Alexander and the Greeks

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Alexander and the Greeks
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Events after the death of Philip
IIAlexanders Rise to Power
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• When Pausanias on the orders of Attalus and
  Cleopatra was assulted and failed to obtain
  satisfaction from Philip, he killed the King.
  Olympias was held cheifly responsible, since it
  was believed that she encouraged the young mans
  resentment and spurred him on, but Alexander was
  also to some extent regarded as guilty. For it
  was said that when Pausanias met him after
  suffering the outrage and bitterly complained
  about it, Alexander quoted the verse from
  Euripides Medea, where Medea threatens the
  bride and groom, and the father of the bride.
  However, Alexander searched out those responsible
  for the plot and punished them.
• Plutarch
• Who was the pausanias referred to in this
  passage?
• Who were Attalus and Cleopatra? What had they
  done to injure Pausanias and why did Philip not
  offer any assistance?
• Why might it have been believed that Olympias and
  Alexander could have encouraged Pausanias? Is it
  likely that they bore some responsibility for the
  death of Philip?
• Who did Alexander blame for the murder of Philip?
  How did he deal to these people that he blamed?

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answers

1. Was one of philips bodyguards, a macedonian
   noble, the kings ex-lover
2. Attalus is a macedonian noble, uncle of
   cleopatra/eurydice, (philips recent bride).
   Pausanias had been raped while intoxicated by
   Attalus men, under instructions from Attalus.
   Philip was unwilling to address the situation
   because of the importance of Attalus as uncle to
   his new bride and also Attalus was general to his
   army. Attalus status was much higher than
   pausanias
3. Olympias went to Epirus after the argument at the
   wedding of Cleopatra Philip. Alexander went to
   Illyria after the argument
4. The lyncestian brothers, Arrhabaeus and
   Heromones. They were arrested and executed.

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Alexanders Accession

• Alexander was 20 years old when he ascended to
  the throne
• Alexander had an easy accession to the throne
• Had support of Antipater and Parmenio
• He was obvious choice to succeed Philip
• To secure his position as King, he put to death
  anyone who threatened his right to inherit throne
• Put to death his cousin, Amyntas
• Put to death Attalus (Attalus appeared to be
  conspiring against Alexander)
• (Olympias had Cleopatras baby killed and forced
  Cleopatra to commit suicide.)
• Promised Macedonian nobles that he would follow
  the principles of his fathers administration
• Announced that Macedonian people exempt from
  taxation
• Secured himself as leader of the Corinthian League

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• Alexander inherited from his father the most
  perfectly organized, trained, and equipped army
  of ancient times.
• J.F.C. Fuller, The Generalship of Alexander the
  Great
• King Alexander the Great was left with a strong
  army, a joined country and the ability to follow
  his dream of conquering the world.
• Like his father once said to him, My boy, you
  must find a kingdom big enough for your
  ambitions. Macedonia is too small for you and
  with the help of his father, that is what he did.
  

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Rebellion

• As soon as the Greek states of Athens, Thebes,
  Aetolia and Sparta heard of Philips death they
  rebelled against Macedonia
• The Greek states saw this as an opportunity to
  break free of Macedonian rule
• Alexander began marching up and down Greece
  putting down the rebellions in North and South

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Southern States Rebellion

• Alexander dealt with the rebellions in the South
  first
• Thebes
• Athens had been encouraged by Demosthenes to
  rebel against Alexander
• Sparta
• Thessaly
• Aetolia voted to have opponents of Philip back
• Alexander moved so quickly to deal with the
  rebellions they had no time to act and were
  forced to submit to his rule.
• Thessaly Alexander was welcomed
• Neighbouring tribes saw the response and copied
  by welcoming him
• Thebes heard the news and also welcomed Alexander
• Athens Sent out an embassy to welcome him
  apologising for not recognising him as their
  Hegemon earlier.
• Most other Southern states gave up immediately to
  avoid confrontation with Alexander and his army.

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Northern Tribes Rebellion 335BC

• After Alexander had stopped rebellions of the
  Southern states, he received news that the
  Northern tribes were rebelling. (Thrace, Illyria,
  Danube)
• He marched North and attacked many barbarian
  tribes, suppressing the rebellions
• Alexander fought some significant battles with
  the Northern tribes that demonstrated Alexanders
  ability as a general.
• Battle with Thrace The Thracian army had their
  wagons lined up at the top of a steep pass
  intending to push the wagons off the pass to
  crush Alexander and his army below. Alexander
  ordered his Army to lie down with their shields
  linked on top of them so that the wagons would
  roll straight over them without harming anyone.
  The plan worked perfectly and then Alexanders
  army charged on the Thracians defeating them.
• Alexander secured the North and conducted peace
  treaties with many of the tribes.

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Second rebellion of the Greek States (Spring 335
BC)

• While fighting in the north, the new king of
  Persia, Darius III sent agents to Greece with
  gold to encourage Greeks to rebel against
  Macedonia.
• A rumour also started that Alexander had been
  killed, therefore it was a good time to rebel.
• Alexander had to travel yet again to stop the
  rebellion in THEBES

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Theban Rebellion , 335 BC

• Thebes decided it was a good time to rise against
  Macedonia.
• Athens promised to support Thebes in rebellion
• Athens and Sparta had accepted gold from Persians
• Thebes invited political exiles back and the
  Theban assembly voted to free ourselves from
  Macedonian control.
• Alexander quickly marched to Thebes and camped
  outside. He offered amnesty for Thebes if they
  handed over the two rebel political leaders who
  started the revolt.
• Thebes refused and invited anyone to join them
  and the King of Persia in freeing Greece from
  the Tyrants.
• Alexander attacked and overthrew Thebes.
• 6000 Thebans were killed.
• Draw these 8 events in a comic strip in your
  books..

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Punishment of Thebes

• Alexander treated the rebellion as a breach of
  the peace of the League of Corinth
• He asked the council to decide on a punishment
• Their decision was to raze (destroy) Thebes,
  divide up its territory and sell all Theban
  survivors as slaves (30.000 people in total)
• Alexander knew that the league would deal with
  Thebes severely.
• Alexander used Thebes to teach other Greek states
  a lesson
• One after another the Greek states quickly
  apologised to Alexander submitting to his rule
  again
• Alexander was now ready to prepare for his
  invasion of the Persian Empire in 334 BC.

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But Athens were being rascals too!

• Alexander was very lenient to the Athenians
  because of their fleet, their culture and
  possibly because Athens was still the most
  powerful of all the states except Sparta.
• The difference in treatment between Thebes and
  Athens was very great and not at all justified by
  events as both cities had behaved equally badly
  to the Macedonians. If the Thebans had had a
  fleet Alexander wanted, they would have been
  treated very differently.

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Questions to ponder

• How fair was Alexander being in this situation?
• What kind of leader is he?
• Are his actions justified?

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Read now

• In your workbooks, read the Hamilton worksheet
  p.23 The destruction of Thebes and answer the
  questions below.
• Make sure you have read Paul Artus p. 26