Alexander The Great

Alexander the Great lived from 356-323 BC son of Phillip II of Macedon and his fourth polygamous wife Olympia a princess of Epirus. Olympia not being a “true” Macedonian resulted in succession problems which often resulted in violent confrontations between Phillip and Alexander.

In 336 BC Phillip was assassinated by a disgraced male lover of his. It is often rumored though that Alexander was in some way complicit to the murder. After Phillip’s death the coalitions he created began to collapse. Alexander had inherited the finest army in the world from his father and was going to use it. Alexander is the first king to earn the title of “The Great” because of the military accomplishments he made in his short life.

Alexander the Great build what was at that time and for many generations later the largest empire that the world had known. Stretching as far east as Punjab in India. It was Alexander’s plan to head all the way to what he knew as The Great Outer Sea. Which we now know as the Pacific ocean before turning his armies around and conquering the Mediterranean.

Alexander died before he could accomplish his goals. It is possible that he was poisoned during a night of heavy drinking in the Palace of Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon or simply malaria at the age of 33. Alexander died barely able to even speak, when asked who it should be to succeed him his reply may have had one of several different meanings. Alexander is most often thought to have replied “to the strongest” although it is possible that he had said the name of one of is generals Craterus who’s name is only one syllable different. His life was short but he was well educated Aristotle was in fact one of his tutors and had been called upon by Phillip to teach his son because of his renown as the greatest philosopher of his day.

After Alexander’s death for unclear reasons. His generals met in Babylon to divide his empire among themselves. One of his Generals, Ptolemy, become the new ruler of Egypt and was father to Cleopatra of Egypt seducer of Julius Caesar and Mark Antony.