Alexander the Great's Effect on Government in Ancient Greece - Research Paper Example

3 June Alexander the Great's Effect on Government in Ancient Greece: The Lion and the Fox Alexander III of Macedonia, or Alexander the Great, is known for his fierceness and intelligence as a war general and his strategic beliefs and practices as an emperor. Under his leadership and driven by his belief of his divine mission to incessantly expand his kingdom, he is the first to reach and conquer Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, and western India. But aside from being a skilled war strategist, Alexander also showed distinctive competence as an emperor of diverse cultures and ethnicities. He has not planned well ahead in keeping his empire stable and united after his death, but during his life, he instituted changes that amalgamated his subjects, whom many treated and accepted him as their new king. He is perceived as a Machiavellian leader, acting as both lion and fox. This paper explores Alexander the Great’s effect on the government of Ancient Greece from the time he was born until the time he died. His main impacts is that he ruled as a general and as a king, with both ruthlessness and compassion, personally involved himself in designing great cities, encouraged pluralism and co-leadership in his troops and citizenry. Alexander the Great established the kind of government that is ruthless and compassionate at the same time. As an emperor, he is more of a general than a king and he left the administration of his subjugated territories to his own men and some appointed local citizens. Aristotle taught Alexander the Great and from the former’s writings, it seems that Alexander has chosen the kind of leader who is more of a general than an administrator, a king fit for the “heroic times” (Aristotle Book 3, chapter XV). Alexander is prominent for his savage treatment of male inhabitants of some conquered lands, where hundreds or thousands are slaughtered by his men (Alexander 46). Still, Alexander is also a sympathetic general. Compassion is one trait that not all generals have, but which Alexander shows with great emphasis to his men. First, he represents the kind of general who cared for equal training among officers and soldiers. Alexander himself grew not under the auspices of royal care, but under the rigorous training of his father, a tactical war genius himself, King Philip. Caroline Alexander describes the upbringing of Alexander: “Although the son of a king, his upbringing was Spartan” (46). Alexander used to express that his concept of breakfast was a “long march at night,” and “of supper, a light breakfast” (Alexander 46). Alexander grew under the eyes and training of professional soldiers and hunters, from he directly learned a cherished Iliad worldview: “Glory in war was life's highest honor” (Alexander 46). Alexander then also believes that officers and their troops must receive the same training, because the troops will follow a leader more, if he can perform what he expects from his own people. Caroline Alexander interviews Adm. Ray Smith who confirms this belief as part of the Navy SEALs regime training: “We have learned that the key to leadership under the toughest possible circumstances is that officers and men undergo the same training,” because it is reasonable that “Men know their officer is not asking them to do anything he couldn't do, or hasn't done” (Alexander 46). Alexander follows this code to the ground; he makes sure he is the best soldier himself. He leads his cavalry charge at Granicus, for instance, using a prominent white-plumed helmet. Second, Alexander rules with compassion to his own men. He demonstrates empathy for wounded soldiers and this empathy is part of the Macedonian warrior code (Alexander 47). Arrian, the second century A.D. Greek historian whose report of Alexander's campaigns is seen as one of the best of the ancient sources, says: “For the wounded he showed deep concern” (Alexander 47). Arrian writes: “He visited them all and examined their wounds, asking each man how and in what circumstances his wound was received, and allowing him to tell his story and exaggerate as much as he pleased” (Alexander 47). Alexander knows how to lead by showing his people his concern and love for them. In fact, in one of Alexander’s rare instances of retreat, as his men died from heat, hunger and exhaustion in the Gedrosia desert, ancient historians recount one of his most righteous acts. A scouting party found some brackish water and brought some back in a helmet to their king. Alexander “took the helmet, and in full view of the troops poured the water on the ground” says Arrian. Alexander would not sip a drop of water, if his own men cannot also do the same (Alexander 47). Third, Alexander promoted the gift of speech to motivate and unite his Macedonian troops, as well as his new subordinates. In the long sequence of conquests and battles, it is inevitable that his troops would feel homesick and grow tired of these wars. Though his soldiers have, a number of times, showed physical and emotional signs of exhaustion, Alexander’s speech skills enabled him to motivate them to move and remain loyal to him (Alexander 45). Arrian records the speech of Alexander, as he persuades his men to push on to India. I observe, gentlemen, that when I would lead you on a new venture you no longer follow me with your old spirit… [He explains that he understands the resistance to not move on and push harder, because the troops do more work than their leaders]…You and I, gentlemen, have shared the labor and shared the danger, and the rewards are for us all. The conquered territory belongs to you; from your ranks the governors of it are chosen... I will make those who stay the envy of those who return. (Skelton and Dell 56). And Alexander is true to his promise. He promotes loyal soldiers to governors and leaves them to manage their new territories. Furthermore, Alexander influences leaders to be active managers in designing the development of their lands. Caroline Alexander reports that in Egypt, Alexander the Great left one of his most perceptive and lasting legacies by designing and building Alexandria, one of the greatest cities of its time. In 331 B.C. Alexander instinctively sees the potential of the land, with its naked shoreline and natural harbor. He envisions a mighty city and he outlines it as a chlamys, or