Discussion: Alexander, the Great: Strength, weakness and contributions
There were immense qualities for Alexander, the great as a leader. One of the greatest qualities a leader should have is ambition. Alexander wanted to establish a vast empire and his ambition was fulfilled. He had conquered almost all the major countries of the Middle East and Asia Minor. He had also overthrown the Persian Empire by defeating the Persian king, Darius III.
He was one of the greatest military geniuses of all times. He was the inspiration of all the later rulers. His art of warfare were later studied by the later great rulers and generals in history. Alexander's leadership qualities in military and politics were obvious. He became the leader of powerful force which conquered all parts of the world including Asia. Alexander was also a great strategist. His strategy was evident during his Asian conquests. He preferred to fight with a land army with Persia inorder to compensate for their superior naval fleet.
As a leader, he was open all sorts of hazards and dangers during his campaigns. This was a great inspiration for his men. He was personally involved in various projects and proved to be a worthy leader. His men had deep faith in the capability of their leader. This unswerving devotion of his men was the secret behind his success.If he had lived further, the possible outcome would be the breakup of his empire and the mutiny of his soldiers. He had neither proper administrative machinery nor heir to control the whole conquered areas. His soldiers were already tired of long marches and conquests. This was evident during his invasion of India.
Contributions: The Macedonian king, when he conquered the known parts of the world had spread the Greek civilization throughout the world. The Greek culture blended with the cultures of other nations which is known as Hellenism. One common currency and Greek language untied the whole territories. Alexander was responsible for the opening up of trade relations between the east and west. He had established many cities on the way to India and these cities were established near the trade routes. The establishment of even the Roman Empire was based on the conquests of Alexander. The conquest of Alexander had sparked an inspiration among the people to study science. There were contributions in the field of mathematics, science, geography, philosophy, and astronomy.