The Burning of Persepolis

When Alexander the Great arrived in Persepolis, his men took to looting and pillaging the former home of Xerxes, a Persian who had burnt sacred Greek temples. Persepolis was not a palace, but a complex with palaces, halls, and treasuries contained within it. After three months in Persepolis, Alexander and his men set fire to it. However, it is debated entirely how and why this happened. There are two main stories, that of Arrian, and that of Plutarch. Arrian’s version consists of that of Alexander attempting to exert control over the Persian people, to punish them for destroying Greek temples, and to please the Greeks as a sort of exchange after having sacred temples destroyed. Plutarch’s version is that of a drunken party with a drunk Alexander (unsurprisingly). A Greek prostitute by the name Thais gave a speech, tempting Alexander into setting fire to Persepolis, and regaling how she wanted to punish the Persians for their sacrilege to sacred Greek temples. She said that she herself would start the fire so that history would remember a woman for being responsible for inflicting a greater revenge on the Persians than any general ever had. Alexander, drunk, agreed with her speech and the attendants ran through Persepolis with torches. It is believed in both versions that shortly after starting the fire Alexander changed his mind and ordered to have them put out.

Plutarch's version seems much more plausible. Alexander was known for drunkenness, just as Arrian was known to gloss over any part's of Alexander's story that would make him look bad, and so fabricated a very contradictory version that would make him look better. The story is highly contradictory because Alexander wanted the Greeks and the Persians to get along as they were now both his people, and burning down Persepolis was contradictory to just that. Why hadn't Alexander destroyed Persepolis shortly after he arrived? Or after the pillaging and looting had finished? Why wait an entire three months before consciously burning down something he owned? Additionally, he was beginning to implement his policy of fusion. Why create more tensions between the Greeks and the Persians when he was trying to rule them? Despite the war, he held the Persian people and Persian royalty in high regard, he did not actively seek destruction or massacre after he had won the war. Arrian's version is simply full of too much contradiction to make sense, especially when considering how he was an avid fan of Alexander, which is why I believe Plutarch's version is not only more plausible but far more likely to have been entirely true.

The Troops that Conquered the Persian Empire

 While many things can be attributed to Alexander the Great's military genius and the remaining plans of the deceased King Phillip, none of that would have been possible for Alexander to conduct without the thousands of troops that committed themselves to his army. There were many different kinds of soldier in Alexander's army, with each having different purposes and abilities dependant on their training and status. 

There were two main categories, the infantry and the calvary, which were each made up of 32,000 and 5,100 soldiers respectively, along with technical support and Alexander's personal staff. The mounted cavalry was made up of the Companion Cavalry, the Thessalian Cavalry, the Greek Light Horses, and the Thracians and Paeonninas. The Companion Cavalry was made up of 1,800 soldiers, which included the Royal Squadron, led by Alexander and his personal bodyguard. Besides the Royal Squadron, there were 7 squadrons of 215 soldiers each. The Royal Squadron was made of 300 members, likely excluding some of Alexander's personal staff who weren't soldiers. However, from Alexander's staff were 8 personally selected bodyguards known as the Somatophylates, while the others from Alexander's staff were the Hetairoi, 100 'companions,' who were Alexander's unofficial council, including Eumenes, who kept his journal. 

The foot soldiers, the infantry, were made up of the Phalanx, the Hypaspists, the Greek troops, Thracians and Illyrians, Agrianians, and the Cretan Archers. The numbers resulted in them having a total of 32,000 soldiers, with the Phalanx supporting 6 battalions of 1,500 each, the Hyaspists with 3 battalions of 1,000 each, the Greek troops having 12,000 members, 5,000 of which were mercenaries, the Thracians and Illyrians having 6,500, the Agrianians having 1,000, and the Cretan Archers having 500 members. Most of the soldiers wielded javelins, bows, or the sarissa, a Macedonian creation. The sarissa were made of long wood, found from trees that grew explicitly in Macedonia, with spikes on the end to act as an extremely long spear. It was able to maintain a distance between the Phalanx, the soldiers who wielded them, and the enemy, which enabled archers and disabled their attackers from attacking them while they could charge with the sarissa. It is estimated that the sarissa was 15 feet, or 4.5 metres, long. The cavalry also carried a sarissa, however theirs measured at around 12 feet instead of 15, likely to allow more freedom in movement and attacks. 

The sheer number of soldiers alone is what helped Alexander's conquership, that and the dedication of his own soldiers to his cause. Credit can be lain to the works of the military leaders in terms of their planning, strategies and tactics. However, if not for the contributions of the soldiers of Alexander's army, it is unlikely he would have succeeded in his campaign of conquership over the Persian Empire. 

