Alexander III of Macedon was born in July 356 BCE, in Pella, Greece to King Philip II and Queen Olympia. Many people in history ask why he is known as Alexander the Great. Because he was trained at a very young age to fight in war with his father, Alexander was famous after the battles of Athenian and Thaeronea. When his father died many people thought Alexander and Queen Olympia hired King Philip’s bodyguard Pausanias to kill the former king because King Philip had remarried and had two more children and made them heir to the throne instead of Alexander. Alexander also conquered Persia and Egypt and this made his kingdom ranging from the Mediterranean to the border of India.
Alexander the Great’s military skills are still studied by military leaders around the world because his thoughts and planning was advanced and made him victorious from an early age. He used speed, allowing smaller forces to each and break the enemy lines before his enemies were ready.Alexander’s army used 15,000-strong men who fought with 20-foot-long pikes called sarissas.
After securing his kingdom in Greece, in 334 BCE, Alexander crossed into Asia (present-day Turkey) where he won a series of battles with the Persians under Darius III kingdom in Greece; Alexander captured Sogdian Rock in 327 BCE, which was an impossible task. He was looking at the captives when Roxanne, the teenage daughter of a Bactrian nobleman, caught his eye. Soon after, in a traditional wedding ceremony, the king sliced a loaf of bread in two with his sword and shared it with his new bride. A few months after Alexander’s death, Roxanne gave birth to the couple’s only son, Alexander IV.
Alexander was a leader of great skill and military ability. Had he lived, he may have been able to unify the people that he had created under such a large empire. Alexander spent his reign working to unite East and West through military force and cultural exchange. Alexander’s reputation grew so quickly that by the time of his death at age 33 he was viewed as having godlike aspects. It isn’t always possible to separate fact and fiction from the stories told about Alexander over the centuries.
His huge empire was not able to stay together and broke apart and was divided by three generals that were not able to rule the vast empire as Alexander had done and fighting was very common in all the lands because of the many different people and cultures. Many cities and states were named after Alexander and even his horse which died in battle. Alexander founded at least 70 cities during his time. Some of the cities were Alexandropoulos, Alexandria Troas, Alexandria ad Issum/ Alexandretta, Alexandria, Egypt, and Alexandria on the Hyphasis. Some of these cities kept the names given to them by Alexander before his death such as Alexandria, Egypt but many others have been renamed over the centuries.
In 323 BCE, Alexander the Great fell ill after drinking a bowl of wine at a party and died two weeks later. Since many people thought his father was murdered by his own bodyguard, everyone suspected everyone, especially his general Antipater and Antipater’s son Cassander, (who would eventually order the murders of Alexander’s widow and son). Some who have studied Alexander think that Alexander teacher. Aristotle, who had connections with Antipater’s family, may have been involved. In modern times, many students studied the great ruler and have said that many different things including malaria, lung infection, liver failure or typhoid fever may have been the real killer of Alexander the Great.
sources:
Ellis,Elizabeth Gagnor and Esler Anthony, World History Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Pearson Education Inc.print
http://www.history.com/
http://www.biography.com/
https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/ASSASSINATION-OF-PHILIP-II-Alexander-the-Great
Alexander the Great’s military skills are still studied by military leaders around the world because his thoughts and planning was advanced and made him victorious from an early age. He used speed, allowing smaller forces to each and break the enemy lines before his enemies were ready.Alexander’s army used 15,000-strong men who fought with 20-foot-long pikes called sarissas.
After securing his kingdom in Greece, in 334 BCE, Alexander crossed into Asia (present-day Turkey) where he won a series of battles with the Persians under Darius III kingdom in Greece; Alexander captured Sogdian Rock in 327 BCE, which was an impossible task. He was looking at the captives when Roxanne, the teenage daughter of a Bactrian nobleman, caught his eye. Soon after, in a traditional wedding ceremony, the king sliced a loaf of bread in two with his sword and shared it with his new bride. A few months after Alexander’s death, Roxanne gave birth to the couple’s only son, Alexander IV.
Alexander was a leader of great skill and military ability. Had he lived, he may have been able to unify the people that he had created under such a large empire. Alexander spent his reign working to unite East and West through military force and cultural exchange. Alexander’s reputation grew so quickly that by the time of his death at age 33 he was viewed as having godlike aspects. It isn’t always possible to separate fact and fiction from the stories told about Alexander over the centuries.
His huge empire was not able to stay together and broke apart and was divided by three generals that were not able to rule the vast empire as Alexander had done and fighting was very common in all the lands because of the many different people and cultures. Many cities and states were named after Alexander and even his horse which died in battle. Alexander founded at least 70 cities during his time. Some of the cities were Alexandropoulos, Alexandria Troas, Alexandria ad Issum/ Alexandretta, Alexandria, Egypt, and Alexandria on the Hyphasis. Some of these cities kept the names given to them by Alexander before his death such as Alexandria, Egypt but many others have been renamed over the centuries.
In 323 BCE, Alexander the Great fell ill after drinking a bowl of wine at a party and died two weeks later. Since many people thought his father was murdered by his own bodyguard, everyone suspected everyone, especially his general Antipater and Antipater’s son Cassander, (who would eventually order the murders of Alexander’s widow and son). Some who have studied Alexander think that Alexander teacher. Aristotle, who had connections with Antipater’s family, may have been involved. In modern times, many students studied the great ruler and have said that many different things including malaria, lung infection, liver failure or typhoid fever may have been the real killer of Alexander the Great.
sources:
Ellis,Elizabeth Gagnor and Esler Anthony, World History Upper Saddle River, New Jersey Pearson Education Inc.print
http://www.history.com/
http://www.biography.com/
https://www.awesomestories.com/asset/view/ASSASSINATION-OF-PHILIP-II-Alexander-the-Great