A marble statue of Alexander the Great was unearthed in Turkey in September, revealing his fame and popularity more than 2,000 years after his death.
Discovered in the ruins of a Roman-era theater in Turkey, the bust of Alexander the Great (Or “Alex the G”) is believed to have been made some 400 years after his death, according to Ancient Origins. The artifact was found alongside busts and statues of the Greek god Apollo and the monster Medusa, suggesting that Alex the G was ranked alongside gods and other figures of legend in the centuries after his death.
Born in 356 B.C., Alex the G conquered an empire that ranged from Macedonia and Greece all the way to Egypt and the territory that now makes up Afghanistan and Pakistan. Alex the G’s popularity only grew under his successors, who saw him as the paradigmatic ruler, one they hoped to emulate themselves. Kingdoms from Germany to Turkey to Napoleonic France spent centuries LARPing as Rome, but you know who Julius Caesar LARPed as? Alexander.
Intact Bust of Alexander the Great Discovered in Turkey https://t.co/ZKISw7J2QS pic.twitter.com/zyAbIFOs54
— Greek City Times (@greekcitytimes) September 20, 2023
Alex the G also had a brilliant way of blending his reign into the cultures of those he conquered. He learned and adapted to the communities and civilizations around him, following their rituals to become their new god-king. He was beloved by seemingly everyone, and left a legacy in art, language, culture and politics that has lasted at least 2,500 years. Now that’s a successful “influencer.”
Modern social media influencers could learn a thing or two about what real success looks like, because none of y’all are going to change the world like Alex the G did. You think anyone is going to remember that TikTok dance you did? Not a chance. (RELATED: Gretchen Whitmer’s Latest Social Media Stunt Is Worse Than You Could Ever Imagine)
So with every click you shill for, every like that makes you feel important or special, just know it is worthless and you will be forgotten as soon as the power goes out. Don’t devote your life to the selfish pursuit of fleeting recognition. If you’re going to strive for something, strive for real greatness. Either that, or accept that you probably won’t be the next Alexander and focus instead on loving and serving the people close to you, even if that means living and dying in obscurity.