I was just watching a video that mentions Alexander the Great at the edges of his empire, but then I was wondering who was governing back home while he was gone, I mean it took forever to travel back then so, there must have been someone or a body governing.
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11Please note than countries were much less centralized back then, even those which didn't span continents. Even just inside Macedonia/Greece, most cities and territories had to be governed by local governors, as communication was slow even without leaving the peninsula. There was a whole hierarchy of regional rulers who had quite a good local autonomy.– vszCommented Oct 15, 2020 at 5:48
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2 Answers
Alexander left Antipater in charge in Macedonia/Greece while he was off conquering. Antipater had previously served Alexander's father, Phillip II, and had also previously served as regent for Alexander when he was fighting in Thrace, prior to the invasion of the Persian empire.
I believe Antipater also governed Greece after Alexander's death and subsequent Wars of the Diadochi.
I believe Alexander The Great's Central/Administrative Government was located in the Egyptian city of Memphis. The city of Alexandria-(in Northern Egypt), was akin to a royal figurehead city which was more ceremonial in nature versus the more pragmatic-(day to day) bureaucratically administered city of Memphis.
(After Alexander's passing, the city of Alexandria would become the Capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, as well the Hellenistic era's most important city).
Interestingly, Alexander did not choose any city within Greece or Anatolia-(present-day Turkey) to serve as either the Ceremonial or Administrative Capital of his expansive empire; nor did Alexander choose to establish his Capital city in the defeated imperial city of Persepolis in Persia-(present-day Iran). Yet, the land of Egypt-(more specifically, the cities of Alexandria and Memphis), would become the epicenters of imperial power during his brief reign.
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11. I am not sure how this is suppose to answer the question about administration of Macedonia and Greece. 2. AFAIU, Alexander founded Alexandria of Egypt but didn't use it as a capital for his empire, that would rather be Susa or Babylon.– EvargaloCommented Aug 7, 2023 at 9:37
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1. While it is a short answer, it certainly does answer the question about the administration of his empire-(which does not solely focus on "the administration of Macedonia and Greece").– AlexCommented Aug 7, 2023 at 19:23
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2. As I had clearly stated in my answer, the city of Alexandria, during Alexander's time, was more of a "ceremonial city", versus an administrative city. During his reign, Alexander's administrative capital city, was neither located in Susa, nor was it located Babylon....it was located in the Egyptian city of Memphis.– AlexCommented Aug 7, 2023 at 19:26
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1The fact that Alexander deliberately chose Egypt as the Central location of his imperial capital is not an historical fact unless you can provide some references backing it.– EvargaloCommented Aug 9, 2023 at 7:15