My over all impression of this week's reading was Greek glory came from success or death on the battlefield. Even Solon believed the happiest man would be one that died with honor on the battle field or after achieving a heroic act. The riches of Croesus didn't equal true happiness in the mind of Solon. Maybe because riches can come or go but an honorable death is final. It is ironic that Croesus's life ended with humiliation when Lydia was conquered by Cyrus.

In a culture driven by this ideology it is not surprising that success in battle was immortalized. Alexander the Greats conquer of the Greek city-states, Persian empire, and death at the height of his success equaled the ideal hero in the minds of the Greeks. Alexander turned the humiliation of being conquered around by restoring democracy and many Greeks joined him in battle. It is fascinating that Alexander's conquest and unification of the Greek city-states spread the Greek culture and increased Greek influence. Without Alexander the Great there would not have been a Cleopatra and much of the Greek culture may have been lost.