Chapter 30: Alexander the Great and His Empire
Essential Question: How did Alexander build his empire?
In this chapter, you learn how Alexander the Great built and ruled his empire.
The Peloponnesian War and the Rise of Macedonia
Athens and Sparta and their allies fought one another in the Peloponnesian War, lasting from 431 to 404 B.C.E. Then, King Philip II of Macedonia took advantage of the Greeks' weakness after years of warfare and conquered most of Greece. Alexander Creates and Unites an Empire Alexander, son of Philip, became king. Educated by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, Alexander enlarged his empire by invading Asia Minor. He conquered Persia, Egypt, Central Asia, and western India. He planned to unite his vast empire by spreading Greek culture, by inspiring loyalty through religion, and by adopting some of the customs of conquered peoples. Spreading Greek Ideas, Using Religion, and Adopting the Ways of Conquered Cultures Alexander built Greek-style cities, such as Alexandria, in Egypt. Greeks settled in these cities and brought their laws and arts. Alexander made Egyptian and Persian gods equal to Greek gods. He also encouraged the idea that he himself was a god. He adopted customs from the cultures of the people he had conquered, such as the Persian system of government. Alexander's Empire Crumbles After Alexander's death in 323 B.C.E., his generals fought among themselves for control of the empire. Settlers left the cities Alexander had built. The empire divided into three kingdoms. But the Greek culture that he had spread would continue to influence the lands Alexander had ruled. |
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