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Alexander Flashcards

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1
Q

What was uncertain about Alexander’s position when he became king in 336?

A

Whether he would inherit Philip’s position as hegemon of the League of Corinth

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2
Q

Who revolted from Macedonian rule upon hearing of Philip’s death?

A

Athens, Thebes, Thessaly and Thracian tribes in the north

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3
Q

Which rebellion did Alexander confront first when he came to power?

A

The Thracian tribes

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4
Q

Who rebelled whilst Alexander was dealing with the Thracian tribes’ rebellions?

A

Thebes

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5
Q

How did Alexander respond to Thebes’ rebellion?

A

He rode straight there as fast as he could and engaged them in battle

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6
Q

How did Alexander secure his position as hegemon of Greece?

A

He went to Corinth and asked nicely

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7
Q

What position did the League of Corinth give Alexander other than hegemon?

A

Commander of an expedition to Persia

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8
Q

Which ancient battle site did Alexander visit at the start of his campaign

A

Troy

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9
Q

How was Alexander supposedly related to Achilles?

A

His mother’s family claimed descent from Achilles’ son Neoptolemus

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10
Q

What town did Alexander visit in c. 335 because of a prophecy?

A

Gordium

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11
Q

What was the prophecy about the Gordium Knot?

A

Whoever untied it would become the ruler of all Asia

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12
Q

What was the first decisive battle Alexander fought in Persia?

A

The Battle of Granicus in 334

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13
Q

Why did the Persians choose to meet Alexander at the River Granicus

A

They hoped it would hinder him and his army

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14
Q

What happened at the Battle of Granicus in 334?

A

The Persian army was destroyed and the Greek mercenaries on their side were slaughtered

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15
Q

What was the significance of the Battle of Granicus in 334?

A

It proved that Alexander and his army were a genuine threat to the Persian Empire

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16
Q

What led to the Battle of Halicarnassus in 334?

A

Alexander had recently disbanded the Greek fleet and was being constantly threatened by the Persian navy

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17
Q

What did Alexander do in advance of the Battle of Halicarnassus in 334?

A

He spoke with traitors inside the city who agreed to open the gate for him

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18
Q

What happened at the Battle of Halicarnassus in 334?

A

The inhabitants didn’t open the gates for Alexander and he probably would have lost if his men didn’t manage to break down the city walls and surprise the Persians

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19
Q

What was the significance of the Battle of Halicarnassus in 334?

A

Alexander realised the importance of naval strength and re-established his fleet

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20
Q

Where did Alexander first confront Darius III?

A

The Battle of Issus in 333

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21
Q

What was Darius’ strategy at the Battle of Issus in 333 and why did it not work?

A

To gather an enormous force and envelop Alexander’s army, he switched battle-field at the last minute

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22
Q

What happened after the Battle of Issus in 333?

A

Darius sent Alexander a letter asking to be friendly, Alexander replied that Persia had begun the quarrel and Darius should recognise Alexander as the rightful king

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23
Q

Where did Darius and Alexander next face each other after Issus?

A

The Battle of Gaugamela in 331

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24
Q

What happened at the Battle of Gaugamela in 331?

