Page 33 - Bible Geography and Near East Studies - Textbook w videos short

Campaigns of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great
• Born 356 BC/Died 323 BC
• Ruler of Greece at age 20
• Ruler of the known world by age 30
• Promoted “Hellenism” in his empire
• Gave the world the Greek language
• His reign set the stage for the
Roman Empire

The Land of Greece

In between the Old and New Testament,
something of extreme importance
happened. Led by Alexander the Great, the
Greek Empire took control of the ancient
world. Alexander was the son of Philip and
Olympias. He followed his father as ruler of
Greece when he was just 20 years old.

Except for Tyre, which was a flourishing city
off the coast of Canaan, all the Phoenician
ports along the Mediterranean surrendered The ruins of the Parthenon in Athens, Greece still convey the grandeur of
to Alexander without a fight. Once the ancient Greek Empire.
resistance at Gaza was broken, the way was Hellenism
open for Alexander to advance upon Egypt
and other southern lands. He conquered all At the height of its military power under Alexander the Great, the world’s best
he saw and founded Alexandria (named scientists, philosophers, writers, athletes and artists were Greeks.
after the new conqueror) in 331 BC. As Alexander conquered ever larger territories, he introduced elements of his
Alexander was born in 356 BC and died at a homeland’s culture to the new lands. As a result, the world had a common
very young age of 32. During his short life, language for the very first time.
he became one of the greatest military When the New Testament was written three centuries later, the writers all
commanders in all of history. He conquered wrote in Greek and their message was immediately understood on three
the vast Persian Empire, which gave him all continents.

the Persians had already conquered. His Alexander planted 10 Greek-styled cities near the Sea of Galilee in Israel,
rule stretched from Greece to India. including Bet She’an, pictured below. These pagan cities were called “The
Alexander died in Babylon. With no heir, Decapolis.” According Mark 7:31, Jesus visited “the region of the Decapolis.”

Alexander’s kingdom was divided among
four generals. Syria went to Seleucus, Egypt
to Ptolemy, Greece to Cassander, and
Thrace to Lysimachus.

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