Under the Persian Achemenid Empire, Cyrus the Great became the pre-eminent power of the world. However lately conquered and fell to Alexander the Great of Macedonia. He invaded Persia and managed to overthrew King Darius III and conquered the entirety of the Persian Empire.
He then proceeded to take Syria and most of the Levant coast. He captured Tyre after a long siege. Then he moved to Egypt and many towns were quickly capitulated on his route except Gaza which fell after a long siege similar to the one of Tyre.
In Egypt he considered himself a liberator and was pronounced as the "Master of the Universe", and founded the city of Alexandria which was named after him.
He then marched back into Northern Iraq and defeated Darius once more at the Battle of Gaugamela and captured Babylon. Darius fled to Media then Parthia and Alexander set off in pursuit and just got Darius after his kinsman Bessus stabbed him.
A strange incident then happened there.
Alexander claimed that while Darius was dying he named Alexander as his successor to the Achaemenid Throne, and he considered himself the legitimate successor to Darius.
He declared war against Bessus to avenge Darius death, and followed him to Afghanistan, and Tajikistan.
Alexander the Great had a complete change in attitude and was rapidly transforming into an "Asian Manner" person. He changed a lot of his habits and traditions to new ones from the Asian roots.
He married a Persian woman. He appointed Persian rulers.
The Persians and Indians started to see him as a new prophet rather than an invader.
He was proclaimed as King of Asia. But he preferred to take the Persian title "King of Kings".
This made his military generals conspire against him. They refused to follow his orders and invade further the Indian sub-continent. Then he died mysteriously in Babylon.
To be continued
Sami Cherkaoui
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