A

It was hard fought but eventually Darius panicked and the Persian army fled

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25
What was the purpose of Alexander's foundation cities?
To unify and secure his eastern empire
26
Roughly how many foundation cities were there thought to be?
20
27
Where did Alexander go after the Battle of Gaugamela in 331?
Babylon
28
What was unusual about Alexander's arrival in Babylon?
The people welcomed him enthusiastically and offered him their treasury
29
Where did Alexander go after Babylon?
The Persian Gates (a narrow pass on the way to Persepolis)
30
Who did Alexander fight at the Persia Gates in 330?
Ariobarzanes, the satrap Darius left in charge of Persepolis
31
What happened at the Battle of the Persian Gates in 330?
The Persians occupied the narrow pass and pushed the Macedonians back but a local guide showed them an alternative route they took at night and surprised the Persians at dawn
32
What is strange about the Battle of the Persian Gates?
It is extremely similar to Herodotus' account of the Battle of Thermopylae in 480
33
What was the significance of the Battle of the Persian Gates in 330?
There was no more resistance between Alexander and Persepolis
34
What happened when Alexander reached Persepolis?
He burned the palace to the ground
35
What suggests that Alexander burned Persepolis down as a way to fulfil his obligation to avenge the Greeks?
He sent the Greek forces home immediately after
36
What did Alexander do after failing to kill Darius at Gaugamela?
Pursued him relentlessly
37
What happened to Darius when he reached Bactria?
Bessus led a coup against him, deposing and arresting him
38
What happened to Darius when Alexander got near to Bactria?
Bessus' men panicked and stabbed him
39
How did Alexander react to Darius' death?
He was furious he wanted to kill Darius himself and began hunting Bessus instead
40
What was the conspiracy involving Philotas in 330?
Philotas had been shit-talking Alexander behind his back then didn't inform him of another plot so he was tortured and he and his father Parmenio were killed
41
What was the conspiracy involving Hermolaus in 328/7?
Hemolaus was whipped for killing the boar Alexander wanted to kill and felt humiliated so wanted to kill Alexander as revenge with help from the other pages but they were caught and killed
42
Who else was implicated in and killed because of Hermolaus' conspiracy of 328/7?
Callisthenes
43
What was the conspiracy involving Antipater in 324?
Both Antipater and Olympias were sending Alexander letters complaining about the other and accusing them of treason, Alexander sent someone to replace and send Antipater to him
44
When did Alexander encounter the Branchidae?
During his pursuit of Bessus
45
Who were the Branchidae?
People originally from Miletus who sided with Xerxes and emigrated to the east when he lost
46
Who did Alexander ask to advise him on how to treat the Branchidae?
The Milesians in his army
47
What caused the argument between Alexander and Cleitus in 328?
Cleitus had long disliked Alexander's behaviour and was provoked by Alexander openly challenging him
48
What was the result of Alexander and Cleitus' argument in 328?
Alexander killed Cleitus but deeply regretted it
49
How and why did Callisthenes oppose Alexander?
He publicly criticised Alexander for allowing/encouraging proskynesis
50
Who continued to resist Alexander in Bactria after Bessus' was killed?
Oxyartes, the father of Roxane
51
What did Alexander do after defeating Oxyartes?
He fell madly in love with Oxyartes' daughter Roxane and married her in 327, as well as making Oxyartes a governor and one of Roxane's brothers part of his elite cavalry
52
Where did Alexander begin campaigning in 326?
India
53
What were the possible reasons for the Indus Valley campaign in 326?
* Alexander wanted to reach the outer limits of the known world * Alexander wanted to establish a frontier for his empire * Alexander had an unsatiable desire for adventure
54
What was significant about the Battle of Hydaspes in 326?
It was the hardest battle Alexander every fought
55
Why was the Battle of Hydaspes in 326 so difficult?
They had to cross the Hydaspes river at the start and the enemy (Porus) had lots of war elephants
56
Which close friend of Alexander was killed at or soon after the Battle at Hydaspes in 326?
His horse Bucephalas
57
What did Alexander's men do in 326 and why?
They refused to follow him across the Hyphasis river to the Ganges Valley because they were tired of fighting
58
How did Alexander react to his men mutinying at the Hyphasis in 326?
He tried to persuade them to continue but, after hearing them out, relented and started returning to Persia
59
Why did Alexander campaign against the Mallians late 326-early 325?
He wanted to define the eastern limits of his power during his return to Persia
60
What happened during the campaign against the Mallians in 326-25?
Alexander was seriously injured and almost died after jumping off the city's wall into the conflict
61
How did Alexander split his army up to return to Persia?
Into thirds, one would travel by sea with Nearchus, one through Arachosia with Craterus and the rest through the Gedrosian Desert with him
62
What happened during the crossing of Gedrosian Desert in 325?
Many men and animals died from hunger or thirst, and many more were killed by landslides when monsoon season started
63
What are the possible reasons for Alexander wanting to cross the Gedrosian Desert in 325?
* To provide supplies for the navy to collect along the way * To prove that he was better than Cyrus the Great who had not managed to cross it * To punish his men for the mutiny at the Hyphasis
64
What monument did Alexander visit soon after returning to Persia in late 325?
The tomb of Cyrus the Great
65
What happened when Alexander visited the tomb of Cyrus?
He discovered that it had been raided and he was furious, demanding the culprits be found so he could punish them
66
What did Alexander discover when he checked in with his government officials when he returned to Persia?
That many thought he wouldn't return from India and exploited their power
67
What did Alexander do when he discovered many of his government officials were exploiting their positions?
He made an example out of them and punished anyone he suspected of committing even the smallest crime
68
What did Alexander do in Susa in 324?
Arranged a mass marriage ceremony
69
Who were the mass marriages in 324 mostly between?
Alexander's leading comrades to local Persia women
70
Who did Alexander marry in 324?
Two distinguished Persian women, one of whom was Darius eldest daughter Barsine
71
Who did Alexander marry one of Darius' daughters to in 324 and why?
Hephaestion so their children would be family
72
What was significant about the mass marriages in 324?
It was done according to Persian customs
73
What gifts did Alexander give his men in 324?
He gave every couple that got married a dowery and gave a wedding gift to the 10,000 or so Macedonians who had already married Asian women
74
What are the possible reasons for the mass marriages in 324?
* To unite the Greeks and Asians * Because of Alexander's love for the Persians and their culture * To have fun with his men
75
What did Alexander's men complain about soon after the mass marriages in 324?
They were distressed by his orientalism and felt undervalued because he had discharged many of them
76
What decree did Alexander announce at Opis in 324?
The Exiles' Decree
77
What was the Exiles' Decree?
Alexander wanted to disband his mercenary armies and reinstate them in their native cities
78
Where did Alexander announce the Exiles' Decree?
At the Olympic games later in 324
79
Why was the Exiles' Decree contraversial?
Alexander ordered Antipater to use force against any city they refused to have their exiles back
80
Who died suddenly in Ecbatana in 324?
Hephaestion
81
How did Alexander react to Hephaestion's death in 324?
He was distraught but vowed to keep his friend's memory alive forever
82
Where did Alexander go in 323?
Babylon
83
How old was Alexander when he died?
32
84
Why was Alexander in poor health before his death?
Because of his injury from the Mallian campaign and the amount of alcohol he drunk
85
What do most of the ancient sources agree on about Alexander's death?
That he wasn't murdered
86
What happened soon after Alexander died?
A cult was established and he was effectively deified

Ancient History Greece (9 decks)

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