7808hd+Ancient+Civ+Report 

World domination has been a goal of many cultures. Few have ever achieved it. Macedonia came about as close as to this goal as any other culture. Being one of the most technologically advanced cultures of the ancient world and having a great commander helped their conquest. Macedonia, a small kingdom North of Greece, had some of the best warriors and weapons in the ancient world.

One of the reasons why Macedonia was a successful civilization was because of their combination of warriors and weapons. They reinvented t he art of war. Some of their strategies are still used today. They did not have numbers at first, but with only 40,000 men, they beat the largest army ever assembled. That takes strategy, heart, and bravery.



In the ancient world, where many cultures had weapons unique to them, Macedon had the most useful weapons of their time. One of their best weapons was the pike a 30 foot long spear used to kill not only foot troops but also most effective on cavalry. Two weapons given to the Companions, Macedonia’s main cavalry force, were a short sword and a lance. To kill far away enemies they used bows, throwing spears, and slings. A sling was a piece of leather with a pocket that had a stone which was launched at approaching enemies. Although they didn’t have guns or tanks, for their time they had some of the best weapons.

One of the main reasons the Macedonians are remembered is for the empire of Alexander the Great. Alexander was a young king who tried to achieve his father’s goal( Philip of Macedon) of conquering the world. And he did just that. In just a matter of years, he conquered the Persian empire and many of the Bactrian tribes. Alexander fought his way to India. He died at the age of 32, and if he lived longer, he would have probably conquered all Europe and Asia. Sadly, after his death his glorious empire crumbled.

The Macedonians were able to conquer not because of numbers (they didn’t have that many men) it was due to their strategy. One of their greatest enemies were the Persians who used war chariots that had scythes attached to each wheel. To fight these war machines they used a strategy called the mousetrap. The mousetrap was activated when a phalanx(a body of Macedonian infantry with long spears, drawn up in close order with shields overlapping.)

was being attacked by chariots. The soldiers in the middle of the phalanx would take one step back and then at just the last second would thrust their spears into the horses of the chariot.

In the Battle of Gaugamela on October 1,331BC, when the whole Persian army led by King Darius the Third (around 250,000 men) fought against the Macedonian army led by Alexander the Great (around 45,000 men) the outcome was unexpected. The Macedonians triumphed! Alexander tricked the Persians into thinking he was going to attack from the back and in doing so created a gap in the Persian line. He then raced the Persian cavalry to Darius and made the “great king” flee thus winning the battle. With their tactics they were able to defeat the largest army ever assembled.Good job Alexander!

Macedonians had some of the best strategic minds of their time. But where did they go? Rome conquered them in 197 B.C. But after the Roman Empire collapsed they were still survived. Amazingly, Macedon is still around. They are now part of modern Greece. Their legacy will last forever in the tales of Alexander the Great. From them we have learned that numbers in war don’t always matter, and that great empires come from great minds. The Macedonian people will always be remembered.

Glossary

cavalry- men who fought on horseback in an army chariot- a two-wheeled horse-drawn vehicle used in ancient warfare and racing empire- a kingdom made up of conquered lands lance- a short spear phalanx- a body of Macedonian infantry with long spears, drawn up in close order with shields overlapping. pike- a 30 foot long spear scythes- a tool used for cutting crops such as grass or wheat, with a long curved blade sometimes used as a weapon sling- piece of leather with a pocket that could hold a small spear

Works Cited Alexander. Warner Home Video, 2005. "THE BATTLE OF GAUGAMELA - History/Discovery/War (documentary)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 16 May 2014. "Decisive Battles - Cynoscephalae (Rome vs Macedon)." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 03 June 2014. "History Channel Decisive Battles E13 Gaugamela." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 03 June 2014. MacKendrick, Paul Lachlan. Greece and Rome: Builders of Our World. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society, 1968. Print.