The name of the city that became the capital of the state of Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great: biography and interesting facts from life. The death of Darius III and the complete defeat of the Persian state

Empire of Alexander the Great like a meteorite, it momentarily illuminated the horizons of the Eurasian continent from Greece to Central Asia and India. The geopolitical consequences were of world-historical significance. A peripheral power becomes the ruler of the world. In the Middle Ages, this story repeated itself with Mongolia, which united the Great Eurasian Steppe.

Kingdom of Macedonia (Ancient Macedonia) existed in the Balkans from the 9th century BC. e. until 146 BC. e. This is a long time for the power of that time. Ancient Ancient Macedonia occupied a peripheral position in relation to Ancient (southern) Greece and the Persian Empire. The Macedonians (Darians) were perceived by the "enlightened" neighbors as "descended from the mountains" barbarians. But in the great river of history everything flows, everything changes.
The Macedonian superpower appeared in the Earth, where in a given place and time a boundary creative energy was formed. Irradiated ancient Macedonia mpowerful centuries-old information exchange between Southern Greece and the Persian Empire. Gold and silver mines, fertile lands of the Macedonian plain created a solid foundation for the economy.

The Macedonian capital was first mentioned in the writings of Herodotus. During the Greco-Persian wars, Xerxes, at the head of a large army, crossed the Hellespont (Dardanelles), occupied Macedonia, and in 480 BC. defeated the Greeks at the Battle of Thermopylae.

Macedonian kingdom until the death of Philip II, father of Alexander the Great (336 BC)

After centuries of neglect, archaeologists discovered Egesa (Vergina) and Pella - the first and second capitals of Ancient Macedonia. Pella was the capital of the Macedonian state from the end of the 5th century to the middle of the 2nd century BC. e. The ancient Greek playwright Euripides (480 - 406 BC) worked and was buried here. In 356 BC. Alexander the Great (356 - 323 BC) was born in the Macedonian capital.

According to legend, the future king of Macedonia and the commander was born on the night when Herostrat set fire to (one of the Seven Wonders of the World). During the campaigns of the commander Alexander in Persia, the legend of this fire spread as a sign of a future catastrophe for the Persian Empire.

King Philip, busy with constant military campaigns, was not sure from whom his wife Olympias gave birth to a son - from God, from her husband or lover, and just in case he sent a courtier to the sanctuary of Delphi to find out the truth from the soothsayer (Pythia). Through abundant gifts, truth was assured, and Philip recognized Alexander's son.

In the ancient world, Delphi served as the "Navel of the Earth", where kings and other satraps were poisoned "for the truth". How today puppets flock to Washington for "democratic" blessings and money.

Alexander spent his childhood in the new Macedonian capital, he often visited the sacred Dion - the religious capital, where sports olympiads were held annually.

In 343, the Macedonian king Philip II invites the philosopher Aristotle to become the teacher of his son Alexander. For three years, the greatest thinker of all time was the mentor and teacher of Alexander the Great. The future commander often repeated that he was obliged to Father Philip that he lived, and to Aristotle that he lived with dignity.

Olympias, as a loving mother, was concerned about the development of her son as a man in the right direction. The best courtesans were called to help in order to instill the correct orientation in Alexander. But to be honest, Alexander received the main pleasure from overcoming difficulties not on the love fronts. Already in his youth, Alexander showed not hefty abilities of a military leader and participated with his father in campaigns.

What followed was a banal story. King Philip fell in love with the young Macedonian beauty Cleopatra, who was 30 years younger than him. And after the birth of his son, Alexander would not have had a chance to become king, especially since his mother is not of Macedonian origin (from Epirus). In addition to age, the Olympics had a significant drawback that many men, including kings, do not like. She was an intelligent woman, and even prone to mysticism. And during the next wedding of Philip, the king was killed by a servant as a result of a conspiracy of an offended woman or for other reasons (historians continue to argue). And Alexander ascended the throne.
The militancy of the father, the mysticism of the mother, the philosophy of Aristotle laid the ideological foundation of the future great commander.

