A Scene from Greek and Roman History
The Death of Alexander the Great
The Assignment
Undoubtedly one of the all-time greatest generals, Alexander the Great was an intriguing character. Full of contradictions, he could be grasping and generous, wise and foolish, forgiving and vindictive, and kind-hearted and cruel. Students were asked to write the last scene of a play about the last days of Alexander in which the great prince is dying. Through dialog, either with Alexander or those about him, the students were to mention such details as his battles, his horse Bucephalus, his generals, his early life and ambition, his tutelage under Aristotle, his friendship with Hephaestion, and his marriage to Roxana. Before beginning the play, I encouraged them to think about the major idea that they wanted to communicate about Alexander and his life.