Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great was the king of Macedon and is one of the most successful military commanders in history. He created one of the largest empires of the ancient world and spread the Greek culture across Asia.

Early Life and Education

Alexander was born in 356 BC in Pella, the capital of Macedon. His father was King Philip II and his mother was Olympias.

He was educated by the philosopher Aristotle in the Greek learning. He was trained in the military and the physical exercises.

He showed the courage and the ambition from an early age. He tamed the horse Bucephalus that no one else could ride.

The Conquests

Alexander succeeded his father in 336 BC at the age of twenty. He secured the throne and the command of the Greek league.

He invaded the Persian Empire in 334 BC and defeated the Persian army at the river Granicus. He conquered the western coast of the Asia Minor.

He defeated the Persian king Darius III at Issus in 333 BC and at Gaugamela in 331 BC. He captured the royal cities of the empire.

He founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt in 331 BC. The city became the centre of the Greek culture in the East.

He continued the campaign to the east and reached the Indus River in 326 BC. The army refused to go further and he was forced to turn back.

The Empire and the Administration

Alexander established the empire that stretched from Greece to India. He appointed the officials and the governors for the administration.

He promoted the fusion of the Greek and the Persian cultures. He adopted the Persian dress and the customs and encouraged the mixed marriages.

He founded many cities that bore his name throughout the empire. The cities became the centres of the Greek culture and the trade.

He sought to unify the peoples of the empire as the equal subjects. The policy was opposed by the Macedonians.

The Death and the Legacy

Alexander died in 323 BC in Babylon at the age of thirty-two. The cause of the death is not certain and has been the subject of the debate.

His empire was divided among his generals after his death. The successor states were the Seleucid, the Ptolemaic, and the Antigonid kingdoms.

The period that followed is known as the Hellenistic age. The Greek culture was spread across the Middle East and the Asia.

He is regarded as one of the greatest of the military commanders. His campaigns and the legacy have inspired the leaders and the writers for the centuries.

The Army and the Tactics

Alexander inherited the army from his father Philip II. The Macedonian phalanx was the most effective of the ancient formations.

He used the cavalry on the wings to break the enemy lines. The combination of the phalanx and the cavalry was the key to his victories.

He adapted the tactics to the terrain and the enemy. He showed the flexibility and the boldness in the battles.

The City of Alexandria

Alexander founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt in 331 BC. The city became the capital of the Ptolemaic kingdom.

It became the centre of the Greek culture and the learning in the East. The library of Alexandria was the greatest of the ancient world.

The city was named in his honour and became one of the most important of the ancient cities. It remains a major city of the region.

The Education and the Companions

Alexander was educated by Aristotle in the Greek learning. He was trained in the philosophy and the ethics and the politics.

He was surrounded by the companions of his youth. The companions became his generals and the officers.

He was inspired by the heroes of the Homeric epics. He sought to emulate the deeds of Achilles and Heracles.

The Conquest of Persia

Alexander defeated the Persian king Darius III at Issus and Gaugamela. He captured the royal cities of the empire.

He claimed the title of the king of the Persians. The policy was opposed by the Macedonians.

He adopted the Persian dress and the customs. He encouraged the mixed marriages of the Greeks and the Persians.

The Death and the Succession

Alexander died in 323 BC in Babylon at the age of thirty-two. The cause of the death is not certain.

His empire was divided among his generals. The successor states were the Seleucid, the Ptolemaic, and the Antigonid kingdoms.

The period that followed is known as the Hellenistic age. The Greek culture was spread across the Middle East and the Asia.

The Legacy and the Influence

Alexander is regarded as one of the greatest of the military commanders. His campaigns have been studied by the generals for the centuries.

The Hellenistic period that followed spread the Greek culture across the East. The cities that he founded became the centres of the learning.

The legend of Alexander has inspired the art and the literature. The accounts of his life were copied and embellished through the centuries.

See also

• Macedon
• Hellenistic period
• Persian Empire
• Alexandria