In the ancient world, the cult of pagan gods was high. The ancient Greek gods, unlike the later correct gods, something human was not alien. They even had wine.

Before the eastern campaign, Alexander seeks divine advice from the Delphic oracle. He himself personally arrived at the sanctuary of Delphi in the winter, when the soothsayers did not serve. But he forced with the help of gifts to make an exception for him. And he received the desired blessing - he was called to fulfill the will of the gods. On the way back, he visited the temple of Zeus in sacred Dion in Macedonia, where he announced the start of a great campaign against Persia. Just after accession to the throne, Alexander spent several months in Macedonia to go with the army to his immortality.

If the ancient Greeks made a great discovery of the human soul, then the army of Alexander the Great was armed in the first place. the most invincible weapon - the power of the spirit.

The main strategic task of his father - the Macedonian king Philip II - was the conquest of Greece. Alexander's father created a relatively small, but the best army in the world.

Macedonian phalanx. The basis of the military reforms of King Philip II was the improvement of the traditional Greek phalanx, with the advent of which they stopped fighting in a crowd. With the phalanx, a drill step appeared. Philip introduced the "sarissa" for the phalanx - a long shock spear up to 7 meters long, which made huge shields unnecessary. An impenetrable forest was created from combat spears. The phalanx played the role of a "tank", breaking through a gap in the enemy's ranks. The combination of an improved phalanx with cavalry made the Macedonian army invincible.

Macedonian phalanx

The Macedonian phalanx allowed Philip II to effectively organize a mass army of untrained peasants who did not have the opportunity to constantly practice with weapons and acquire expensive armor. The king organized regiments, soldered by discipline, exhausting training and constant campaigns.

The structure of the phalanx made it possible to have only a quarter of experienced and well-armed warriors, so that it would turn into a formidable force. The strength of the Macedonian phalanx did not lie in the heroism of individual warriors, as practiced by the Hellenes, but in their subordination to a single combat mission. The warrior held a striking spear with a counterweight in both hands, and a small round shield studded with copper hung on his left elbow. They were also armed with short swords. So that the soldiers were afraid to expose their backs to the enemy, Alexander left only chest armor made of iron chain mail. Thanks to his leadership talent, the Macedonian phalanx became an invincible strike force.

Alexander formed an army of 30,000 infantry and 5,000 cavalry, of which 1,800 were Macedonians. And he conquered the Persian state, which was 50 times larger than Macedonia. It was only in India that his army encountered war elephants - along with the phalanx, another fearsome "tank" of the ancient world.

Alexander the Great united the ancient East and West into the largest world empire, which became the basis for the formation of a single space of the Hellenistic civilization. Raised by the great Aristotle in the spirit of high Greek humanism, Alexander conquered vast geographical space not for the sake of pleasure and wealth. In the conquered lands, he realized his bold dream - he created the prerequisites for erasing the differences between the Greeks and the "barbarians", his own and others, paving the way for merger through consent and complimentary relationships (the act of understanding). The dream to reach the "eastern edge of the earth" ended with the discovery of India.

The Hellenistic spirit spread to the Siberian frontiers. Alexander the Great cleared the way for a global trade exchange with his eastern campaign. By the end of the Alexandrian era, the largest trade communication of antiquity will be laid in the south of the Heavenly Mountains -. The ancient world was united for the first time within the common boundaries of the socio-cultural and geo-economic space of Eurasia, where the three greatest humanisms of the ancient world - Greek, Indian and Chinese - met.

Never before in the history of mankind did the dialogue of two great people - a knowledgeable scientist-translator and a commander-receptor who knows how to listen lead to such grandiose consequences and discoveries of new horizons of the Earth's multidimensional communication space. But if the energy of the mind was required to open the horizons of the spiritual world, then the conquest of real space was carried out not only under the sign of humanism, but mainly with fire and sword.

