GRC 20010: Alexander and his Successors End-of Semester Assignment Student Name: Rachel McHugh Student Number: 14494322 Q.1. Does the available ancient evidence for Alexander’s attempts to integrate the Persian and the Macedonian elements of his empire indicate that he persued a coherent and successful policy? Support your answer with examples from the ancient sources and discuss their reliability as historical evidence. When Alexander eventually took over Persia he wanted to make his empire even greater by merging the two cultures together, the Macedonians and the Persians, resulting in them being a united force that would be a force to be wreckoned with to all the over terriotories. In this essay I will argue that by Alexander attempting …show more content…
Before beginning, Alexander tells his army that it is their “worst enemy among the cities of Asia,” (Austin, No. 10). At this stage Alexander would have knwonw that he had the strenght to overpower the Persians and wanted to intergrate them with his own people, so for him to say this to the army before they destroyed the city and killed many of its’ inhabitants was not wise as it just strengthened the hatred that the Macedonians held towards the Persians, instead of weakening it so that they could join as one empire. He then went on to burn the palace down in a state of drunkness and it was known by all that the palace was the Persian pride and for that to be destroyed by a single women, would have been very insulting to them and would have been difficult for them to follow and trust Alexander fully from then …show more content…
When they arrive to Opis, the king tells his Macedonian people that whoever is unfit to fit because of age or injury will be returned to Macedon with a learge sum for their service. However this did not come acroos clear to the men who believed that he was telling thme to leave so that he could get rid of them and bring more Persians into the army. (Austin No. 18). Even though Alexander thought he made his pount clearly it is easy to see why the Macedonians retaliated the way they did. If one were to look back in the point of view of the Macedonian soldiers you would see your king dressing as your once ‘worst enemy’ would be custom to, then you would see him training in young Persian soldiers into your army. So naturally one would believe that when your king then orders your to return home that it is because he is done with you and wishes to make it more of a Persian army. So the rebel against him and let him know of their feelings and angers against how he is running their empire at the moment and all the different changes. Once Alexander got word of the mutiny he immediately reacted in a violent manner and ordered the arrest of the most active rebels, he gave an aggressive yet inspiring speech to his men which basically told them that it was his father and himself that brought them to where they are today and that they should be grateful. He then appointed all Persian men his