The Ascension of Alexander the Great Part 5

After the death of Darius III and Bessus, Alexander is without a doubt king of the former Persian Empire. He’s left staring at huge chunks of former Persian provinces now declared independence standing between him and mysterious India, birthplace of his distant half brother Dionysus and rumoured tomb of Hercules laying somewhere in foreboding mountains.

As Alexander begins the conquest of what is now modern-day Uzbekistan and Afghanistan but then Bactria and Sogdiana tensions that have been simmering since the start of the invasion begin to boil over to murderous levels of betrayal. Callisthenes, Cleitus the Black, Parmenion and Philotas all become victim to the cultural tensions tearing at the seems of Alexander’s unified forces. His Macedonian and Greek generals and court fear Alexander is rejecting what makes him Greek and a superior being, he’s making demands on them that he be worshipped like a god by them and his subjects. The king and general who so thoroughly embodied all that was greatest in Greek men is becoming Persian before their very eyes, and the results of bloody and create unreconcilable divisions.

In India the very gods themselves attempt to thwart Alexander’s progress by sending lightning bolts, floods, sickness, and monsoon rains to kill, weaken, and suck away the morale of Alexander’s already morale reduced forces and Alexander is forced to turn around and return to Babylon having only made it to the Hyphasis river in order to avoid a revolt by his army.

As Alexander returns to Babylon, not realizing death is only weeks away he allows those Greeks who want to retire or return to Greece to do so. Draining his treasury to pay off the debts of his forces, purchase more mercenaries, and buy loyalty he begins training and raising a brand new army as he plans to invade Arabia, only to be thwarted by his mysterious and sudden death.

Most people know about Dionysius the god of wine, and perhaps many will know of Dionysius the god of suffering and rebirth, but most do not know of Dionysius the human demi-god. We wrap out our episode exploring Dionysius the man who was Alexander’s distant half brother and what he had to do to achieve apotheosis to godhood and whether or not that may have had an influence on Alexander’s entire campaign.

Lastly, we wrap up our 5-part epic on Alexander the Great by exploring whether or not Alexander ever “wept when there were no more worlds to conquer.”

Did Alexander Weep when there were no more worlds left to conquer? Thanks to William Elder for his research.https://www.youtube.com/@williamelder6788

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlkWA-8r9Ro&t=319s

- No More World to Conquer – Real Quotes From Made-up Sources

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