The great commander not only fought on the battlefields, he founded numerous cities, created a single monetary system for a vast empire, could conduct philosophical conversations, corresponded with Aristotle, staged dramas by Euripides.

The ascent to glory of Alexander the Great took place against the backdrop of the decline of the Hellenic world, and he, dreaming of the marriage fraternization of East and West, took practical steps in this regard. But more than two millennia have passed, and again there is a global geopolitical transformation between the West and the East. And it is not obvious that prudence will win.

Classical period in the 5th-4th centuries BC. e.

The Classic period begins with a war with the Persians in 500 BC. e. This war lasted over 20 years.

Greece managed to win a final victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC. e., thanks to Athens, who created the Delian Maritime Union and led the fight against the Persians.

Gradually, from an equal maritime union, it turned into an instrument for the rise of Athens, which allowed the Athenians to use significant resources to create impressive masterpieces. The best architects, sculptors and artists were invited to Athens and carried out the plans of Pericles to decorate the Acropolis and the whole city. Science, arts and philosophy, art developed.

In a word, it was the "Golden Age" of Athens.

Naturally, such a strong power did not suit Sparta, and in 431, BC. e., the Peloponnesian War broke out, ending only 27 years later with the victory of Sparta and the overthrow of Athens. From that time on, Sparta became the leading policy of Greece, planting its military orders in many cities, and internecine wars did not subside until the new unification of Greece under the hegemony of Macedonia.

The main prerequisites for the creation of the empire of Alexander the Great were made by his father, Philip II, who was a wise politician and far-sighted reformer. Against the backdrop of general instability, Macedonia was distinguished by a high level of economic development, technology and military affairs.

In 338 BC. e., after the defeat of the Hellenes at the Battle of Chaeronea, Greece was united under the rule of Macedonia. After the assassination of Philip II, his son Alexander took his place, leading a victorious war against the Persians and creating a new empire within 9 years. He traveled to the Himalayas and reached the banks of the Ganges.

His idea was to put an end to the age-old strife between Persia and Greece. He married the daughters of Persian kings, hoping for a peaceful blending of the two cultures. He proclaimed himself the god Zeus-Amon, hoping for the worship of the common people of the conquered lands. However, Alexander was not understood by his army and inner circle. He died when he was 33 years old, leaving no successor.

Thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great, a gigantic empire was created, which included, in addition to the Balkan Peninsula and the islands of the Aegean Sea, Egypt, Asia Minor, the south of Central Asia and part of Central Asia. The campaigns of the great commander brought destruction and creation at the same time. Streams of Greek and Macedonian settlers poured into the East, who everywhere established new social relations, founded city-states, laid communication routes and spread the culture of the Greek world, in turn absorbing the achievements of ancient civilizations.

In many conquered cities, public schools were organized, where boys were taught in the Greek way, theaters, stadiums, and hippodromes were built. Greek culture and way of life penetrated the East, absorbing the traditions of Eastern cultures. Together with the Greek gods, Isis and Osiris and other eastern deities were revered, in whose honor temples were erected. Hellenistic kings planted, according to Eastern custom, the royal cult. Some cities turned into major cultural centers that competed with the Greek ones. So, in Alexandria, a huge library was created, which consisted of about 700 thousand scrolls. Large libraries were in Pergamon and Antioch.

Hellenistic period in 300 - 30 years. BC e.

The death of Alexander hastened the collapse of the Great Empire, which had already begun by that time. Each of the Hellenistic states is of particular interest to the researcher. Compared with the ideals of democracy of the previous period, this time shows us how the military leaders of the army of Alexander the Great can rule the state, who divided the empire among themselves: Antipater took Macedonia and Greece, Lysimachus - Thrace, Antigonus - Asia Minor, Seleucus - Babylonia, Ptomeleus - Egypt .

