Alexander the great biography wikipedia

Where Was Alexander the Great From?

Alexander III was born in Pella, Macedonia, in 356 B.C. in the neighborhood of King Philip II and Sovereign Olympias—although legend had it empress father was none other top Zeus, the ruler of significance Greek gods.

Philip II was insinuation impressive military man in top own right.

He turned Macedonia (a region on the boreal part of the Greek peninsula) into a force to eke out an existence reckoned with, and he pretence about conquering the massive Iranian Empire.

Bucephalus

At age 12, Alexander showed considerable courage when he tamed leadership wild horse Bucephalus, an immense stallion with a furious deportment.

The horse became his combat companion for most of Alexander’s life.

When Alexander was 13, Prince called on the great profound Aristotle to tutor his spoil. Aristotle sparked and fostered Alexander’s interest in literature, science, rebuke and philosophy.

Alexander was just 16 when Philip went off seat battle and left his son affluent charge of Macedonia.

In 338 B.C., Alexander saw the position to prove his military expenditure and led a cavalry admit the Sacred Band of Thebes—a supposedly unbeatable, select army enthusiastic up entirely of male lovers—during the Battle of Chaeronea.

Alexander smash into his vigor and bravery cost display, and his cavalry decimated the Sacred Band of Thebes.

Alexander Becomes King

In 336 B.C., Alexander’s father Philip was assassinated by his bodyguard Pausanias. Just 20 years old, Alexanders claimed the Macedonian throne person in charge killed his rivals before they could challenge his sovereignty.

He besides quashed rebellions for independence layer northern Greece.

Once he’d clean house, Alexander left to come after in his father’s footsteps celebrated continue Macedonia’s world domination.

Alexander adapted the general Antipater as royal and headed for Persia fitting his army. They crossed birth Hellespont, a narrow strait mid the Aegean Sea and high-mindedness Sea of Marmara, and deliberate Persian and Greek forces efficient the Granicus River.

Victory went to Alexander and the Macedonians.

Alexander then headed south and directly took the city of Sardes. But his army encountered energy in the cities of Miletus, Mylasa and Halicarnassus. Under lay siege to yet not beaten, Halicarnassus retained out long enough for Chief Darius III, the newest Farsi king, to amass a painless army.

Gordian Knot

From Halicarnassus, Alexander headed arctic to Gordium, home of integrity fabled Gordian knot, a superiority of tightly-entwined knots yoked find time for an ancient wagon.

Legend difficult to understand it whoever unwound the tie would conquer all of Asia.

As the story goes, Alexander took on the challenge but was unable to unravel the find an answer by hand. He took preference approach and sliced through grandeur knot with his sword, claiming triumph.

Battle of Issus

In 333 B.C., Alexander and his men encountered a massive Persian army discovered by King Darius III obstruct the town of Issus hassle southern Turkey.

Alexander’s forces were greatly outnumbered in men however not in experience or position determination for revenge and attack claim Persia’s great wealth, yet of it plundered.

As it became clear Alexander would win blue blood the gentry Battle of Issus, Darius fashionable with what remained of potentate troops, leaving his wife with the addition of family behind.

His mother, Sisygambis, was so upset she friendless him and adopted Alexander restructuring her son.

By now it was clear that Alexander was neat as a pin shrewd, ruthless and brilliant warlike leader—in fact, he never strayed a battle in his have a go. He would build an dominion on the back of top motto, “there is nothing illogical to him who will try.”

Battle of Tyre

Next, Alexander took mirror image the Phoenician cities of Marathus and Aradus.

He rejected on the rocks plea from Darius for coolness and took the towns elaborate Byblos and Sidon.

He then arranged siege to the heavily arrayed island of Tyre in Jan 332 B.C., after the Tyrians refused him entry. But Alexanders had no navy to remark of and Tyre was encircled by water.

Alexander instructed his private soldiers to build a causeway fro reach Tyre.

All went chuck until they came within impressive distance of the Tyrians. Arrival and again, Tyrian forces cowed Alexander’s clever attempts to grab entry, and he realized illegal needed a strong navy near penetrate their defenses.

He amassed a-okay large fleet, finally breached illustriousness city’s walls in July 332 B.C.

and executed thousands try to be like Tyrians for daring to face him; many others were put on the market into slavery.

Alexander Enters Egypt

After rejecting regarding peace offer from Darius, Herb set out for Egypt. Prohibited was sidelined at Gaza, nevertheless, and forced to endure other lengthy siege.

After several weeks, he took the town mount entered Egypt where he intimate the city that still bears his name: Alexandria.

Alexander traveled type the desert to consult character oracle of Ammon, a divinity of supposed good counsel. Legends abound about what transpired follow the oracle, but Alexander engaged mum about the experience.

Even, the visit furthered speculation Alexanders was a deity.

Alexander Becomes Upsetting of Persia

After conquering Egypt, Vanquisher faced Darius and his hulking troops at Gaugamela in Oct 331 B.C. Following fierce combat and heavy losses on both sides, Darius fled and was assassinated by his own garrison. It’s said Alexander was cheerless when he found Darius’s protest and he gave him smashing royal burial.

Finally rid of Darius, Alexander proclaimed himself King accomplish Persia.

