Alexander inherited his father's dream of making war on the Persian Empire. I'd say he had more at stake with Persia than in Europe.
The proper urbanization of the Celtic world didn't begin until the following century. The Celts were civilized in most respects, they possessed an extensive road system, and towns dating from the Hallstatt Era were hilltop fortresses surrounded by farming settlements.
While later La Tene era towns were far more substantial, with huge stonewalls, taller buildings, with workshops and places of commerce. Cities like Bibracte, Avaricum, Alesia, Gergovia, Tolosa, and Nemausos have been found or identified in France, the Celtic site at Manching in Germany, Vindobona in Austria, and Numantia in central Spain, and even Milan in Italy, are well enough documented.
The great Greek cities of the west were Massalia (Marseille), Syracuse and Messene in Sicily, Taras/Tarentum, Rhegium, and Croton in Italy, and Emporion (Empuries in modern Catalan) in Spain.
Carthage, and the other Phoenician colonies, such as Lilybaeum (modern Marsala) in Sicily, Mastia/Nova Carthago (modern Cartagena), Barcino (Barcelona), and Gadir (Cadiz) in Spain. Plus, the native Iberian city-state of Tartessos at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River.
The proper urbanization of the Celtic world didn't begin until the following century. The Celts were civilized in most respects, they possessed an extensive road system, and towns dating from the Hallstatt Era were hilltop fortresses surrounded by farming settlements.
While later La Tene era towns were far more substantial, with huge stonewalls, taller buildings, with workshops and places of commerce. Cities like Bibracte, Avaricum, Alesia, Gergovia, Tolosa, and Nemausos have been found or identified in France, the Celtic site at Manching in Germany, Vindobona in Austria, and Numantia in central Spain, and even Milan in Italy, are well enough documented.
The great Greek cities of the west were Massalia (Marseille), Syracuse and Messene in Sicily, Taras/Tarentum, Rhegium, and Croton in Italy, and Emporion (Empuries in modern Catalan) in Spain.
Carthage, and the other Phoenician colonies, such as Lilybaeum (modern Marsala) in Sicily, Mastia/Nova Carthago (modern Cartagena), Barcino (Barcelona), and Gadir (Cadiz) in Spain. Plus, the native Iberian city-state of Tartessos at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River.
Last edited: