The Age of Alexander

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

Over the course of ten years in the fourth century BCE, King Alexander III of Macedon conquered more territory than any empire had ever previously controlled. His battlefield brilliance and unparalleled success, the vast scale on which he operated, his rapid rise to unimaginable power, and his early death (age 33), all combined to leave an indelible impression on his contemporaries. While Alexander barely lived long enough to rule over the empire he had gained, his military conquests engendered far-reaching political, social, cultural, and religious consequences. Historians use his death to mark the beginning of a new era, referred to today as the Hellenistic Age (323-31 BCE). This course examines the achievements of Alexander and the impact they had on the ancient world. After placing Alexander in the Greek, Macedonian, and Persian cultural contexts in which he lived, we will trace his army's journey into Asia and back. Next, we will turn to a close study of the Hellenistic world: topics include city foundations, political and social institutions, economic developments, cultural interactions, and new directions in literature and science. Finally, we will address Alexander's legacy for Greco-Roman antiquity and beyond. Ancient authors and documents will be read in translation.