Many in the east must have thought him a monster, this Greek man coming in with his forces, overtaking their strong holds, removing their kings that many held as Gods and taking their women, their riches. Granted, Alexander was kind to the women and those that remained after the smoke cleared, but still. We see today many infiltrating armies going into opposing countries and the rally back to defend their homeland, we see the hatred that many in the world hold for these conquerors. But it wasn't much different then, was it? The news probably seeped through the worlds that there was a devil on horseback that would come and conquer all that you knew, take you from everything that was considered normal.
So even as he was celebrated as a great leader, a fantastic commander, we have to keep in mind that he was also a terrorist in his time and many probably held a strong hatred of him.
I have admired him since I was a child and when I first heard of him, it never occurred to me until much later that he probably wasn't as fantastic as he seemed. Yes, he had a mind of greatness, was able to map out battles before they happened and able to conquer lands that no one else could, able to get Egyptian priests' to label him a God even! But all those that he conquered to get him that name must have shuddered at his likeness, whispered in the shadows of his evil nature and maybe even plotted to avenge those they lost in the war. So the questions remains, in your own opinon, was Alexander a monster or a just ambitious?
