Great Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt | Alexander the Great: Anatomy of a Legend (Lecture 10)

Lecture 10: Alexander the Great began 300 years of Greek control in Egypt. We trace his life to understand better these final 300 years of Egyptian civilization. We examine three major stages in Alexander’s career: (1) Alexander as a young general, (2) Alexander as pharaoh, and (3) Alexander the Great, the legend. He began his career by continuing his father’s fight against the Persians; with their defeat in 333 B.C., Alexander entered Egypt as a liberator. His goal in Egypt was to become pharaoh; he made the difficult journey to the Siwa Oasis to consult the oracle there and have himself declared a god. As pharaoh, he founded the port of Alexandria, distinguished from Egyptian cities by its outward Greek worldview. With other lands to conquer, Alexander marched his army to India, but he became ill and died on the return trip. His body lay in state for years—and was even hijacked—before he was finally buried in Alexandria.

Essential Reading:
Robin Lane Fox, Alexander the Great.

Supplementary Reading:
Arrian, The Campaigns of Alexander the Great.

Lecture 11: https://rumble.com/v6z0dbo-great-pharaohs-of-ancient-egypt-the-first-ptolemies-greek-greatness-lecture.html