military cloak. Afterwards, “he himself designed the general layout of the new town,” according to Arrian, “indicating the position of the market square, the number of temples.., and the precise limits of its outer defenses” (Alexander 49). From this example, Alexander shows himself as a city planner, a leader with vision of the development of natural resources for his people’s gain. As a king, Alexander is almost a democrat, because he supports pluralism and co-leadership in his troops and citizenry. In every city or territory conquered, he places Greek soldiers as generals and governors, and at the same time, he also hires locals as part of his troops and leaders. It is an example of participatory leadership, where he also lets the locals lead their states and be loyal to the new King. In one account, Alexander went back to Susa from the desert in March 324 B.C. (Alexander 55). After that, he welcomed the coming of 30,000 Persian noble youths who, on his orders, had trained to speak Greek and fight using the education and codes of Macedonian warfare. Alexander knows that this is needed to replace his aging inner circle of Macedonians, and he called them the Successors (Alexander 55). Alexander also encourages pluralism among his subordinates and adopted many cultural beliefs of the people he conquered. In Susa, Alexander conducted a mass wedding for himself and more than 80 other Macedonian officers to Persian noblewomen (Alexander 55). He took two wives, one a daughter of Darius. He knows that interracial marriages will produce more children who will also be loyal to him (Alexander 55). Interracial marriages also forges ties between the Greeks and Persians and helps dispel feelings and attitudes of animosity between the two (Alexander 55). Alexander the Great then helped diffuse two distinct cultures and civilizations under his governance. Furthermore, whenever he is critically short of manpower, Alexander recruits from local citizens. For instance, he hires local Bactrians he had lately subdued to reinforce his army (Alexander 54). Nicholas Hammond of Cambridge University notes: “Alexander kept his army supplied by recruiting from the enemy. The fact that he could successfully do this speaks volumes about his leadership” (Alexander 54). Despite their diverse nationalities, his troops remained astonishingly loyal. Alexander also solidifies his leadership by adopting and respecting new cultural beliefs and practices. In Egypt, Alexander embraces the Egyptian’s beliefs and practices in treating their leaders as gods. Egyptians believe that the pharaoh was the son of Amun-Re, the supreme god. Early in 331 B.C., Alexander the pharaoh takes a pilgrimage more than 300 miles across the scorching desert to this temple (Alexander 56). In one of the rare instances, his prevailing purpose to this expedition is not military in nature, but stresses his vulnerability to omens and superstition (Alexander 56). During this time, he consults the oracle about his feelings of having descended from Amun-Re. Arrian says: “He... had a feeling that in some way he was descended from Amun.He put his question to the oracle and received (or so he said) the answer which his heart desired” (Alexander 56). Three years before that, Alexander paid respects to Troy because he believed that he came from the lineage of Achilles. By the age of 25, he reveres himself as the new God of one of the most ancient civilizations on earth (Alexander 56). But there were consequences to Alexander’s promotion of Persian culture. Alexander has been described to show changes in his personality as his drinking worsens. Since his army’s composition changes, conflicts arise between new and old guards (Alexander 57). Alexander also increasingly used Persian dress and customs, which alarmed the Macedonians (Alexander 57). Alexander perceived these as signs of disloyalty and soon, he showed more of his lion side, the ruthless leader (Alexander 57). Some of his old companions became the resting ground of his suspicions and he executed the elderly Parmenio, Philip's loyal general, and Parmenio's son; Cleitus, who had saved Alexander's life at Granicus; and Callisthenes, Aristotle's nephew (Alexander 57). Macedonians are also offended by Alexander’ excessive effeminate actions and more robust taking of male lovers, even if bisexual relations were common that time (Alexander 57). Macedonians also do not approve of Alexander’s practice of proskynesis. In a kind of esteem that the Greeks set aside for the gods, but which the Persians conferred on their king, the worshiper kissed and prostrated himself before Alexander (Alexander 57). But for Alexander, he needed to also please the Persians and adopt their customs, because he required Persian faithfulness and manpower for upcoming conquests (Alexander 57). Alexander also respects and utilizes old monarchs to advance and strengthen loyalty among his diverse conquered lands. It is a strategy of maintaining loyalty across different and distant new territories. For instance, when the Indian king Porus was brought before Alexander, the latter asked how the former wanted to be treated, he replied simply, “Like a king” (Alexander 58). Alexander reinstates Porus to his kingdom on the circumstance that he remains loyal to Alexander. Hence, he uses old monarchs to preserve loyalty and stability in his new territories. Alexander shows great skills in unifying his disparate subordinates through mixed Greek-local leadership and interracial marriages. He can also be described as a modern urban planner, with an eye for developing potentially productive lands. Alexander also promotes pluralism and allows local leaders and citizens to form part of his troops. Nevertheless, Alexander has also been a totalitarian leader in how he approves of the murder of male inhabitants of new conquered lands and even some of his old allies. Thus, Alexander the Great is the general-type of leader, who by his authority and personality, united distant territories in Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, and western India. Works Cited Alexander, Caroline. “Alexander the Conqueror.” National Geographic 197.3: 42-76. Print. Aristotle. A Treatise on Government. No date. Web. 3 June 2011. < http://www.gutenberg.org/files/6762/6762-h/6762-h.htm#2HCH0040>. Skelton, Debra and Pamela Dell. Empire of Alexander the Great. New York, NY: Chelsea, 2008. Print. Read More