The greater part of the year 324 was spent in a survey of the Persian Gulf and in general organ ization at Eetabana. In the winter Alexander returned to Babylon, where embassies from the remotest West came to seek his friendship. But his mind was now busy with plans for building up a great sea trade with ludia by way of the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf, and the Indian Ocean. Babylon was to beccnne a great seaport. With these things in view he planned a naval expedi tion to circumnavigate and conquer Arabia. Be fore this could start, Alexander fell ill of a fever following a carouse, and in twelve days he lay dead (June, 323).
The rapidity and brilliancy of Alexander's military operations have generally obscured his preeminent qualities as a statesman. He inher ited from his father the concept of a great empire, and he had the genius to lay the foundations of a unified realm surpassing the dreams of Philip. Throughout the course of his conquest he organ ized the rule of his satrapies so that the power was divided and revolt made difficult. Seeing that the ruler of the vast realm which he was conquering should adopt much of the native cus tom, he assumed not a little Oriental state, which undoubtedly strengthened his position in spite of the disapproval it aroused among his Greek fol lowers: and he took many wise measures to amal gamate the East and West. His plans for trade
development would have had great effect on social and economic conditions if he could have earned them out. The unified empire which he had cre ated was soon divided among many Alacedonian rulers. Yet all the results of his work were not lost. The small Hellenic State had disappeared forever with its narrow exclusiveness, and a more tolerant attitude was maintained by the Greek world after him. The Romans entered into the fruit of his conquests, and the spread of Christi anity in the East was made the easier by them.
Consult: Droysen, Gesehiebte Alexamlers des Grosse)? (Gotha. 1898) ; Grote. History of Greece (New York, 1853-50) : Holm, Griechischr tk schiclite, Hi. (Berlin, 1893) ; B. 1. Wheeler's Life (New York, 1900). See ALEXANDER. LEGEND OF.