MY ENCOUNTER WITH ALEXANDER THE GREAT

By: Valdemir Mota de Menezes
I know Alexander the Great, king of the Greco-Macedonian Empire, since I was 14 years old, now I'm 44, so I can say I know Alexander 30 years ago. My first contact was through the history books of the school, in elementary school. After age 15 I converted to Jesus, and the Bible, I read in the eighth chapter of the book of the prophet Daniel there is a tremendous prophecy of the emperor Alexander the Great. It is notable horn of the goat. The goat in Daniel's prophecy is the Greco-Macedonian Empire. Later I read a book of biography of Alexander the Great. Over the years I have watched videos, documentaries, magazine articles about this character who had a meteoric career, and lived so little, dying at the peak of their strength.

CURSO SOBRE ALEXANDRE O GRANDE

Hoje estou começando o meu curso on-line pela Wellesley College de Massachussets. Nos próximos três meses estarei postando muita informação sobre um dos grandes líderes da história mundial: Alexandre, o Grande, rei do imperio Greco-Macedônio. No livro do Profeta Daniel no capítulo 8, o profeta Daniel o descreve sobre o futuro e fala de Alexandre como o CHIFRE DO BODE, aquele que venceu o carneiro do imperio Medo-Persa. Interessante que existe até hoje uma moeda antiga mostrando Alexandre com um chifre.

E levantei os meus olhos, e vi, e eis que um carneiro estava diante do rio, o qual tinha dois chifres; e os dois chifres eram altos, mas um era mais alto do que o outro; e o mais alto subiu por último.
Vi que o carneiro dava marradas para o ocidente, e para o norte e para o sul; e nenhum dos animais lhe podia resistir; nem havia quem pudesse livrar-se da sua mão; e ele fazia conforme a sua vontade, e se engrandecia.
E, estando eu considerando, eis que um bode vinha do ocidente sobre toda a terra, mas sem tocar no chão; e aquele bode tinha um chifre insigne entre os olhos.
E dirigiu-se ao carneiro que tinha os dois chifres, ao qual eu tinha visto em pé diante do rio, e correu contra ele no ímpeto da sua força.
E vi-o chegar perto do carneiro, enfurecido contra ele, e ferindo-o quebrou-lhe os dois chifres, pois não havia força no carneiro para lhe resistir, e o bode o lançou por terra, e o pisou aos pés; não houve quem pudesse livrar o carneiro da sua mão.
E o bode se engrandeceu sobremaneira; mas, estando na sua maior força, aquele grande chifre foi quebrado; e no seu lugar subiram outros quatro também insignes, para os quatro ventos do céu.

Daniel 8:3-8

CHRONOLOGY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT

Scribe Valdemir Mota de Menezes


Chronology of important dates and events

1187 B.C.E. Capture of Troy
559-530 Reign of Cyrus II, the Great
499-494 Revolt of Ionian Greeks
490 September Persian defeat at Marathon
480 September Destruction of the temples
on the Acropolis of Athens;
Persian defeat at Salamis
479 Persian defeat at Plataea
450 Peace of Kallias
431-404 Peloponnesian War
387/6 “King’s Peace”
382 birth of Philip II
380 Panegyricus of Isocrates
371 July Battle of Leuctra
369-367 Philip II hostage in Thebes
362 Battle of Mantinea
360/59 death of Perdiccas III
(brother of Philip II)
356 20 July birth of Alexander III
346 Isocrates’ letter To Philip
338 August Battle of Chaeronea
336 spring Macedonian Expeditionary force
crosses Hellespont
336 October assassination of Philip II
334 late spring Battle of the Granicus River
334 early summer Alexander in Ephesos
334 summer capture of Miletos
334 summer siege of Halicarnassus
334/3 winter Alexander’s campaigns in Caria,
Lycia, Pamphylia, Phrygia
333 spring Memnon’s naval offensive
333 spring/summer Alexander in Gordium,
campaigns in area
333 late summer Alexander into Cilicia
333 end of summer Alexander in Tarsus
333 September Darius in the Amik plain
333 November Battle of Issos
332 January-July Siege of Tyre
332 Sept.-November Siege of Gaza
331 late winter Alexander’s visit to Siwah
331 7 April Inauguration of Alexandria
331 spring Alexander in Memphis
331 April Alexander leaves Memphis 331 9 pm 20 Sept. Eclipse of moon after
Alexander crosses Tigris
331 1 October Battle of Gaugamela
331 end of Nov. Alexander leaves Babylon
331 end of Dec. Alexander leaves Susa
330 Jan - May Alexander in Persepolis
330 July Death of Darius
330 August Alexander in Zadracarta
330 October Dimnus conspiracy
330 autumn Deaths of Philotas and Parmenio
329 March Alexander in Helmand Valley
(Afghanistan)
329 spring Death of Satibarzanes
329 spring Alexander crosses Hindu Kush
329 summer Capture of Bessus
329 autumn Revolts of Sogdians, Bactrians
329 winter Alexander in Bactra
328 spring-summer Campaigns in Sogdia, Bactria
328 summer Capture of Rock of Sogdiana
328 autumn Death of Cleitus in Samarcand
328/7 winter army rests in Nautaca (Karshi)
327 spring End of Sogdian revolt
327 spring Alexander marries Roxane
327 late spring Alexander introduces proskynesis
327 late spring The conspiracy of the pages
327 spring/summer Macedonians across Hindu Kush
327/6 winter Hephaestion to Indus.
Campaigns in Swat
326 late winter Capture of Aornus
326 spring army re-assembles at Indus
326 May/June Battle of the Hydaspes
326 summer solstice Alexander at Chenab
326 summer Mutiny at the Hyphasis
326 late summer Alexander back at Hydaspes
326 August Death of Coenus
326 early November Alexander begins journey
down Hydaspes
326/5 winter Alexander wounded
in Mallian town
325 July Alexander in Patala
325 late August Alexander leaves Patala
325 early October Alexander leaves Oreitai
325 early November Nearchus sets sail
along south coast
325 December Nearchus arrives in Salmus
325 late December Alexander leaves Carmania 324 March Alexander back in Susa
mass marriage ceremony
Paying off of debts
Arrival of Successors
324 mid-summer Alexander at Opis
324 summer Mutiny and banquet at Opis
324 4 August Decree about exiles
announced at Olympia
324 October Death of Hephaestion
in Ecbatana
323 early in year Alexander leaves Ecbatana
323 spring Alexander back in Babylon
323 late May Alexander falls ill
323 10 June death of Alexander

