Alexander the Great began his triumph when Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander’s father, was assassinated. Alexander was his father’s rightful successor. Knowing Philip’s reputation as king, many Thebans were salty and bitter about his son ruling too. They viewed Alexander just as they had viewed Philip, cruel and harsh. Alexander began his journey as a ruler by fighting a rebellion in Macedonia. However, the Thebans that lived there were prepared to defend their home and rights from Alexander and his 30,000 troops. Alexander unleashed his troops onto the Theban troops, and all hope was lost. By the time the battle was over, 6,000 Thebans had been murdered. When he gained back power of Macedonia, Alexander sold over 20,000 citizens into slavery. He also ordered his men to destroy every building in the city, besides a temple or two. Just like with the rule of Philip, the Thebans were crushed ruthlessly. …show more content…
The passage states that Alexander showed mercy for several priests, the family of a famous Theban poet, and some citizens who remained friendly to Macedonia. Alexander respected Egyptian beliefs, including their Gods, and that is why he didn’t have every temple destroyed. He even allowed more temples to be built for the Egyptians to worship their Gods. Alexander’s city, Alexandria, flourished because he had great respect for knowledge and various cultural traditions. Many people would say that this proves he was a great and respectful leader, but that is not the case. Sure, he showed respect for some people; however, Alexander also treated the people and territories that he conquered in a disrespectful and cruel way. He slaughtered nearly 40,000 men in Persia. He stole Persian riches and kept thousands of men captive. When he captured the Persian capital, he destroyed it and claimed the right to rule over