Alexander’s Conquest of the Persians and Asia Minor
by Lilith M. Waters
Dr. Pesda
History of Ancient Greece
December 13, 2000
As an instructional tutor at two homeless shelters, my responsibilities include working with students at the elementary level and at the secondary level in various content areas. When homeless families arrive at a homeless shelter or migrant families first enter the country, they receive services that will help them to continue to do well in school and adjust to their new surroundings. At this point, schools throughout the county contact the McKinney Homeless/Migrant for help and tutoring assistance; therefore, having worked in a homeless shelter, I’m constantly in contact with students who need special education services.
The following lesson can most appropriately be applied to middle school students, but it can also be adapted for elementary school students as well. In addition to my class notes, I’ve used the Internet, maps of Alexander’s empire, and several age-appropriate activity books as resources for the lesson. These resources include the following: http://www.cobblestonepub.com/pages/CobbAlexander, Conqueror and Hero, by Stephan Krensky, and Plutarch’s Ten Famous Lives (pp. 54-78) edited by Charles A. Robinson, Jr.
For this lesson module, my students at the shelter will study the conquests of Alexander the Great using maps. Since my students at the shelter like to draw, they can create, copy or sketch their own geographic map of Alexander’s Empire; that way, they can see for themselves the extent of Alexander’s empire.
During Alexander’s short life, he was able to conquer an 11,000 square mile area in eleven years. By creating this map, my students will understand how difficult a task that must have been. They will also see how far eleven thousand miles really is and how he spread the Hellenic culture to so many other areas.
After my students have drawn or copied their own map, they will copy Alexander’s expedition through Persia and Asia Minor while I reveal the story of his journey using the modified outline included with this lesson plan and a map as a guide. After each battle description, they will locate the battle site on their maps starting with Thebes. They then will mark the location with a thumbtack, number it, and describe what happened at the battle in a short sentence or phrase. By doing this process, my students will be able to recall the sequence of events in the story, track Alexander’s route to glory, and predict where Alexander’s troops will strike next.
When I have completed the story of Alexander’s conquests, I will also have them participate in follow-up activities to reinforce what they have learned in the story. My students would discuss and then write answers in their journals to open-ended questions that I would ask. For example, I might ask the following questions: “What was the impact of Homer’s myths on Alexander’s life?” “Did Homer’s myths have an impact on the Ancient Greeks?” “Do you think the Persian King Darius was a coward?” “Would Alexander have killed Darius if he captured him?” “Why were Alexander’s troops so successful in battle?” “What do you think it was like to be a soldier in Alexander’s army?” “Would you want to be a hoplite in Alexander’s army?” “What effect did Alexander’s success have on future empires?” (I might point out that many dictators and rulers like Napoleon, Julius Caesar and Augustus Caesar tried to model their own successes after Alexander’s success. In fact, Napoleon claimed that he was descended from ancient military heroes.) “Do you think Alexander was a good, reasonable person?” “Which famous person in this story can you identify with and why?”
Each question presented would consequently be followed up with another question such as “Why or Why not?” The answer to this question enables the student to elaborate and support his or her opinion in writing. (Their answers provide me with criteria to evaluate their organizational and listening comprehension skills.) In other words, the discussion of the story gives students an opportunity to express their opinions and listen to the opinions of other students in the group. I can then evaluate each student based on the content of the answers. For instance, “Did the student use details from the story to answer questions that support their opinions?” To write their answers, my students must successfully apply what they remember about the story and the subsequent discussion.
If time permits, my students would also select a related craft activity from the books Crafts From the Past by Gillian Chapman and Ancient Greece: 40 Hands-On Activities by Hart and Mantell. They also could make a poster of Alexander’s achievements or create a myth about Alexander’s life to be included in Alexander’s Romance.
To conclude this module on Greece, I would prepare my students for the next unit on Rome. I might give them a “cliffhanger ending” that will connect the Greek unit with the Roman unit. For example, “How do you think that Alexander the Great’s empire was similar to Augustus Caesar’s empire? What impact did Hellenistic Greece have on the Romans?” If I present this question in the right way, I will hopefully spark enough interest so that they will want to learn more.
Alexander’s Conquest of Egypt and Asia – Outline of Main Ideas and Supporting Details
I. Alexander planned to conquer Persia and western Asia Minor.
II. Alexander’s forces were successful in battle despite being outnumbered.
A. Alexander’s Macedonian forces used superior tactics and weapons that allowed him to prevail in battle over enemies.
1. Alexander’s forces were drafted from every region of Macedonia and were highly trained.
2. Consisting of eight infantry, slingers, and archers, their military was diverse and well equipped.
3. Their phalanx was more formidable than the Greek phalanx and the Sacred Band.
a. Their pikes were much longer than the Greeks’.
b. Sixteen ranks were in a phalanx.
c. Soldiers were separated more.
d. Cavalry attacks on the phalanx were possible.
e. Attacks were mobile and well planned.
f. They took advantage of the disputes between city-states like Athens, Sparta, and Thebes and attacked when they were weakened.