GREEK CULTURE AND CAULDRON SINCRETIC

By: Scribe Valdemir Mota de Menezes

The Hellenistic period is characterized mainly by a rise of science and knowledge . The mainly Greek culture becomes dominant in the three major spheres affected by Hellenism , Macedonia , Syria and Egypt . Later , with the expansion of Rome , each of these realms will be absorbed by the new Roman power , giving space to what historically marks as late antiquity . Before that, however , the Romans themselves were dominated by the Greeks , submitted to Hellenism , hence the Greek culture then be perpetuated by the Roman Empire .

Now there were no more boundaries between different territories , different cultures and religions . Formerly every people worshiped their own gods , but with the spread of Greek culture all turns into a big cauldron syncretic , which mixes up a variety of religious , philosophical and scientific views . Alexandria was a major center of Hellenistic culture , especially in the field of arts and literature.

CULTURA GRIEGA Y ROMANA

helenismo

Por: Scriba Valdemir Mota de Menezes

El período helenístico se caracteriza principalmente por un aumento de la ciencia y el conocimiento. La cultura griega sobre todo se convierte en dominante en las tres esferas principales afectados por el helenismo , Macedonia , Siria y Egipto. Más tarde, con la expansión de Roma, cada uno de estos ámbitos será absorbido por el nuevo poder de Roma , dando espacio a lo que históricamente marca como la antigüedad tardía . Antes de eso, sin embargo, los propios romanos estaban dominados por los griegos , ha presentado al helenismo , por lo tanto la cultura griega y luego se perpetúa por el Imperio Romano.

Ahora ya no había límites entre los diferentes territorios, culturas y religiones diferentes . Anteriormente todos los pueblos adoraban a sus propios dioses , pero con la propagación de la cultura griega todo se convierte en un gran caldero sincrética , que mezcla una gran variedad de puntos de vista religiosos , filosóficos y científicos . Alejandría fue un importante centro de la cultura helenística , especialmente en el campo de las artes y la literatura.

JEWS PEOPLE HISTORY UNDER GREEK EMPIRE

JEWS PEOPLE HISTORY UNDER GREEK EMPIRE
Valdemir Mota de Menezes

The second phase of history we'll think about is that of the Macedonian

Empire and the Diadochoi, or successors, of it.

In 338 BCE, Philip II, the king of Macedonia, conquered Athens and its

allies at Chaironeia in Greece.

Macedonia had long been culturally allied to Greece, and as an empire

considered itself a disseminator of Greek culture.

You can imagine that Greek city states with their long traditions of

self-rule probably has a different interpretation of things.

Alexander the Great was born in the mid-fourth century, and he was well

educated in Greek culture.

Aristotle was famously one of his teachers.

Moving both westward briefly into Greece and then penetrating farther

east, he conquered the Persian Empire.

At 333 in the Battle of Issus he gained control of the area of

Palestine and Jerusalem.

In 327 he reached India, but turned back.

And the 323 he died in Babylon, which he had chosen to be the

capital of his empire.

With Alexander, of course, came his retinue of geographers, measurers of

the earth, studiers of foliage of different lands.

Knowledge of Greek culture diffused east, and knowledge of Persian culture

infused west.

Writers of this time are self-conscious about this hybridity.

At the same time, architecture often borrows mixed elements of various

cultures to create new forms.

This is a time of cultural mixing, but also, I want to emphasize, of the

spread of Hellenism.

That is Greek language, traditions, and culture mixed with local

traditions to the east and vice versa.

Alexander died young.

