At one point in his crusade, Alexander found himself confronted with a huge mutiny by his Macedonian veterans. He ordered the most vocal of the rebels to be executed and reminded the others of the glory they had achieved in battle and the shame they would endure at home if they returned as deserters. He then refused to see any of the Macedonians and turned over command of the brigades to the Persians. Alexander’s words of reconciliation at the conclusion of this episode have been interpreted as an expression of his desire to establish a “brotherhood of man.” Readers can determine for themselves whether Alexander attempted to introduce a new philosophical ideal or whether he harbored his own political motives for political cooperation.
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Questions for Analysis
1. What was the purpose of the banquet?
2. Were all of the guests treated equally?
3. What did Alexander gain from bringing together the Macedonians and Persians?
Source: From The Greek Historians by Francis R. B. Godolphin. Copyright © 1942 and renewed 1970 by Random House, Inc. Used by permission of Random House, Inc.
This gilded case for a bow and arrows indicates that Alexander's success came at the price of blood. These vigorous scenes portray more military conflict than philosophical compassion.
(Archaeological Museum Salonica/Dagli Orti/The Art Archive)
The Roman Forum. (Josephine Powell Photography, Courtesy of Special Collections, Fine Arts Library, Harvard College Library)
World History
