The BBC on Alexander the Great...

[HellenicPride]

This is a good one. Im sure the skopjiani's heads are going to roll with this..

Straight out the BBC link http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/alexander_the_great.shtml

Alexander III of Macedon (356-323 BC)

Alexander III of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great, single-handedly changed the entire nature of the ancient world in little more than ten years.

Born in the northern Greek kingdom of Macedonia in 356 BC, to Philip II and his formidable wife Olympias, Alexander was educated by the philosopher Aristotle. Following his father's assassination in 336 BC, he inherited a powerful yet volatile kingdom, which he had to secure - along with the rest of the Greek city states - before he could set out to conquer the massive Persian Empire, in revenge for Persia's earlier attempts to conquer Greece.

[pankration]

The English have never really been our friends but I have to admit that the BBC through various programs at least acknowledges our true heritage. There is one sentence in that article that I want to address:

The fact that his army only refused to do so once, in the13 years of a reign during which there was constant fighting, indicates the loyalty he inspired.

Alexander's troops did not refuse to go on because they were scared or tired of fighting for Alexander. They simply had gone so far afield that they realized that they might never get back to Greece. Alexander had by this time become a "world citizen" who was happy to keep going. His insatiable curiousity was fueled by his search for knowledge not his megalomania. But for his mostly uneducated soldiers his grandiose plans were beyond their comprehension so they forced his hand. Alexander was one of those rare leaders who truly loved his troops so he acquiesced. But can you imagine if he had gone all the way to China? It boggles the mind.

[HellenicPride]

Alexander's troops did not refuse to go on because they were scared or tired of fighting for Alexander. They simply had gone so far afield that they realized that they might never get back to Greece. Alexander had by this time become a "world citizen" who was happy to keep going. His insatiable curiousity was fueled by his search for knowledge not his megalomania. But for his mostly uneducated soldiers his grandiose plans were beyond their comprehension so they forced his hand. Alexander was one of those rare leaders who truly loved his troops so he acquiesced. But can you imagine if he had gone all the way to China? It boggles the mind.


You are correct but atleast BBC speaks the truth somewhat.

Im reading a book now called Ancient Greek Wars published by Smithsonian. The author in that book also acknowledges that Alexander was Greek as well but their are many things I dont like with that book. The author has the nerve to compare Alexander to Hitler! That is an insult. I will scan the pages and post them on here with in the week.

[pankration]

These comparisons have been made before. What they all focus on is Alexander's "slaughter" of the citizens of Thebes and Persepolis. The latter especially is compared as the burning of the city almost destroyed the Zoroastrian religion (a monotheistic faith that predates Judaism). Alexander, in many accounts, felt that he overreacted and felt terribly about it. This cannot compare with Hitler or Stalin or Hussein or others who systematically eradicate a people for their beliefs or ethnicity. Assigning today's values and interpretations to events that happened thousands of years ago is revisionist crap at its worst.
Readers of this forum should go to the Alexander the Great website (on the toolbar at the top of this page) and read my article on Persepolis.

[PhiliptheUniterchaeronea]

The English have never really been our friends but I have to admit that the BBC through various programs at least acknowledges our true heritage. There is one sentence in that article that I want to address:

The fact that his army only refused to do so once, in the13 years of a reign during which there was constant fighting, indicates the loyalty he inspired.

Alexander's troops did not refuse to go on because they were scared or tired of fighting for Alexander. They simply had gone so far afield that they realized that they might never get back to Greece. Alexander had by this time become a "world citizen" who was happy to keep going. His insatiable curiousity was fueled by his search for knowledge not his megalomania. But for his mostly uneducated soldiers his grandiose plans were beyond their comprehension so they forced his hand. Alexander was one of those rare leaders who truly loved his troops so he acquiesced. But can you imagine if he had gone all the way to China? It boggles the mind.

Indeed. China. It blows the mind. How great that would have been. Then to go back to Europe and start by taking Rome, (don't worry my Italian buddies, we still love you all). Then all of Europe. What next sub-sahara Africa? Beyond?

[PhiliptheUniterchaeronea]

These comparisons have been made before. What they all focus on is Alexander's "slaughter" of the citizens of Thebes and Persepolis. The latter especially is compared as the burning of the city almost destroyed the Zoroastrian religion (a monotheistic faith that predates Judaism). Alexander, in many accounts, felt that he overreacted and felt terribly about it. This cannot compare with Hitler or Stalin or Hussein or others who systematically eradicate a people for their beliefs or ethnicity. Assigning today's values and interpretations to events that happened thousands of years ago is revisionist crap at its worst.
Readers of this forum should go to the Alexander the Great website (on the toolbar at the top of this page) and read my article on Persepolis.

As always Pankration, your prowess with the sport and discipline of Pankration is only matched by your intellect clearly demostrated here on this forum. This post clearly shows you understand what our king went through and how some of these authors have no idea that their 21st Century Hitler, Stalin, etc nonsensical comparisons are absolute rubbish. I agree 100% with what you said here.

[admin]

They are educated... they dont make mistakes other people make.

[PhiliptheUniterchaeronea]

You are correct but atleast BBC speaks the truth somewhat.

Im reading a book now called Ancient Greek Wars published by Smithsonian. The author in that book also acknowledges that Alexander was Greek as well but their are many things I dont like with that book. The author has the nerve to compare Alexander to Hitler! That is an insult. I will scan the pages and post them on here with in the week.

Please do so Pride. I am not comfortable with this modern jibberish they are advocating about the king. It is crap. Great research mate.