Alexander the Great is history’s most successful general:
— Never lost a battle
— Unified Ancient Greece
— Conquered the entire known world
Here are his 7 biggest lessons on the art of war:
- Seek wisdom first As a youth, Alexander was mentored by Aristotle
He became wise in human affairs:
— Diplomacy
— Leadership skills
— Knowing human nature
The best leaders are wise — they understand humans, persuade them, and have influence
Become wise
2) Know your strengths
Alexander knew his unique advantages
For instance, he had a distinct weapon — the Sarisa
It was a long spear that his enemies couldn’t counter
Alexander made the Sarisa the center of his strategies, and never lost
Exploit your unique advantages
3) Embrace deception
At the Granicus battle, Persians set up defense behind a river
Alexander needed a diversion to cross it
He distracted the Persians by charging their flank, allowing his main phalanx to cross unharmed
He won a decisive victory
In war, deception wins
4) Set the rules
The Gordian knot was a complex knot
It was prophesied that whoever untied it would rule
Asia When Alexander encountered the knot, he sliced it in half with his sword
A good metaphor for his combat strategy:
Control the terms, and victory is yours
5) Aim for the head
In the Battle of ISUS, Alexander was greatly outnumbered
His solution? Take out the leader
He led a cavalry charge at the Persian King Darius
This assault frightened the king, who fled
His troops soon followed
Aim for the head and the body will fall
6) Invest in Allies
While conquering Persia, Alexander faced rebellions at home
Most notably, Sparta revolted
Luckily, Alexander had a strong ally in charge of Greece — his general Antipater — who smashed the revolt
Good friends are a great fortune
7) Do not settle
When Darius sued for peace, Alexander declined:
He needed total surrender
He defeated Darius in battle — leading to Persia’s ultimate downfall — and cementing Alexander’s greatness in history
There are no half-measures in war
Thanks for reading!