Alexander the Great conquered a massive empire that stretched from Balkans to modern-day Pakistan. But if, Macedonian king had turned his attention westward, it’s possible he would have conquered Rome, too, feasibly smiting the Roman Empire before it had a chance to arise. So why didn’t Alexander the Great try to conquer Italy ? The answer may be that he died before he got the chance.
Some ancient texts suggest that Alexander the Great was planning a military campaign in West that involved conquering parts of Italy, among other locations along the Mediterranean. Roman historian Quintus Curtius Rufus, who lived in 1st Century AD, claimed that Alexander the Great had planned a series of conquests that, if successful, would have expanded his empire all the way to what is now Strait of Gibraltar. Alexander planned to build 700 ships to support this invasion, Rufus noted. Other ancient writers made similar claims. “Romans were convinced that Alexander would have attempted the conquest of Rome, but for modern historians, it is impossible to say,” Nikolaus Overtoom, an associate professor of history at Washington State University.
Read the full post:
Archeao Histories