The era that came after the death of Alexander the Great was called Hellenism. It lasted three centuries, until 30 BC. e., when the Romans conquered Egypt - the last of the Hellenistic states. But even in such a short time, these states managed to become a kind of conductor of Greek civilization. A stream of Greek and Macedonian settlers poured into the East, bringing Greek culture with them. In the conquered cities of the East, public schools were created, theaters, stadiums, hippodromes were built, and libraries appeared. In the most famous of them. Alexandria (Egypt), there were up to 700 thousand scrolls. Philosophy also received further development during the Hellenistic period. Philosophers of various schools (Stoics, Epicureans, Cynics) sought to develop new, more advanced ethical standards, urged a person to conscientiously fulfill his public duty or, on the contrary, to withdraw from active work and engage in self-improvement.

The soul of Hellenism is the spirit of enterprise and commerce associated with the expansion of Greek civilization into the Asian world. For several centuries, the Hellenistic states retained their power, but the decline that predetermined the Roman conquest did not bypass them.

Before the Roman aggressor, Macedonia and Greece were the first to fall in 148 BC. e. The longest before 30 BC. e. The Ptolemaic Kingdom existed in Egypt.

Empire of Alexander the Great

Little Macedonia, located north of Greece, managed to create the most powerful army in the world - only the Roman legion could surpass the Macedonian phalanx. King Philip II Heraclid, having defeated the Greeks at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338, created a powerful state.

Russian historian of the 19th century R.Yu. Wipper wrote:

“The Macedonians were Greeks, but they were constantly disturbed by wild mountaineers, and they lagged behind in trade, craft and education from the rest of the Greeks. The Macedonians were stern hunters and warriors: their custom demanded that a young man who had not yet killed a boar should not dare to sit at a feast at the table; who did not kill a single enemy wore a rope on his body as a sign of shame. Their orders were old: at the head of the peasants were warlike princes. The kings were surrounded by squads of people with whom they shared military booty.

There were three estates in Macedonia - the king, the nobility and free community members. Representatives of the old tribal nobility became kings and were considered "first among equals." The Macedonian nobility - the hetairoi - made up the cavalry of the army and supported itself. The main owner of the land was the king, who granted it to the getairs. For this, they were obliged to serve in the army, exposing mounted warriors, the number of which depended on the size of land holdings. The taxes of the peasants were not burdensome - the Macedonians did not consider the payment of taxes dishonorable and felt free. Even ordinary soldiers - infantrymen had the right to participate in a military meeting. Their votes were decisive. The assembly had the power to elect a new king and pass judgments on state crimes. The state power was directly represented by the king and his entourage. The people understood their power over the king and tried to protect themselves from the encroachments of the nobility. It was almost impossible to split and subdue the proud Macedonians. These qualities determined the strength and power of the Macedonian army, to which Philip II added the strength and power of his phalanx. He managed to make the position of the royal house very strong. He supported the rights of the people, who answered him with respect. Any Macedonian could have access to the king.

At one time, the Greeks did everything to prevent Philip from becoming king of Macedonia. The Greek policies were already in a period of political decline, caused by satiety and the influence of Persian gold on them. For his election, Philip sacrificed a wealthy Macedonian city - the bribe was accepted.

After the defeat at Chaeronea, the Greeks thought that Philip would take revenge, but the king did not even demand their surrender and offered to create an alliance. At the pan-Greek congress, the Pan-Hellenic Union was established, declaring Philip the hegemon of Greece. Only Sparta was not included in the union. Philip did not change the political system of the policies and proclaimed the Holy Peace, forbidding the Greek states to interfere in each other's affairs. United Greece could again become a powerful power, but a year after the creation of the union - in 336 BC. e. - Philip II was stabbed to death. A few months earlier, the Pan-Hellenic League - "for the triumph of the common Greek idea and unity" - had declared war on Persia. Philip, put at the head of the united Greco-Macedonian army, was very dangerous, like any talented person who gained power - the Macedonian king was not only an outstanding strategist, but also a skilled diplomat. His statement has come down to us - "there is no such high city wall that a donkey loaded with gold could not step over."

