The King Between Two Worlds
As Alexander
advanced in his policy of unity, he himself became a figure standing between
two worlds.
He adopted
Persian dress and court customs. He introduced practices such as
proskynesis—ceremonial bowing before the king—which offended many Greeks, who
regarded such acts as suitable only for gods, not men. He surrounded himself
with eastern splendour, and his court began to resemble that of the Persian
monarchs he had overthrown.
To the Persians,
these changes confirmed his legitimacy as their ruler.
To many Macedonians, they appeared as signs of decline.
The tension
between these two perceptions grew steadily. Alexander sought to harmonise
them, but the attempt placed him in a difficult position. If he remained purely
Macedonian, he could not fully rule Persia. If he became too Persian, he risked
losing the loyalty of his own followers.
Thus, while he endeavoured
to unite his empire, he found himself increasingly isolated, admired by many
but fully understood by few.
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