Macedonia was a country located just north of ancient Greece. The Greek people did not embrace the Macedonians into their “lofty” Greek culture, mocking them as either Barbaric or uncultured. However, the Achaemenid threat and inner conflicts severely damaged many Greek states, allowing King Phillip II of Macedonia to easily subjugate Greece into the growing Macedonian Empire. Phillip II was assassinated later during his reign, and the throne was succeeded by his son, Alexander. Alexander had always dreamt of expanding his Macedonia beyond Greece, and his father had already paved the way for Alexander to launch campaigns against Persia. The years of Alexander’s reign were marked by his historical campaigns, conquering Anatolia, Egypt, Persia, and daring toward India, which was by the time “the other part of the known world.” Alexander’s campaign had an enormous impact on the ancient world by establishing an empire connecting Greece to Asia, reaching India and the other realm of civilization, and spreading its unique culture: Hellenism.
Alexander’s conquest was significant because it was the first major European expansion beyond the continent and the establishment of a multi-ethnic empire. Europe wasn’t a major player in ancient history. It was overshadowed by cradle civilizations such as Mesopotamia and Egypt. However, beginning with Alexander, many European civilizations would follow in his footsteps and start playing more active roles. Alexander’s conquest and the European (although limited to the Mediterranean region) emergence broadened the ancient hegemony, giving birth to more global and titanic scales of conflicts.
While the Alexandrian Empire undoubtedly promoted Europe into regional hegemony, it also greatly influenced the ancient world by reaching India. For thousands of years, India maintained somewhat of a connection with Mesopotamia through commerce, but none from each respective culture went a step further to get in direct contact. India, by the time, was under the control of the “Mahājanapadas,” or the Sixteen Kingdoms of India. Alexander managed to extend his Persian campaign by marching further East, finally reaching the Ganges, the heart of India.
I personally found Alexander’s incursion into India a pure shock; not even the great Persia attempted to conquer India, but the King of Greece was now attempting to engulf every known civilization into his empire. Although Alexander did not manage to conquer all of the Mahājanapadas, he established an unprecedented empire that connected Greece to Turkey, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, and all the way to India. I believe Alexander also greatly influenced India, causing the demise of the Mahājanapadas and later the rise of the Mauryan Empire. However, I would strongly argue that the true influence of Alexander’s conquest wasn’t anything about territory; it was, in fact, the most remarkable cultural integration of history ever seen: Hellenism.
Hellenism refers to an expansive spread of Greek culture throughout Alexander’s Empire and its integration with the culture of the colonies. I think one of the essential aspects of Hellenism was its cosmopolitan ideals. Alexander inherited oriental ideals of the absolute monarchy and promulgated cosmopolitanism throughout the empire, declaring that every subject of his empire was equal under his rule. Separate provinces were rapidly joined together through commerce, politics, and cultural integration. Alexander also built multiple cities throughout his colonies, all of them named “Alexandria.” One of the most famous Alexandria, Alexandria of Egypt, was especially the imperial hub of scholars, traders, and many other groups of people exchanging their culture and ideas.
Alexander became the first major European conqueror to establish colonies on other continents; he also managed to reach India, greatly broadening the spectrum of cultural and military exchange. Lastly, Alexander promoted Hellenism to bind his empire. Nobody would doubt that the death of Alexander came way too early at the age of 38, especially since he was planning another round of campaigns to push further into the Indian mainland. However, Alexander’s feats still lived on in the culture and his legacy as the first cosmopolitan sovereign.