The Macedonian military assembly proclaimed the king of his son from the queen of Olympias - Alexander.

Alexander the Great was born in 356 BC. e. in the capital of Macedonia - Pella. His favorite teacher was the famous Greek thinker Aristotle, invited by Philip to Pella from the island of Lesbos.

Aristotle did not participate in court intrigues and did not become Philip's adviser. He was only interested in Tsarevich Alexander. He saw in him the future unifier of the Greeks and the powerful ruler of the world empire. Aristotle began to teach Alexander "to lead the future empire" and he succeeded.

“Aristotle was a man consumed by the same thirst that tormented Alexander - the thirst for knowledge of the unknown in an infinite world. Looking at the philosopher, Alexander learned to appreciate everything sublime and noble, comprehended Greek culture. They studied the harmony of spiritual existence as a whole. Recognition and understanding of beauty, diligence, kindness and its embodiment in the best works - all this now appeared before Alexander's spiritual gaze. In everything it was necessary to strive to comprehend the highest: “Let no man be afraid to create the immortal and divine.” For the first time, Alexander, destined by nature for great deeds, came close to what later determined his life - to the boundless and infinite.

Especially for Alexander, lectures were given on the good deeds of the rulers. Alexander first heard a poem by Aristotle dedicated to virtue and valor.

Aristotle contrasted the Greek state with the Persian one, where violence reigned.

The course of study also included a very important science for the future commander - geography, acquaintance with the world map. The philosopher showed the prince on the map the temperate zone, where the Mediterranean, Persia and India are located. Only this zone forms the ecumene, that is, the part of the earth suitable for human habitation. She was considered to be the world itself.

Nothing, apparently, fascinated the young man as much as the study of these cards and the teacher's explanations related to them. Alexander began to consider individual countries, and above all Macedonia, only as part of the world space. Any other king or royal son looked at the world only through the eyes of the inhabitants of his country. Alexander was characterized by a broader view.

Besides, if you look at the world on a map, don't its spaces seem to be easily overcome? After all, the young man had long dreamed of the role of a conqueror and envied the success of his father.

Aristotle taught the prince the science of the state. His father descended from Hercules, his mother from Achilles. The Iliad of Homer and the sword always lay at the head of Alexander, who said to his comrades who studied with him: “Boys, the father will have time to capture everything, so that together with you I will not be able to do anything great and brilliant.” He was invited to participate in the Olympic Games. “Yes, if kings are my rivals,” Alexander replied. When the prince rode the wild and indomitable horse Bucephalus, Philip II kissed his son and said: “Seek, my son, a kingdom of your own, for Macedonia is too small for you!”

At the age of twenty, Philip II began to involve the prince in the management of Macedonia. The prince remained the ruler of the country during Philip's military campaigns. Upon accession to the throne, Aristotle dedicated his treatise on royal power to the new king of Macedonia.

F. Schachermayr wrote:

“Alexander, of course, made laws for himself. From Aristotle, he took only that which coincided with his own desires. And without the instructions of the sage, Alexander would have become a great conqueror; proceeding from his own nature, he would discover new countries, patronize the arts. However, learning from Aristotle made it easier for him to understand himself, strengthened his will and led to the enrichment of his nature and the sequence of actions on the chosen path. Without Aristotle, the concept of world domination would not have been developed so early and in such a clear form.

Alexander, who thought of space as a conqueror and subjugator, applied the principle of universality to both states and human society, subjecting them to inexorable considerations aimed at the benefit of the empire. He had a concept of humanity as a whole. For Alexander, the distinction between Hellenes and barbarians ceased to exist, and that logical sequence appeared in his actions, which Aristotle lacked so much. And when subsequently Alexander, ruling countries, sought to equalize them, he had every reason to consider himself a more consistent representative of the idea of ​​universality than his teacher. Alexander wanted to conquer the whole world and at the same time become the educator of all mankind. Alexander wanted to raise humanity to the highest stage of development.

