What made Alexander great?

New Delhi, India
January 24, 2016 4:43am CST
Was it the fact that he conquered the known world at his time? What about the fact that he made so many people homeless, killed so many and caused anarchy? Why do we call someone great when he caused so much suffering.
3 people like this
3 responses
jaishankar
@else34 (13515)
• New Delhi, India
24 Jan 16
@gaurav11,I think,both you and @boiboing are right.Alexander's achievements were great.And if he had ravaged England,they possibly won't have called him 'great.'Now we say 'Akbar,the great.'Was he great?Perhaps,no.
1 person likes this
jaishankar
@else34 (13515)
• New Delhi, India
24 Jan 16
@gaurav11 You are absolutely right.Can we call a serial killer great?
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Boingboing
@boiboing (13152)
• Northampton, England
24 Jan 16
Maybe the Indian members can help me understand if Ashoka was already 'the Great' in the days when he was slaughtering his enemies or if he only got 'the Great' after he changed his ways.
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gaurav sood
@gaurav11 (64)
• New Delhi, India
24 Jan 16
@boiboing Ashoka was great in a way because he realized his mistake. He could have continued to rule but he decided to give it up and repent. Similarly Buddha was a prince but he gave up all his comforts.
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Boingboing
@boiboing (13152)
• Northampton, England
24 Jan 16
Because history looks at achievement and not at the 'collateral damage'. Catherine the Great, Peter the Great weren't saints either.
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gaurav sood
@gaurav11 (64)
• New Delhi, India
24 Jan 16
That's a point but did he achieve anything by dying at a young age of malaria. The lands he conquered did not remain his even for 10 years.
Boingboing
@boiboing (13152)
• Northampton, England
24 Jan 16
@gaurav11 So what do you want to call him? Alexander the Temporarily Successful?
gaurav sood
@gaurav11 (64)
• New Delhi, India
24 Jan 16
@boiboing Ill call him whatever the world calls him but had he ravaged England, he might have been called, Alexander the barbarian.
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scheng1
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
24 Jan 16
In a sense, he unified the world at that time, and brought order to his empire. Too bad he did not live long. If he had, he would have introduced a long period of peace. That was the time of wars. If he did not conquer the others, the others would attack him too.
gaurav sood
@gaurav11 (64)
• New Delhi, India
24 Jan 16
All depends on the era we live in.