4. Philip and Alexander were excellent diplomats and didn’t attack unless necessary.
B. Historians suggest that Alexander surveyed the area of the battlefield before engaging in battle.
C. Alexander’s forces never lost a battle.
1. Alexander destroys Thebes after revolt.
a. Alexander summons Greek representatives to Corinth.
b. Alexander proclaims himself commander of Greek military and assembles forces against the Persians.
c. Alexander’s forces cross the Hellespont to Asia.
2. Cleitus saves Alexander’s life at Battle of Granicus.
a. Alexander’s forces win the battle.
b. Sardis, the provincial capital of Persia, surrenders.
3. Alexander’s troops conquer Darius at the Battle of Issus.
a. Alexander’s troops engaged in combat on a narrow plain where Darius’ 600,000 can’t get through.
b. Alexander is wounded in the thigh.
c. Darius’ troops are routed, and he retreats, leaving behind his family.
d. Alexander pursues Darius but can’t catch him.
e. Alexander returns to his troops and takes Darius’ valuable possessions.
4. Alexander’s forces travel along the seacoast of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, capturing bases of enemy Persian fleet and forcing them to surrender.
a. Island of Cyprus and cities of Phoenicia surrender to him, except Tyre.
b. Alexander besieged the island of Tyre for 7 months until it surrendered.
c. Alexander’s forces march to Egypt.
5. Persian satrap welcomes Alexander and his Macedonian forces to Egypt as liberators without resistance.
a. Macedonian troops build the city of Alexandria to honor their leader and commander.
b. Meanwhile, Alexander embarks on a treacherous journey to the Siwa Oasis to visit the Temple of Amun.
6. Alexander and Darius engage in battle at Gaugamela.
a. Darius contacts Alexander by letter with a peace offer.
b. Alexander rejects Darius’ offer since he has already conquered Darius’ forces in battle and claimed his property.
c. The night before the battle, Darius reviews his troops by torchlight and keeps his troops under arms.
d. However, Alexander and his troops sleep soundly while he sacrifices to the gods.
e. Darius flees by horse when the Persian front lines retreat. He realizes the battle is lost and flees. Battle ends Persian Empire.
f. Alexander pursues Darius, doesn’t capture him, and returns to his camp.
g. Alexander becomes King of Asia.
7. Alexander marches to Babylonia where they surrender without resistance.
8. Alexander defeats Susa, enters Persia, and captures the capital city, Persepolis. His troops rest there for 4 months.
9. Alexander again pursues Darius, who was captured by a Bactrian prince, Bessus. After a long, exhausting journey, Alexander finds Darius, wounded with javelins. Darius dies.
10. Alexander’s forces defeat armies in Parthia and Bactria, as well as Porus’ kingdom in India.
a. Alexander’s troops cross the Hydaspes River under attack and quickly defeat 1,000 cavalry and 60 armed chariots. (Porus)
b. Because of the size of the enemy and the elephants, Alexander divided his troops into two groups. Alexander’s contingent attacked from the left; the forces of his general, Coenus, attacked from the right.
c. The Macedonian forces broke enemy lines.
d. Hand-to-hand combat ensued for eight hours until the Indians surrendered.
e. After surrendering, Porus was allowed to govern the area as satrap until Alexander’s rule.
f. Alexander’s beloved horse, Bucephalus, dies. He names a city on the Hydaspes River Bucephala, in memory of the horse.
11. Traveling along the Hydaspes and Indus Rivers, Alexander captures towns and cities on his way to the Indian Ocean.
a. Alexander almost loses his life to the brave Mallians, thinking he is alone.
b. His troops conquer the area and save his life.
c. Alexander is severely injured (close to death), but he eventually recovers and survives.
III. Alexander was a respected, feared military leader among friends and foes alike.
A. Even with his enemies, Alexander treated the military dead with respect.
1. He bestowed military honors on the dead.
2. The death of Darius saddened Alexander.
3. He took care of the conquered loved ones.
a. Alexander spared the lives of Darius’ family.
b. He provided them with everything they were accustomed to having.
c. He even married Darius’ daughter.
4. He rebuilt Pharos (Alexandria) after fire destroyed the city.
5. After battles, Alexander consoled his troops and listened to their stories.
B. Alexander tried to assimilate conquered people into the Greek culture but failed.
1. He dressed in Persian clothes.
2. He married a Bactrian princess, Roxane, and encouraged his troops to do likewise.
3. He conformed to their customs and taught them about Greek language, customs, and weaponry.
4. He thought that the mixture of customs would foster goodwill among conquered people and himself. However, Alexander offended the Macedonians with his actions.
C. Alexander was generous with his acquired wealth.
IV. Alexander was fallible.
A. Alexander was probably an alcoholic.
B. Alexander killed some friends and supporters.
1. Alexander ordered the execution of Philotas and Parmenion, his loyal general.
2. During a drunken brawl, Alexander slew Cleitus, who had saved his life during battle at Granicus.
V. Alexander contributed a lot to society.
A. He was responsible for spreading the Greek culture during his lifetime and afterwards.
B. Alexander’s conquest inspired future leaders like Julius Caesar, Augustus Caesar, and Napoleon with their empires.
C. Before and after his death, people created myths about his life, known as Alexander’s Romance, which were widely accepted during Medieval times.
D. With the expansion of his empire, Alexander provided a cultural basis for other religions like Christianity and Islam.