Alexander destroyed all possible claimants to the Macedonian throne and returned Macedonian hegemony to Greece. Only Thebes, instigated by Athens, rebelled against the "boy on the throne", believing that they had the best army in Greece. In two weeks, the Macedonian army reached Thebes and took the city. The male population of the policy was slaughtered, the city was razed to the ground, and the remaining thirty thousand inhabitants were sold into slavery.

In 334-330 BC. e. Alexander the Great in several famous battles defeated the troops of the Persian king Darius III and sat on the throne of the Achaemenids. The lands conquered by Alexander were called the "First Empire" by later historians. To manage them, back in May 331, the king began to create a new administrative structure. Macedonia was ruled by the governor of Alexander, the king himself was at the head of the Papellinian Union and in his executive power as an autocratic strategist "did not constrain himself with conventions, graciously treating many members of the Union." The Greek states of Asia Minor formed a protectorate. There were also autonomies and other protectorates. Trade and financial departments were created, which led Egypt and the Levant (Syria and Palestine). Some islands were subordinated directly to Alexander. Alexander was both "the Macedonian people's king, and hegemon, and protector and absolute autocratic monarch." Alexander imposed and abolished taxes, determined not only the external, but also the internal policy in the lands subordinate to him, demanded military assistance. He preserved the city-monarchies in Cyprus and Phoenicia.

The lands “conquered with a spear” were governed in the old way as satrapies under Darius III, although with a significant reduction in the rights of governors.

F. Schachermayr wrote:

“Three commercial and financial departments were created, independent of the satrapies. The first included the four Egyptian assemblies and Alexandria; in the second - the satrapies of Syria, Cilicia and Phoenicia, in the third - all the satrapies of Asia Minor and the Ionian protectorate. All three financial rulers were at the same time heads of protectorates. Cleomenes, Alexander's adviser in Egypt, offered him this wonderful organization of the financial and tax apparatus.

It is known for certain that no changes were made in the position of the Jewish temple state, which was part of the Syrian satrapy. Alexander did not seek to create new difficulties for himself and everywhere supported theocratic states.

To maintain order, Alexander left his troops in all the provinces, mainly Greek mercenaries.

According to Alexander, the state apparatus had to have not only military and organizational functions, but also cultural and cultural-political ones. In matters of religion and government, he supported national traditions. The king was on friendly terms with many famous actors of that time. He considered it necessary to acquaint the people of the East with the art of the West.

It is obvious that already in the period of the "first empire" Alexander encouraged the development of both Greek and Oriental culture. Its future principle is also being born, expressed by the formula: there should be neither losers nor winners. Even now there were victors and liberators, but there were no vanquished, only liberated. At that time, the tsar had not yet preached the fusion of cultures, in any case, he had not planted it by dictatorial methods.

Alexander believed in the opportunity to start a new, peaceful chapter in history. To decisively stop the "perpetium mobile" of history - eternal hatred and enmity - such was his will.

In the implementation of his ideas, Alexander the Great met with growing resistance from both the Macedonians and the Greeks. When creating his empire, the king had to overcome Macedonian, Hellenic Iranian nationalism - numerous conspiracies and rebellions against Alexander were prevented or liquidated. After 327 there were no more conspiracies. Alexander tried to introduce absolute power into the empire - and it is always the power of violence, arbitrariness and the triumph of force - the Greeks and Macedonians did not accept it entirely, and Alexander conceded in the "little things" that humiliate the dignity of free people - he abolished kneeling and prostrating before him, as before the "king of kings." His companions managed to defend their freedom and realized that Alexander could be stopped. Subsequently, this led to the termination of the Indian campaign, which was supposed to complete the creation of the empire of Alexander the Great.

