ALEKSANDAR III OF MACEDON (THE GREAT) IN ISRAEL (5)
PART OF THE BOOK “SELECTED PAPERS FOR MACEDONIA”
BY SLAVÉ KATIN
Alexander III of Macedon (the Great) is the great one for his successors, the present day Macedonians, and the great one for every nation in the world. He created and left as heritage the philosophy of bringing together nations, cultures, religions…Hence, Alexander is a great challenge for numerous researchers, scientists, travel-writers, translators, journalists and ordinary mortal beings, who treat him with respect, love, and strong faith in the past, the presence, and the future.
This is also the case with the author of this book, Slave Katin who has translated the novel “Alehander the Great” by the German author Urlich Wilken, from English into Macedonian in 1986. To travel from Macedonia to Tircky and India and especially to Egip and Israel was a great challenege. The novel titled “Alexander od Macedon” came as the result of thiese long, painstaking and interesting trips. The book was published in Macedonian by the publishing house @Misla# from Skopje, and it is a significant contribution towards the clearing up of the truth and enigmas related to Alexander of Macedon.
Otherwise, from ancient to modern times, for over two millenniums, Israel, like Macedonia, has been at the crossroads of many people, cultures, languages and religions. That is why we can say that the history of the Jews and that of the Macedonians is tightly connected. In the ancient world, during Israel’s troubled times Macedonia, in the Balkan Peninsula, was growing powerful especially under Philip II’s rule and later under his son Aleksandar who turned it into the greatest Empire the world had seen. Aleksandar III of Macedon (the Great) was and still is one of the greatest military leaders in the history of mankind who had envisioned a cosmopolitan world confirmed by his campaigns, particularly after he conquered the Hellenic City States and set off to conquer the East.
After crossing into Asia, Alexander declared war on the large Persian Empire whose territories stretched over Egypt, Assyria and Babylonia. After defeating and conquering Persia, Alexander expanded his own Empire from the River Indus in India to the Sahara Desert in Africa encompassing the Black, Aegean, Mediterranean, Caspian, Arabian and the Red Seas and later the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean. Within the structure of this great Macedonian Empire also existed the Jews of Judea.
It should be mentioned that after Macedonia’s victory over the Athenian Coalition in Chaeronea in 338 B.C., Macedonian political and military hegemony was established over Elada. Although considered a foreigner the Macedonian king Philip II of Macedon contributed to the unification of the Greek City States. Unfortunately at the same time they lost their independence.
Following Philip II’s premature death, Alexander, his twenty-year old son and legal successor to the Macedonian throne, became the next ruler. Alexander III, better known as Alexander the Great, was born in Pella, the Macedonian capital, in May or July 356 B.C., according to the Macedonian calendar. Even though he was only twenty years old when he inherited the Macedonian throne, he had already mastered the art of war and diplomacy. All this he learned from his father and Aristotle, his teacher who laid the foundation of modern philosophy and science. Aristotle was also a Macedonian from Chalcidice, son of Nicomachus, private physician and friend of Amyntas and Philip II.
Aristotle established a Royal School in Macedonia
Aristotle established a Royal School in Mieza, Macedonia in the Pella vicinity between Beroja and Edessa. The caves and landscape that existed in those days still exist to this day with their splendid stalactites and stalagmites, dense forests and rich sources of crystal, fresh water in ancient Aegae located under the slopes of Karakamen (Vermion) Mountain (Papazoglou, 1957, p. 21).
In addition to teaching Alexander, Aristotle also taught Alexander’s peers including Ptolemy of Eordea, Craterus and Perdiccas of Orestis, Hephaestion, Harpan, the sons of governor Antipater, Parsa, Attalus and Andromeney of Timphaya, Pantal and Miley of Beroa, Nearchus, Erigey, Philotus, son of Parmenio, Leorat and others. These were sons of the Macedonian aristocracy who, as young commanders, in the future would play a role in organizing and running Alexander’s vast Empire.
During their short but successful two-year education, Aristotle prepared his disciples for their work which would change the world. As the literature explained: “for part of his strength and greatness Alexander should be thankful to his teacher, the greatest thinker who understood the human spirit. The two greatest victories of the time were those of Alexander in the military and political arena and those of his teacher, Aristotle in the field of philosophy. These are two sides of the same noble and dramatic plan, of two outstanding Macedonians who united the ancient chaotic world.”
The riots that were sparked in Elada immediately after young Alexander’s inauguration, aimed at liberating themselves from Macedonian bondage, were quelled by the young king’s lightning quick intervention. By doing so Alexander established order and was clear in his intentions towards Elada. At the Corinthian Assembly, in the autumn of 336 B.C., Alexander was elected chief commander of the Persian campaign, taking his father’s place.
Soon after his crowning, Alexander’s first task was to secure his country’s northern and western frontiers. He did this by declaring war on the Triballians and Getites to his north and on the Illyrians to his west. In the spring of 335 B.C. Alexander gained control over the entire Balkans, expanding Macedonia’s borders from the Rivers Danube to Drina and from the Adriatic to the Black Sea.
Believing rumours that Alexander had been killed during his campaigns, Thebes and the surrounding region, with financial and material help from the Persians, Demosthenes and Athens, organized an uprising. Reacting to the news, Alexander, at lightning speed, marched his army to Thebes and crushed the insurrection. To prevent further incidents and to protect the region from destabilizing, Alexander established Macedonian garrisons at various strategic positions in Thebes, Corinth and Eubea. Authority to guard Macedonia and Elada was then delegated to Antipater, a family friend and military commander, placing 12,000 infantrymen and 1,500 cavalrymen at his disposal.
