

[AlexNewbie]

Thank you for all of your responses to my question.There are several replies that discuss the possible motives of his father, Philip, for invading the Persian Empire. I am curious as to how much of a role his father's motives would have played versus his own alternative motivations? If the motives of his father to conquer the Persian Empire were carried over to his son, Alexander, would this have been to honor his father, to "take up the fallen sword," rivalry, or some other reason? Thanks again for your help in understanding this!

[marcus]

Hi Ruth,I agree with you, in that the 'liberation' of Asia Minor was the initial objective, both of Philip and of Alexander. Once Alexander had defeated Darius at Issus he realised that he could go further, but I don't think that total domination of the Persian empire was on the cards initially. It is possible that Alexander, from the start, harboured dreams of world domination, but I don't believe he started out to Asia with that in mind as a serious possibility.All the bestMarcus

[agesilaos]

The Persian Empire was the only place worth conquering and Alexander left Greece owing money according to Plutarch and therefore needing a rich prize. He had little choice but to continue his father's policies as he had sworn so to do on his acclamation (Cleitarchos) which may not otherwise have proceeded so smoothly.
However, the over-riding motivation would be to outdo his father rather than emulate him as there appears to have been a great deal of rivalry between them; indeed to outdo any man which was all part of his 'pothos', of course. Revenge for Athens is propagandist twaddle for Greek consumption, you can judge how much reliance Alexander put in it by the fact that he kept a large force of his allies with him essentially as hostages as much as soldiers.
I do not subscribe to the Unity of Mankind at all. His motivation would be 20% historical, 20% practical (need for cash) but 60% personal only Alexander (Caesar, Napoleon or Hitler) would not have contented themselves with Asia Minor.

[maciek]

I'm sure he had his own motivations. Alexander had the start of the conquest prepared by his father, but he treated his father as the rival to the glory. Philip wanted only to conquer the persian treasure and he didn't thought about any cultural unification - not that kind of man.Maciek

[davej]

I do not believe for a second that Alex want to avenge the Persian Invasions. As Victor davis Hansen so rightly points out Alexander and Philip killed more Greeks in one battle then the Persian did in both Wars, by a considerable margin.Alex was broke he needed to go and get funds, he was 800T in debt when Philip died, Philip owed money to the Persin which he could not afford to pay back. His army cost 3000t a year to run , Macedonia GDP was about 1000T. you do the maths.Any Greeks he had in his army were sent hone after Granicus. Great Panhellenic campaign, I do not think so.He needed the money and he loved killing people, what better way to combine your two hobbies. I is lucky man who gets to enjoy his work.I am sure some will agree with my opinion, but explain the where Alex was going to make up the 2000t short fall.

[marcus]

Hi Dave,Actually, Alexander didn't send all the Greeks home after the Granicus. The last lot of Greeks 'demobilisation' occurred after the death of Darius, when Alexander released them from their obligations to fight in the army. But he offered employment as mercenaries to any who wanted it... and a large number did.All the bestMarcus

[yiannis]

"He needed the money and he loved killing people" Come on Dave! He was not Conan the barbarian.
Anyway, I don't also agree on the figures that you mention on the cost of the army and the Macedonian GDP. Where did you come up with these numbers?
But I have to agree with you that he had an expensive army to run and it is not cost-effective to have his soldiers just standing there. If you have a machine you have to put it to work! It's the same with the American army today (excuse the metaphor). It's too expensive just to be sitting there, it has to make a profit and therefore a war must be invented.
(I didn't want to get into modern politics but the example was just too striking not to be mentioned!)Regards,
Yiannis

[Ruxpin]

Alexander wanted to be recognised as the greatest general ever. Once he set off to invade Asia Minor he never intended to come back (He sold all of his personal belonings in Macedonia). He wanted to push and push until he had conquered everything in the world that was known to them at that time.