Quick answerAlexander the Great (356–323 BC) was a Macedonian political leader. Alexander the Great is best known for Conquering the Persian Empire, Never losing a battle, Founding Alexandria in Egypt, Spreading Greek culture to India and Being tutored by Aristotle. Born in Pella, Kingdom of Macedon. In a decade he built one of the largest empires of the ancient world.
Alexander the Great (c. 356–323 BC) was the king of Macedon who, in little more than a decade, conquered the Persian Empire and built one of the largest empires of the ancient world. Tutored by Aristotle and undefeated in battle, he carried Greek culture from Egypt to India before dying at thirty-two.
Key facts
| Born | 356 BC in Pella, Kingdom of Macedon |
|---|---|
| Died | 323 BC |
| Nationality | Macedonian |
| Field | Politics |
| Known for | Conquering the Persian Empire, Never losing a battle, Founding Alexandria in Egypt, Spreading Greek culture to India, Being tutored by Aristotle |
Overview
Alexander was born at Pella, the capital of Macedon, the son of King Philip II, who had united Greece, and Olympias, a princess of Epirus. As a teenager he was tutored by the philosopher Aristotle, and at twenty he inherited the throne when his father was assassinated. Legend says that as a boy he tamed the wild horse Bucephalus, which carried him through all his campaigns. Within two years he had crossed into Asia with an army of about 35,000 men, determined to conquer the Persian Empire.
He won great victories at Granicus, Issus and Gaugamela, took Babylon and the Persian capitals, founded the city of Alexandria in Egypt, and marched on to the Indus River in India, never losing a battle. He married the Bactrian princess Roxana, and encouraged his soldiers to marry Persian women, hoping to join the peoples of his empire. In 323 BC, back in Babylon, he fell ill after days of feasting and drinking and died, aged thirty-two, leaving no clear heir. His generals divided his empire, but the Greek culture he spread shaped the ancient world for centuries.
Frequently asked questions
When was Alexander the Great born?
Alexander was born in around July 356 BC at Pella, the capital of Macedon in northern Greece. The exact day is uncertain, since it is recorded in the ancient Macedonian calendar, but the year 356 BC is agreed by the ancient sources and by modern historians.
What is Alexander the Great famous for?
Alexander is famous for conquering the Persian Empire and building, in about ten years, one of the largest empires the ancient world had seen, stretching from Greece to India. He never lost a battle, founded many cities, including Alexandria in Egypt, and spread Greek language and culture across three continents.
How did Alexander the Great die?
Alexander died in Babylon in June 323 BC, aged thirty-two, after falling ill following days of feasting and drinking. The cause is still debated: the ancient accounts suggest fever, and modern writers have proposed malaria, typhoid or poisoning, but no theory can be proved from the surviving evidence.
Where was Alexander the Great born?
Alexander was born at Pella, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Macedon, in what is now northern Greece. His father, Philip II, was king of Macedon, and his mother, Olympias, was a princess of Epirus, a kingdom to the west.
How big was Alexander the Great's empire?
At Alexander's death in 323 BC his empire stretched from Greece and Egypt in the west to the Indus River in India in the east, covering about 5.2 million square kilometres. It was the largest empire of the ancient world up to that time, though it split apart among his generals within a few years.
Related people
- Aristotle — Tutored by Aristotle as a teenager
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Last updated: . Figures are shown with their year; where sources disagree, the value is left out rather than estimated.