Through the battle of Chaeronea and by crushing two major uprisings in 336 and 335 B.C., Elada’s independence and freedom were sealed. The Corinthian Alliance and the “General Mutual Peace” became political instruments serving Macedonia’s interests. The well organized, highly disciplined, trained and remarkably equipped modern Macedonian army became a reality for deposing the Persian Empire. A new military doctrine, experienced and qualified young officers and new sources of wealth all contributed to meeting this objective.
The powerful Persian Empire stretched from the River Indus to the Aegean Sea, from the Caspian and Black Seas to Egypt and Ethiopia. It was the largest and most powerful empire in the world then, whose military forces numbered around one million soldiers. After Persia’s unsuccessful expansion into the European continent following the battles against the Hellenes, and after the Persian defeat at Marathon (492), Salamina (480) and Platea (479), the Macedonians emerged as enemies of the Persians who would once and for all remove this danger which constantly threatened Europe.
There is much literature generated by Callisthenes about Alexander’s personality with regards to his abilities as a conqueror, military leader, army organizer, politician, diplomat, etc., which to this day is being studied by historians, military theoreticians, philosophers, philologists and others. Here we are going to take a look at Alexander’s attitude towards the Hellenes and their participation in Alexander’s campaigns.
Before commencing his campaign, during the preparatory period, Alexander carried out religious rites and held Olympic Games, which lasted nine days, but not in the Hellenic stadiums in Delphi and Olympia, but in Dion and Pella. Being an old holy city for the Macedonians of Pieria and home of the muses in the foothills of Mount Olympus, Dion was the religious and cultural centre of all Macedonians since Archelaus’s (431-399 B.C.) time when he established his own Olympic Games there.
The initial task of the military plans of Alexander was to conquer Asia Minor, to expand to the east and create great Macedonian kingdom, which would provide maritime routes in Aegean, Marmara and Black Seas. This purpose was later changed by the idea of creating a world state, while the destiny of Macedonia remained in the background.
The forces of the enemy which was trying to prevent Alexander of conquering Asia Minor were more than ten times stronger, both in infantry and navy. In addition, Persians hired Hellenic (Greek) mercenaries of around 30,000 soldiers under the command of the Hellene (Greek) Memnon of Rhodes and the entire Mediterranean fleet of Persia which was a master of the sea routes.
As history has shown, Alexander’s campaigns against Persia were successful as his Macedonians quickly defeated the great Persian army in only a few great battles. With the Persian territories acquired the Macedonians became the masters of Asia. The Jews, who at the time were under Persian rule, also came under Macedonian rule which affected their political and economic conditions as well as their way of life, tradition and culture.
Jews under Macedonian rule
As for the ancient Jews being conquered by the ancient Macedonians, today’s Jews, during our visit to Israel, told us an interesting story that involves Alexander and his first encounters with the ancient Jews. According to Jewish history, when Alexander returned from Egypt where he was welcomed with great admiration and elevated to son of the god Amon, he decided he was going to rule Israel. After the Macedonian victory at Issus, the Samarians submitted to Macedonian rule without a fight and voluntarily accepted Alexander as their master. The Judean rulers on the other hand, particularly those who had sworn allegiance to the Persian rulers, refused to voluntarily submit to Macedonian rule. This angered Alexander a great deal and he decided he was going to punish these Jewish leaders and summoned them to assemble in front of his army in Jerusalem.
When they saw the trouble they were in the Judeans became distressed and rushed to assemble a large delegation of leaders and religious figures to calm Aleksandar III of Macedon (the Great) down. They assembled before the ancient walls of the immortal Jewish capital all dressed in magnificent priestly robes with lit torches in their hands. Led by Yadua the holy man, they peacefully welcomed Alexander as he arrived before the city walls.
This is where, we were told, a historic moment, a kind of miracle, took place. Here Alexander instead of being angry at the Jews surprised everyone, particularly his own generals and entourage, when he got off his horse and kneeled before Yadua. Alexander showed no anger and only respect for the old man, which prompted general Parmenio to enquire as to what was going on?
“You are the greatest king of this land,” said Parmenio, “why do you kneel and humble yourself before this old Jew?”
Alexander at this point took the holy man’s hand and said:
“When I was in Macedonia and had hopes of conquering Asia, I had a dream in which a man who looked like this holy man came to me and told me to take my campaigns to Asia without fear because through these campaigns I will achieve great victories that will bring me a brilliant glory. Now as I look at this Judean holy man I am reminded of that dream and that is why I want to be compassionate and generous towards the people who this holy man is leading…“
And with those words, according to legend, Aleksandar III of Macedon (the Great) took the man by the arm and together they entered Jerusalem. The Jews welcomed Alexander not as a conquered and disgraced people but as a trusted friend whose only wish was to make a sacrifice to the Israeli god. The next day Alexander announced to the Jewish leaders that he would allow the peace loving Jews to live free and freely practice their religion, customs and culture in accordance with their own laws and understanding.
This was Alexander’s wish of uniting East and West and allowing all the peace loving conquered people who respected his rule to be free and freely practice their own religion, culture and traditions.
While in Jerusalem, Aleksandar III of Macedon (the Great) asked the Jewish priests to erect a statue of Alexander in the Jerusalem temple. But the white haired Yadua rejected his request arguing that Jewish religious law forbade such an act. He however reassured Alexander that there were other ways of immortalizing him and suggested that every male baby that was to be born within the year in Judea would carry the name Alexander, and every female will be called Alexandra, in memory of Alexander’s celebrated victory.
Satisfied with the gesture, Alexander rewarded all the Jews, including those living in Persia and Babylonia, with essential privileges and elevated their rights to the rights he gave the Hellenes. With this act Alexander laid down the foundation of the brilliant Judeo-Hellenic civilization, whose centre for centuries was Alexandria; the city named after him. Judea, ruled by a regent, was made into a province of Coele-Syria (South Syria).
To be continued
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