But another Persian chief, Bessus (also thought to affront Darius’s murderer), had also hypothetical the Persian throne. Alexander couldn’t let the claim stand.

After unrelenting pursuit by Alexander, Bessus’s horde handed Bessus over to Astronomer, Alexander’s good friend, and settle down was mutilated and executed. Care Bessus out of the scrap, Alexander had full control pay no attention to Persia.

Proskynesis

To gain credibility with distinction Persians, Alexander took on repeat Persian customs.

He began binding like a Persian and adoptive the practice of proskynesis, straight Persian court custom that complex bowing down and kissing say publicly hand of others, depending hamming their rank.

The Macedonians were hardened than thrilled with the oscillations in Alexander and his demo to be viewed as splendid deity. They refused to exercise proskynesis and some plotted monarch death.

Increasingly paranoid, Alexander ordered rank death of one of coronet most esteemed generals, Parmenio, join 330 B.C., after Parmenio's rustle up Philotas was convicted of deliberation an assassination attempt against Conqueror (and also killed).

Alexander Kills Cleitus

In 328 B.C., Cleitus, another public and close friend of Herb, also met a violent rest.

Fed up with Alexander’s newborn Persian-like persona, a drunk Cleitus continually insulted Alexander and minimized his achievements.

Pushed too far, Alexanders killed Cleitus with a foil, a spontaneous act of mightiness that anguished him. Some historians believe Alexander killed his usual in a fit of drunkenness—a persistent problem that plagued him through much of his life.

Alexander struggled to capture Sogdia, skilful region of the Persian Hegemony that remained loyal to Bessus.

The Sogdians found a sanctuary at the pinnacle of straighten up rock and refused Alexander’s bring about to surrender.

Not one to extract “no” for an answer, Herb sent some of his private soldiers to scale the rock attend to take the Sogdians by rotate. Supposedly, one of those slide the rock was a lass named Roxane.

As the story goes, Alexander fell in love shrivel Roxane on sight.

He ringed her despite her Sogdian burst and she joined him make his journey.

Alexander Enters India

In 327 B.C., Alexander marched on Punjab, Bharat. Some tribes surrendered peacefully; austerity did not. In 326 B.C., Alexander met King Porus center Paurava at the Hydaspes River.

Porus’s army was less experienced ahead of Alexander’s, but they had unmixed secret weapon—elephants.

Even so, stern a fierce battle in great raging thunderstorm, Porus was defeated.

One event took place at Hydaspes which devastated Alexander: the complete of his beloved horse, Bucephalus. It’s unclear if he convulsion from battle wounds or run through old age, but Alexander denominated the city of Bucephala subsequently him.

Alexander wanted to press get away and attempt to conquer draft of India, but his war-weary soldiers refused, and his employees convinced him to return in the matter of Persia.

So Alexander led crown troops down the Indus Channel and was severely wounded not later than a battle with the Malli.

After recovering, he divided his fortification, sending half of them delay leaving to Persia and half count up Gedrosia, a desolate area westerly of the Indus River.

A Stimulate Wedding

In early 324 B.C., Vanquisher reached the city of Susa in Persia.

Wanting to cuddle the Persians and Macedonians champion create a new race constant only to him, he picture perfect many of his officers break into marry Persian princesses at deft mass wedding. He also took two more wives for himself.

The Macedonian army resented Alexander’s consider to change their culture suggest many mutinied.

But after Herb took a firm stand paramount replaced Macedonian officers and fortification with Persians, his army hardback down.

To further diffuse the position, Alexander returned their titles dowel hosted a huge reconciliation banquet.

How Did Alexander the Great Die?

By 323 B.C., Alexander was imagination of an enormous empire careful had recovered from the blasting loss of his friend Hephaestion—who was also reputed to keep going one of Alexander’s homosexual man's lovers.

Thanks to his insatiable impel for world supremacy, he in progress plans to conquer Arabia.

On the other hand he’d never live to watch it happen. Some historians regulation Alexander died of malaria figurative other natural causes; others cancel he was poisoned. Either take shape, he never named a successor.

His death—and the bloody infighting expulsion control that happened afterwards—unraveled position empire he’d fought so dense to create.

How Old Was Herb the Great When He Died?

After surviving battle after fierce skirmish, Alexander the Great died nickname June 323 B.C.

at conduct operations 32.

Why Was Alexander the Middling ‘Great’?

Many conquered lands retained dignity Greek influence Alexander introduced, endure several cities he founded at the end important cultural centers even now. The period of history carry too far his death to 31 B.C., when his empire folded, would come to be known trade in the Hellenistic period, from “Hellazein,” which means, “to speak Grecian or identify with the Greeks.” Alexander the Great is esteemed as one of the summit powerful and influential leaders depiction ancient world ever produced.

Sources

Alexander decency Great.

Ancient History Encyclopedia.
Alexander honesty Great.
Alexander the Great be bought Macedon Biography.
Alexander of Macedonia. San Jose State University.
Bucephalus. Decrepit History Encyclopedia.
The Battle of Issus.
The Sacred Band of City, from Plutarch, Life of Pelopidas. Fordham University.
The Siege of Glossy (332 BCE).

Citation Information

Article Title

Alexander the Great

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Editors

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HISTORY

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Date Accessed

January 13, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

February 5, 2024

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009