His empire was divided up among his generals, sometimes called the

Diadochoi, or successors.

Chaos ensued.

Alexander's generals spent much of their time warring against each other,

trying to reunite the empire and then ripping it apart again.

In the generation after the Diadochoi, things became slightly more stable.

For our purposes, it's important to know about two of the dynasties that

emerged from the successors of Alexander.

The empires of the Seleucids and the Ptolemies would, for part of the

second century BCE, rush up and down the coast from Syria to Egypt,

conquering and contesting this eastern section of the Mediterranean basin.

And so we come to the third phase of our story, the second century BCE.

The Ptolemies and the Seleucids compete for the area of Palestine at

this time period.

The Jewish high priest Jason is allied to the Seleucids.

With the support and knowledge of the new king, Antiochus IV, from whom

Jason had perhaps bought his high priestly office, he receives

permission to constitute Jerusalem as a Greek city, to be named Antioch,

after the king.

This is the time of Hellenization in this region, including the association

of the Jewish God with Zeus.

As you can imagine, this offended many Jews, and Jason was ousted, and more

conflict over the position of high priest ensued.

Between 169 and 168, Antiochus IV conducted campaigns against Egypt,

trying to conquer that area from the Ptolemies.

And in 168, he returned from his first campaign to Egypt and plundered the

Jerusalem temple on the way back home in order to pay his soldiers.

Temples were kind of banking centers at the time and are areas of

incredible wealth.

In reaction, the conservative party of Jews took possession of Jerusalem over

and against Antiochus.

Antiochus was angered by his recent humiliation in Egypt, and he chose to

capture Jerusalem at that time period, murdering Jewish residents and making

Jerusalem a katoikia: a city inhabited by soldiers, veterans, and colonists.

He, or his forces, brought the sacred rock of Zeus Baal Shamayin into the

temple of the Jews.

That is, he was trying to assimilate the highest god of the Jews to the

highest god of other religions in the area, including the god Zeus Olympios,

the highest god of the Greeks.

Antiochus annulled the laws of the fathers, that is the Jewish laws, and

persecuted some Jews at this time, a story that's

retold in Second Maccabees.

A local movement of Jews arises in order to unsettle

Antiochus and retake Jerusalem.

In 164, the Maccabees, or the "Hammerers," also known as the

Hasmoneans, reconquer and purify the Jerusalem temple.

They are or are often depicted as a movement that arose in the countryside

that came up to take back the temple from the compromised Jerusalem Jewish

elite, as well as from Antiochus.

The Hasmoneans are rural rebels taking back their national

and religious identity.

Things get more complicated as they gain power.

They began a systematic conquest of all of Palestine, and they forced

circumcisions and conversion on many of the inhabitants there.

At this moment in the second century BCE, with the rise of the Maccabees to

power, we first begin to see some of the fissures in Jewish political and

religious life that will exist through the first century CE.

It was probably at this time that a community of Jews-- or more than one

community of Jews-- retreated to the Judean desert to areas like Qumran.

We know of the Essenes at Qumran who disagreed with what they saw as the

corruption and improper rule of the temple cult of the Jews in Jerusalem.

Some of these Essenes seemed to await a day when two messiahs, a warrior and

a priest, will help them to retake and purify that temple.

As I mentioned earlier, in the context of talking about the Achaian

Polybius's capture and transport to Rome in the second century, Rome was

in a way an empire before it was an empire.

In the area of Judea, internal struggles in the Hasmonean dynasty led

both sides in the conflict to appeal to Rome for a solution even before

Rome was an empire.

In 63 BCE, the Romans entered Jerusalem.

GUERRE DE TROIE - DOCUMENTAIRE

LA GUERRE DE TROIE - DOCUMENTAIRE

Par: Valdemir Mota de Menezes, le scribe
La guerre a pris fin après l'exécution du grand projet de l' Ulysse de guerrier grec . Son idée était de donner aux chevaux de Troie avec un grand cheval de bois . Ils ont dit qu'ils donnaient les ennemis de la guerre et que le cheval était un don de la paix . Les Troyens acceptées et ont quitté l'énorme cadeau à mener dans ses murs de protection. Après une nuit de grande fête , les Troyens étaient endormis épuisés. A cette époque , a ouvert les portes à cheval de bois et laissé des centaines de soldats grecs . Ils ont ouvert les portes aux Grecs entrés et ont attaqué la ville de Troie à la destruction.

Les derniers événements de la guerre sont comptés dans le travail de l'Iliade d' Homère. Pendant de nombreux siècles , on croyait que la guerre de Troie était juste un autre l'un des mythes de la mythologie grecque . Cependant, avec la découverte et l'étude d'un site archéologique en Turquie, on peut vérifier que cet important fait historique de l'Antiquité a effectivement eu lieu . Cependant, de nombreux aspects entre mythologie et l'histoire n'ont pas encore été identifiés et sont confus. Mais ce qu'on sait, c'est que cette guerre qui s'est réellement passé .

LA GUERRE DE TROIE - DOCUMENTAIRE por videothequevaldemir