From Persia to India to Greece – they called him The Great – that is Alexander the Great. Also known as Alexander III of Macedon, he was one of the most successful military leaders of all time. Undefeated by the time of his death in 323 BCE, he is still a go-to figure when people want to define an empire builder. But how should we view this often cruel and destructive militarist today in the light of current world events? And, despite his brutality, like his ransacking of the beautiful capital city of Persepolis, is there a more progressive side to Alexander, his desire for cultural assimilation for instance, that explains why he became an inspiration not just to nationalists and imperialists but also to writers, poets, and the gay community? To discuss the relevance of Alexander the Great today, Rana Mitter is joined by James Romm, Professor of Classics at Bard College in New York state whose latest book is Demetrius: Sacker of Cities, the failed but would-be successor to Alexander the Great; Dr Haila Manteghi from the University of Münster in Germany who’s the author of Alexander the Great in the Persian tradition; Ali Ansari, Professor of Iranian History at the University of St Andrews in the UK; and Meg Finlayson, a specialist on the evolution of the queer Alexander, from the University of Durham in the UK. Produced by Anne Khazam for the BBC World Service. (Photo: The Alexander mosaic, a Roman floor mosaic from Pompei that dates from circa 100 BCE. Credit: Simone Crespiatico via Getty images)
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Let me take you back to 333 BC, to southern Anatolia and to the Battle of Isis, the first encounter between the Greeks led by Alexander III of Macedon, better known as Alexander the Great, and the Emperor Darius of Persia.
This account is by the Greek historian Plutarch.
Fortune was not kind to Alexander in the choice of battleground, but he was able to turn this to to his advantage.
Even though his army was much inferior in number, he did not allow himself to be outflanked.
Stretching his right wing much further out than the left wing of the enemy, fighting alongside his men on the front line, he put the barbarians to flight.
Nothing was wanting to complete this victory in which he overthrew more than 110,000 of his enemies.
It was a battle Alexander won against impossible odds.
It marked the end of the great Persian empire and sent shockwaves through the ancient world.
Undefeated by the time of his death in 323Bce, Alexander's vast territory stretched from Greece to Persia to India and made him one of the greatest military leaders in history.
But how truly great was he?
Alexander was an empire builder who was often brutal and destructive in his tactics.
In the modern era, Alexander has become a resource for leaders who want a shorthand symbol of masculinity and nationalism.