Alexander the Great

king of Macedonia and conqueror of Achaemenid Persia (356–323 BC) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Alexander III of Macedon (Greek: Αλέξανδρος, Aléxandros; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC) commonly known as Alexander the Great, was king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon from 336 BC until his death in 323 BC. By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. He was one of the greatest military leaders of all time. He was born in 356 BC in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia.

Quick facts: Alexander III, King of Macedonia, Reign, Pred...
Alexander III
ACMA_1331_Alexander_2.JPG
Bust of Alexander the Great attributed to Leochares, after 338 BC (Acropolis Museum)[1]
King of Macedonia
Reign336–323 BC
PredecessorPhilip II
Successor
  • Hegemon of the Hellenic League
  • Strategos autokrator of Greece
Reign336 BC
PredecessorPhilip II
Pharaoh of Egypt
Reign332–323 BC
PredecessorDarius III
Successor
  • Alexander IV
  • Philip III
King of Persia
Reign330–323 BC
PredecessorDarius III
Successor
  • Alexander IV
  • Philip III
Lord of Asia
Reign331–323 BC
PredecessorNew office
Successor
  • Alexander IV
  • Philip III
Born20 or 21 July 356 BC
Pella, Macedon, Ancient Greece
Died10 or 11 June 323 BC (aged 32)
Babylon, Mesopotamia
Spouse
Issue
Full name
Alexander III of Macedon
Greek
  • Μέγας Ἀλέξανδρος[d]
    Mégas Aléxandros
    lit.'Great Alexander'
  • Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Μέγας
    Aléxandros ho Mégas
    lit.'Alexander the Great'
DynastyArgead
FatherPhilip II of Macedon
MotherOlympias of Epirus
ReligionAncient Greek religion
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Alexander was the son of Philip II, King of Macedonia, and Olympias, the princess of neighboring Epirus. Alexander spent his childhood watching his father turn Macedonia into a great military power, and watching him win victory on the battlefields in the Balkans.

Alexander the Great spoke the Greek language. He spread the Greek culture through out Asia.[2]

When he was 13, Philip hired the Greek philosopher Aristotle to be Alexander’s personal tutor.[3] During the next three years, Aristotle gave Alexander a training in rhetoric and literature, and stimulated his interest in science, medicine, and philosophy. All of these are important for a ruler, which Alexander later became.