Alexander: The Man, The King, The Great

            Alexander III King of Macedon, son of Phillip ll King of Macedon, and his primary spouse Olympias, is widely known as Alexander the Great. Alexander III is widely known as great" due to his immense influence on his time in history and those that follow. While this is true, he should be considered great" for much more then that. Alexander III should be considered great due to his leadership and interaction with his army, his military conquests, and his influence on the world.
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             When considering greatness one must first define greatness. The dilemma presented is how can one define such a word, as throughout history and culture the meaning of greatness changes deeply. When comparing the idea of greatness in Alexander's time and the current period the difference while not extreme is quite grand. In Alexander's time greatness was mainly reserved for soldiers, and men of higher birth. These men attained greatness through military achievement and through the conquering of foreign nations. A militaristic definition of greatness in a militaristic time in history. When contrasting greatness in our current time and Alexander's what stands out is greatness is not only reserved for militaristic exploits but also the polar opposite, efforts in peace. An example of this is Mahatma Gandhi, widely considered great in our current time for his non-violent protests, peaceful philosophy on life, and actions towards his fellow man. Gandhi believed in equality and the treatment of all beings with dignity and respect. He said, "I hold today the same opinion as I held then. To my mind, the life of a lamb is no less precious then that of a human being. Gandhi's way of life would be a radical change to Alexander's and vice-versa. In Alexander's time Gandhi's way of life would not be looked at as great but as weak. These two men with extremely conflicting ideologies are both considered "great " in our time.