"Assimilate? I'm not entirely sure what you mean by that. After all I was not changing any of their cultures. The changes I brought were an increase in food and money and trade. Their own leaders governed their lands and I respected their ways and actually changed myself to match their new cultures."

He rested a hand over his chest. "My name at birth was not Iskandar. It was the name I took on when I became King of Persia. My people were fond of me though and I had a great many friends among them."