3.10 The Road to Persia

3.10The Road to Persia

The Rule of Sparta

• After the Peloponnesian War, Sparta tried to dominate the other Greek city-states like Athens did

• In reaction to this, new alliance were made against Sparta

The Rule of Sparta

• For a brief time, Thebes defeated the Spartans and assumed Greek leadership

• It was able to do this with the advancements of new military tactics

The Rule of Sparta

• Theban dominance endedwith the death of its bestgeneral

• Opening the door for theMacedonians

Philip of Macedonia

• The key figure in Macedonia in the battles with the Greeks was Philip the Great

• As a hostage in Thebes for threeyears, he had learned the newtactics of the Thebans

Philip of Macedonia

• He created a professional army with a strong cavalry and more flexible units on the battlefield

• Philip was able to unite his country, and also defeat the Greeks at the Battle of Chaeronaea in 338 BCE

Philip of Macedonia

• For the first time, all mainland Greeks were under the rule of a single leader

• It is likely that Philip had planned on turning the Greeksagainst their old enemies thePersians, but Philip was killedby one of his own officersat a wedding celebration.

Alexander the Great

• After Philip’s death, rule fell to his 20 year old son Alexander

• He was a student of Aristotle and one of the most successful military leaders the world has known

• In 334 BCE Alexander set out to conquer the Persians

Alexander the Great

• He conquered as far east as India with a relatively small army of 35 000 foot soldiers

• With the Persians defeated in 331 BCE all of the land and wealth of the Persians fell into Alexander’s hands

• This was not enough

Alexander the Great

• Alexander was determined to make a better empire out of all these foreign peoples

• How did he do this?

Alexander the Great

1. He tried to make Greek culture and language a kind of common uniting force

2. He also respected the customs and laws of the peoples that he had conquered

Alexander the Great

3. Also encouraged all of the leaders of the conquered lands to help him rule the various parts of his empire

Alexander died before his 33rd birthday due to an illness