A-Level Classical Studies — Alexander the Great & Augustus

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Alexander’s Parental Influences

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Philip II (father) provided military training and unified Greece, leaving a strong army and a strategy against Persia. Olympias (mother) instilled religious fervor and a belief in divine lineage (Achilles/Zeus-Ammon), fueling his ambition and later claim to divinity.

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Battle of Gaugamela (331 BCE)

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Alexander's decisive victory over Darius III. He utilized a refined phalanx and Companion cavalry to exploit gaps in the Persian line. It led to the capture of Babylon and Persepolis, effectively ending the Persian Empire and fulfilling his ambition of Panhellenic revenge.

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Integration Policy ( fusion of peoples )

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Alexander attempted to merge Persian and Macedonian cultures to stabilize his empire. This included adopting Persian dress (suits and diadem) and arranging mass weddings at Susa (324 BCE) between his officers and Persian noblewomen. This caused significant resentment among his Macedonian veterans.

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The Proskynesis Controversy

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Proskynesis was the Persian act of bowing to the King. Alexander attempted to introduce it to blend court customs, but Macedonians viewed it as deifying a man, which was unacceptable. Callisthenes opposed it; Alexander eventually dropped the compulsory act but maintained his divine status.

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Foundation of Alexandria (Egypt)

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Established in 331 BCE, it became the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt and a major hub of Greek culture. Its placement linked Greece with the Orient. The city housed the Great Library and Lighthouse, symbolizing the enduring Hellenic legacy of Alexander's conquests.