The League of Corinth

The League of Corinth, decidedly, was successful in its purpose to King Phillip. The purpose of the League was to enable King Phillip in his control of the Greek states such as Athens, Thebes, etc. The military strength of Macedonia intimidated the states into joining the League. Being a member of the League meant that the states were not only at peace with Macedonia and the other Greek states, but that they had further trade opportunities, and were not isolated from trade like Sparta became when they were not invited to join the League. However, what this meant for the League and the states that had military power (Athens, for example) was that King Phillip expected them to assist in his war against Persia, after the Persian people had invaded Athens and destroyed significant monuments. This is what led to the decline in the League’s success as each state held it's own political opinions and did not want to be forced into wars that they did not decide upon. Instead, many states revolted, especially upon the death of King Phillip and the rumoured death of Alexander the Great. However, the control Macedonia held meant that these revolts were quickly and harshly ended by the King at the time, as revolts occurred when both King Phillip and Alexander were in control of the League. When Thebes revolted upon Alexander’s rumoured death, they brought in exiled political figures and brought together their army (supposedly to support the Persian Empire) but were met with the Macedonian army at their gates and Alexander, who demanded the heads of the rebellion leaders in exchange for amnesty. After this debacle, the states rushed to apologise and welcome his safe return, as was expected of them. This showed how for Macedonia, the League was successful, as it allowed them to control Greece. However, it was not successful for the Greek states as they were being controlled by Macedonia against their will despite the numerous benefits. In addition, it led to many Greeks turning to Persia for assistance, whether that be leaving the country or looking to them for support in their rebellion, which was a hindrance to Macedonia.

Alexander's Conquership

Alexander the Great's Achaemenid Empire began with a major battle on the coast of Cappadocia between his travels from Pelia in the Macedonian Kingdom and Sardis in Cappadocia. Cappadocia was the first major area that became apart of the Achaemenid Empire, and held the next two major battles between Tarsus and Tyre and between Jerusalem and Arbela. It was between these battles that Alexander's Conquership led him to the coast of the now African continent, where he conquered areas of Egypt, leading to the very first city named after himself. It was renamed or built on the coast between what is now the Middle East and the African Continent, between 333BC and 331BC. This shows the progress he made in only around four years conquering the entirety of Cappadocia and the coastal area of Africa from his first major battle in approximately 334BC to the next major battle in 331BC. 

Alexander the Great's Beginning

 Alexander the Great was known for ruling the greatest empire known to the modern world, and was tutored by Aristotle himself, in politics, literature, and rhetoric. Alexander's rule started in Macedonia, where he ascended to the throne at age twenty after his father was murdered. Alexander's father introduced him to military structure early, at approximately age sixteen Alexander was introduced into military life when his father went to war with the Scythians and had full scale battles in the Battle of Chaeronea. In stories written by Plutarch, Philip II of Macedon told his son, "My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambitions, Macedonia is too small for you." His rule began from age twenty and only lasted twelve years until his death at age thirty-two, meaning that he conquered the Eastern Mediterranean, the Middle East, Egypt, and the Persian Empire with twelve years. 

The Prequel to the Royal House of Mycenae

Unsurprisingly, the tales of the royal family of Mycenae are overly complicated and filled with gore, rape and incestuous literature. The saga begins with the tale of Tantalus. He was king of Mycenae and blessed to be a friend of Zeus. He was once even blessed to have dinner on Olympus with the gods, however, this went to his head. When he issued a return invitation, he wanted to know how perceptive the gods were and served them the cooked flesh of his firstborn son Pelops. All the gods, bar Demeter. refused the meal. However, she accidentally ate the meat of Pelop’s left shoulder. Tantalus was punished for his hubris by being imprisoned within the Underworld, immortally surrounded by sweet fruits and water, but never being able to consume it. It would be Pelop’s deeds that would curse his own children and grandchildren for generations. They would be subjected to rape, incest, and murder, and each would try and try for revenge.

This image is a depiction of Tantalus’ punishment in Tartarus, the most damning of Hell, where he was forever prevented from drinking the water he could swim in. It would simply recede when his mouth reached for it. The fruit would do the same, rising from his reach when he wished nothing more than to eat. The creator of the painting is entirely unknown.

Findlay, M., 1999. Classical mythology. Auckland, N.Z.: Longman, pp.78 - 81.

Roman Customs and Educations

The Romans lived in a patriarchal society in which the father and husband were the sole provider and directors of the household. They controlled the family, including the children’s lives and future marriages. Their children’s marriages would be organised by the father, never for love, but for stability. Arranged marriages were the normality, and many got married before they reached the age of twenty. This was especially true for the women who often married those who were years older than themselves and were still expected to bear children at that young age. It is thought that some were married as young as twelve. When searching for their children’s future marital partners, fathers would often ask friends and family to help them search for unmarried children whose fathers were searching for matches. One letter recounts this, as written by Pliny the Younger found recorded in The Ancient World by R.J. Cootes and L. E. Snellgrove. “Dear Junius Mauricus, You asked me in your letter to look out for a husband for your brother’s daughter… I think young Minicius Acilianus is just the man…” This quote goes on to list his good qualities and the fact that the potential matches father is rich to the receiver of the letter. This shows how the matches as made by the fathers were often written like advertisements to entice the fathers to make the matches as it was often like a business exchange. This idea of it being a business exchange was likely especially encouraged for those of higher status. This idea of a business exchange showed how the fathers ran the household compared to the modern ideas. It was done in order to continue the family line instead of doing something for the good of their children.

Cootes, R. and Snellgrove, L., 1991. The Ancient World. 2nd ed. Essex: Longman Group UK Limited, pp.159 - 164.