The defenders of the Indian principalities showed exceptional courage and military prowess. It was impossible to resist the army of Alexander, and the Indian soldiers went to the mountains. The king began to resort to intimidation and violence - the subjugation of the Indian principalities in this way led to bloody battles and the devastation of territories, which became very difficult to reconcile.

F. Shahermair wrote:

“If we consider the results and lessons of the Indian campaign, then two indisputable failures must be recognized as the most important: the retreat of Alexander's army and the catastrophe in the desert. Alexander's plan was all-encompassing, so individual failures could be tolerated. However, in both cases, failure could have been avoided and they were caused only by mistakes made by the king himself. The army did not get a rest before returning, no reconnaissance was made of the almost impenetrable desert. During the Indian campaign, Alexander crossed the border of reason. Once the success of the king was due to the brilliance of his personality, but now his behavior more and more resembled a crazy game of chance. If there was another, caring, attentive Alexander, then he was powerless before the stubborn will of the victorious commander.

The famous Indian campaign of 327-326 BC. e. was not completed - the army could not stand the eight-year conquests. The soldiers stood in front of the Ganges valley and the "master of the world" turned back in despair. Alexander led the army in a different way and nevertheless reached the Indian Ocean. By the time they returned home, three out of four warriors had died in the sands of the Iranian deserts.

Alexander made Babylon the capital of his empire. In the new state, stretching from the Danube to the Indus, new cities were also built - Alexandria, which were to become the backbone of the Greek-Macedonian authorities.

Alexander the Great failed to educate mankind. Every time rumors spread about his death in campaigns, many of his deputies and satraps tried to create their own states. To whom Alexander managed and could cut off their heads, but they were replaced by the same governors and satraps.

"The guard is tired." There was no end to the abuses - “the rulers left by Alexander plundered with might and main; revolts were being prepared between them; the keeper of the royal treasury, Harpal, squandered countless sums at feasts, and when he heard about the return of Alexander, he hired a detachment of Greeks for himself and, seizing part of the treasury, fled to Greece; the most trusted people of the king destroyed what he created, for which he lived and fought - the unity of the peoples of East and West.

Plutarch wrote: “His friends, having become rich and proud, strove only for luxury and idleness, they began to be weary of wanderings and campaigns and gradually reached the point that they dared to blame the king and speak ill of him. At first, Alexander was very calm about this, he said that it was not unusual for kings to hear blasphemy in response to their good deeds.

Even the soldiers expressed dissatisfaction with the eight-year war - Alexander, who learned about this from his service in reading soldiers' letters, had to create penal detachments.

Alexander began to devote most of his time to the problems of separatism and corruption - power turned heads, spoiled character and led to abuses. Only the fear inspired by Alexander the Great could stop unscrupulous officials. The king demanded the unquestioning execution of his often impossible orders, avoiding excess of power, any arbitrariness and with the help of a complete rejection of abuse. The king commanded that everyone should have equal rights, he considered justice to be the basis of his government. Honest officials, loyal to the ideas of Alexander, successfully managed finances and collected taxes, but became hated by the population. There were many who remained faithful to Alexander. These people were convinced that only Alexander could be the guarantor of stability in the empire, protecting it from anarchy and arbitrariness. Alexander severely punished corrupt officials and separatists - “many had an unclean conscience, therefore, when they heard that the king punishes even small offenses, they were terribly scared; denunciations began against each other.

The authority of the royal power and administration of the empire were restored, but kept only on the authority of Alexander the Great. The king began to appoint governors, guided only by their personal qualities. Alexander knew how to change the methods of managing the empire. He decided to carry out the unification of public administration - a year before his death. With the long existence of the empire, this gives a positive result, which was confirmed by the example of the later Roman Empire. The tsar wanted to make the peoples inhabiting his state potentially homogeneous and equal. It was impossible to do this by force, and Alexander began to remove all the barriers that prevented the unification of the subjects of the empire. The king never liked to wait, but here he was in no hurry. History and fate did not give him time to complete what he started. Alexander could not, did not have time to implement the idea of ​​fraternal unification of all people.

