Modern Historians about Macedonia – A. B. Bosworth

 

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It [Corinthian League] comprised states which were each bound to Macedon by bilateral treaties; and it was perfectly natural that they should create a general alliance under the leadership of the Macedonian king, acting as the spiritual successors of the Hellenic League of 480 BC.

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 189

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Just as the Hellenic League had forbidden medism, so the corinthian synedrion issued decrees prohibiting collaboration with Persia

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 189

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“A brief stand at the Ampheion was soon broken, and general carnage ensued, as Alexander’s Boetian and Phocian allies glutted their hatred of Thebes and enthusiastically abetted the Macedonians in the slaughter. The tragedy was inevitable once the Thebans decided on resistance.”

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, Page 33

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Now preparations for storming the city could be pressed ahead. The siege mound was gradually extended towards the walls and Alexander’s military engineers, notably the brilliant Thessalian Diades, constructed the most formidable offensive arsenal yet seen in Hellenic siege warfare.

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 66

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The welcome had been impressive and it left Alexander in no doubt of his popularity with the indigenous inhabitants of Egypt. He therefore celebrated his arrival in the capital with a general sacrifice, including the Apis bull among the deities honoured. This was a totally Hellenic celebration, marked by gymnastic and musical contests in which the most distinguished performers in the Greek world competed

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 70

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Persis was to be a satrapy like any other, a subordinate part of the empire of the new king whose prinipal centre of government woud be Babylon (Strabo 731). Its titular governor might be Persian, but there was a permanent garrison of Hellenic troops (Curt. v.6.1 i; Plut. AJ.69.3) to enforce the will of the victor.

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 92

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The prime example of a change in status is the case of Aspendus in Pamphylia. The degree of hellenism there has been questioned in recent years, but Alexander certainly regarded the city as Greek, There seems to have been no doubt about the Aeolic origins of the harbariscd population of Side (cf. Air. 1.26.4). The Aspendians, who at least used a dialect which was recognisably Greek were granted citizen rights at Argos in the latter part of the fourth century, as kinsmen and (probably) colonists, and the people of Cilician Soli who also claimed Argive origins were given privileged access to the assembly. They were certainly regarded as Hellenic communities and Alexander will have treated them as such, as he did the people of Mallus, whose Argive origins INSPIRED his GENEROSITY (Arr. 11.5.9).

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 254

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Eventually the satrapy was to lose a considerable fraction of its military manpower, and the remainder of the populace would be more tractable for the new hellenic ruling class

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 117

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Alexander himself seems to have made little distinction in his last years between Greeks of Europe or Asia, or even between Greeks and Barbarians.

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 257

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With the allied contingents that would normally take the field with him they amounted to an army without parallel in GREEK history

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 10

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The campaign began in the early spring of 334 BC. Alexander had assembled his invasion army in Macedonia over the previous winter. It totalled 32,000 foot and approximately 5,000 cavalry; and, when it joined with the adviance force operating in Asia, the entire complement was close to 50,000. This was by far the largest and most formidable expedition that had ever left Greek shores, but as yet Macedonian numbers were far from exhausted

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 35

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This [Alexandria] was to be a fundamentally Greek foundation, as Alexander foreshadowed with his personal selection of an agora and temple sites for predominantly Hellenic gods

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 246

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The city proper was a Greek implant, complete with gymnasium and theatre, where the Greek population lived exclusively, only the acropolis..

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 248

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The degree of hellenism there has been questioned in recent years, but Alexander certainly regarded the city as Greek.

“Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great” By A. B. Bosworth, page 254