Alexander’s

Empire
Chapter 5 Section 4
 Review
⦿What was Greece like
after the Peloponnesian
wars?
›Weak and vulnerable
›Open to attack
 Philip Builds Macedonian Power

1. Macedonia is located just north of

Greece.
2. Macedonians are hardy people who
live in mountain villages instead of
city-states
⦿Macedonians thought of themselves
as Greek, but Greeks looked down on
them.
4. In 359 B.C. Philip II became king of
Macedonia.
5. At 23 he proved to be a brilliant general
and a ruthless politician
6. He transformed Macedonian peasants
into a well-trained professional
Army.
7. Athenian, Demosthenes warned Greece
of the threat Philip posed. Athens
and Thebes joined together, but by
then it was too late.
8. Macedonians defeated Greeks at
the battle of Chaeronea ending
Greek independence.
9. Philip’s next plan to invade
Persia was cut short when he
was stabbed at his daughter’s
wedding.
10. Philip’s son Alexander
proclaimed himself king.
 Alexander Defeats Persia
11. Even at the age of 20 Alexander
was prepared to lead.
12. His teacher Aristotle taught him of
science, geography and literature
13. Alexander loved Homer’s epic
tales so much he slept with a copy
of the Iliad under his pillow.
14. Frightened by his cruelty other Greek
city-states gave up thoughts of rebellion.

15. After Greece was secure Alexander set out

to complete his father’s plans by
invading and conquering Persia
16. In 334 B.C. Alexander led his troops into
Anatolia (Turkey) and met the Persian
force.
17. Alexander crushed the Persians and
alarmed the Persian king, Darius III
18. Vowing to crush the invaders Darius III
raised an army of 50-75,000 men.
19. Outnumbered, Alexander had his best
soldiers break through a weak point
in the Persian line and charge straight
towards the Persian king.
20. The Persians fled and Alexander
gained control of Anatolia
21. Darius offered Alexander all lands
west of the Euphrates river.
Alexander refused the offer and
announced his plan to capture all of
the Persian Empire.
22. In 332 B.C. Alexander marched
into Egypt, a Persian Territory.
They greeted him as a liberator
and crowned him Pharaoh.
23. While in Egypt Alexander
founded the city of Alexandria
at the mouth of the Nile.
24. Alexander next met
Darius at Gaugamela
Alexander launched a
massive phalanx attack
followed by a cavalry
charge. Alexander’s
victory ended Persia’s
power.
 Alexander’s Other Conquest
25. Alexander was now the unchallenged ruler of
southwest Asia. He was more interested in
expanding his empire than governing it.
26. In 326 B.C. Alexander and his army reached the
Indus Valley, and a powerful Indian army blocked
their path.
27. After a fierce battle and more than 11,000 miles of
marching in 11 years Alexander’s soldiers’ morale
was low. Disappointed Alexander agreed to go
home.
28. By the spring of 323 B.C.
Alexander announced plans to
organize and unify his empire.
29. Alexander never carried out his
plans as he became ill and died a
few days later at the age3 of 32.
30. After Alexander’s
2 death generals
fought to control his empire.
They split the empire into 3
sections.
1
31. They all ignored the Greek tradition of
polis (democracy) and governed with
complete power of their subjects.
32. Culturally, Alexander’s empire had a
great effect. He adopted Persian
dress and customs. The mix of Greek
and Eastern ways of life created a
new and vibrant culture.
1. Led soldiers across the Hellespont into
Anatolia

Goal: Result:
⦿Carry out ⦿Defeated
father’s plan to Persians under
conquer the Darius
Persian Empire
2. Launched surprise attack against Persians
near Issus

Goal: Result:
⦿Used surprise to ⦿Gained
overcome a control of
numbers Anatolia
disadvantage
3. Rejects Darius’ peace settlement of all lands
west of the Euphrates

Goal: Result:
⦿To conquer all ⦿Takes the full
of the Persian empire,
Empire including
Egypt
4. Launched a phalanx attack followed by a
cavalry charge at Gaugamela

Goal: Result:
⦿Wants to ⦿Ends the
destroy Darius Persian
III Empire’s
power
5. Led army to the Indus River

Goal: Result:
⦿To further ⦿Won victory over
expand his empire Indian Army
⦿Turned back
because his army
was tired and sick
of fighting