F. Schachermayr wrote:

“Depriving peoples of state independence and forcing them to unconditional obedience, Alexander had to offer them something in return. The king, apparently, was rather naive if he believed that he was a benefactor to them, who should be thanked. Alexander considered himself a benefactor, because he liberated the peoples from the blinders of national prejudices and intolerance, brought them peace, security, prosperity and free cultural and economic exchange.

Alexander at any cost achieved his goal - the creation of a world empire. The world state for him was neither Hellenistic, nor Macedonian, nor Eastern: in it his own self, towering above all "I", had to find expression. Of course, Alexander recognized humanity, but it never occurred to him to look up at it. He looked down on humanity. For him, it could only be about himself and his subjects. For such a subordinate, dependent world, he could do good deeds, if only they were in the interests of the empire.

The spiritual world of Alexander was unusually rich, so one should not be surprised at some of its inconsistencies. Most often it was dominated by the personality of the almighty king. In the empire, there could be no other unity or wealth of all peoples, except for unity in obedience, in the expression of loyal feelings.

Strong was Alexander's determination to eliminate all nationalist prejudices and arrogance, and with them all nationalist intolerance. But in place of the old division of peoples, a new one came - everything now depended on the benefits brought to the empire. The ruler reserved the right to implement this division.”

The main principle of managing the created empire became autocratic - management was entirely dependent on Alexander. No central imperial institutions were created. Only financial management was centralized. The imperial office and archive were constantly with the king. Only Alexander signed decrees and put a seal. During his absence, the empire was poorly administered. Instead of the deceased or perished governor, no one could be appointed without the decision of the king. The place has been empty for months. The highest officials were appointed only by Alexander, and they were moved. Executive power was concentrated in their hands, they watched the implementation of the king's decrees. The troops did not obey them. The governors did not control the collection and distribution of taxes, they were not subject to the means of communication in the empire - messengers, courier, mail. Treasurers were in charge of the finances, communications and supply of the army. Financial managers were higher in rank than governors. Alexander carefully guarded his rights as ruler of the empire. The tsar considered the development of domestic and foreign trade and the promotion of the welfare of the population to be the main thing in his activity. In many places where trade routes crossed, new cities were built. Shipyards were built everywhere - river and sea; The fleet has grown exponentially. New lands were discovered and mastered, new crafts were started. To develop trade, Alexander minted a coin from the Persian treasures he captured - this revolutionized the economy. All the ports of the world were opened to imperial trade.

Creating cities, Alexander assumed the appearance of the title "citizen of the city", which turned into "citizen of the empire", but did not have time to implement this.

F. Shahermair wrote: “The Macedonians brought military prowess and skill into the spiritual arsenal of the empire, the East served as a model of unconditional submission to the authority of the ruler, from the Semites of the coast it was possible to adopt the ability to trade and adapt to new conditions, from the Greeks they not only borrowed the language, but also learned freer way of life, the urban way of life, the spirit of competition, adopted their high culture.

The main goal of Alexander was the creation of a world empire, the peoples of which would live in prosperity. He didn't make it.

In 326 BC. e. Alexander returned from the Indian campaign. After 3 years, he fell ill and died in Babylon, before he reached the age of 33. Before his death, he was asked who would be the heir? “Most worthy,” said Alexander.

After the death of Alexander the Great, his empire collapsed. For fifteen years, many members of the royal family and the king's associates died in the struggle for power. The most successful and talented associates of Alexander divided the empire among themselves, taking the royal titles. There was no deserving one among them. All those who tried to imitate Alexander died, those who survived were those who were content with the parts of the empire that they got. Wars for spheres of influence and trade routes began again. Again, everyone was at war with everyone. As always, everything is back to normal.

Alexander the Great only for a short time was able to change the natural course of history. Three hundred years later, historical development itself demanded the creation of a world empire. The Romans were able to create an empire that lasted almost half a millennium.