An Attempt to Expose The Image of Alexander The Great

Introduction

While in pursuit of Alexander the Great's subsequent replacement, Paul Cartledge endeavors to unmask who the “world's biggest hero” was apart from his ambition to conquer the world. Throughout the article, Cartledge frequently returns to the notion that there is no actual record or evidence of whom Alexander the Great was personally. This article gave me the opportunity to explore the early years of Alexander the Great in an attempt to understand who Alexander was before he became “the Great.”

Early Life and Family Background

In an attempt to humanize him, Cartledge begins the article by discussing Alexander’s early life. His father, King Philip II, was away on campaign for most of his life, and his relationship with his mother, Olympias, was often strained. Cartledge even notes, “At a young age (perhaps even before his teens), Alexander is said to have single-handedly tamed a particularly fiery and exorbitantly expensive Thessalian stallion named Bucephalus.” This statement, along with insights into his family life, illustrates that although many of his people viewed him as a god, Alexander was still like everyone else in the world. This is one of the closest glimpses into his personal life that historians have.

Exploring Alexander's Personal Life

Cartledge also addresses a topic that perhaps humanizes him most of all: King Alexander III’s sexuality. “The question of Alexander’s sexuality - his predominant sexual orientation - has enlivened, or bedeviled, much of Alexander scholarship. That he loved at least two men is beyond doubt.” It doesn't get more personal than this, folks. Alexander also married three other women for “political purposes,” but this is who he genuinely was, and while we may not have witnessed it firsthand, we now have more of an understanding of who he was before.

Relating Alexander to Modern Readers

One of the strengths of the article is how Cartledge tries to relate Alexander to the readers and make him appear more civilized, rather than just a king whom everyone worshipped. Cartledge does an excellent job of sharing stories from Alexander’s childhood and teenage years. We can relate to these small anecdotes because they are experiences we all have had. Alexander had a pet he loved and experienced daily parental struggles like we all did growing up.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Cartledge’s Article

Cartledge, in my opinion, cleverly inserts a brief section questioning who Alexander loved. He was undoubtedly a romantic and cared for others, and I truly believe this aspect will convince readers that he was just like the rest of us and was a genuine human being. Although this is a strength, there are also some weaknesses in my opinion. First, the paper is not very well organized. The paper begins with a story about who Alexander is, and about a page and a half later, we are taken back in time to when he was born and his childhood years. After this, he has grown up and conquered his first town at age sixteen, and goes on to conquer everything in sight, and then we are informed of who his parents are and learn about them. If the paper were written in chronological order, it would have been easier to follow along, and you would not have to stop and go back and forth to understand what you are reading and trying to comprehend. I found myself reading the article over and over, trying to grasp the order of events. Another weakness of this paper is that Cartledge is so focused on making Alexander seem like such a good guy that we overlook the fact that he did take over many cities and tried to conquer the world without regard for whom he stepped on to reach the top.

Alexander's Rule and Legacy

Alexander ruled with the aid of intimidation and fear. The man more than likely had his father assassinated so he could take over at a young age, which would shock both me and the readers. I believe that readers should hear both the positive and negative aspects of Alexander the Great so we can then form an accurate opinion as well.

References

Cartledge, P. (n.d.). An Attempt to Expose The Image of Alexander The Great.