Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great By: Maryjane Gutierrez

Biography prior being king • Alexander the Great was born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia in July 356 BCE. His father was King Philip II and his mother was Olympias. When he was growing up, he was being tutored by the famous philosopher Aristotle. King Philip II was assassinated in 336 BCE and Alexander inherited his fathers powerful kingdom. He went straight to defeating his enemies in his home and confirmed Macedonian power in Greece. He led his army to victories across the Persian territories of Asia Minor, Syria and Egypt without defeat. He then became overlord of Asia Minor, pharaoh of Egypt and Great King or Persia at the young age of 25.

Biography after becoming king • Over the next 8 years, he led his army for another 11,000 miles and founded more than 70 cities. He created an empire that stretched across 3 continents. The entire area was connected by a vast international network of trade and commerce which was united by a common Greek language and culture. In the mean while, Alexander learned many different foreign customs so he could be able to rule his millions of ethically diverse followers. Alexander died of a high fever in Babylon in 323 BCE but even after death he was acknowledged as a military genius who always led by example and a very loyal king.

Campaigns and Conquests • After his father, King Phillip II of Macedon, passed away, he expanded his empire very empire very quickly. He started in Greece, crossed over Turkey and went down by Syria, Lebanon and then Egypt. Then headed into Iraq. He got past Iraq and then headed into Iran. He finally made it to the Indus River until his troops demanded that they turn around.

Battle of the Grancius • He set out for in 334 BCE and commended about 47,000 men for this battle. • They faced Persian Army for the first time at the Grancius River, in Asia Minor. Macedonian forces attacked, and drew out Persian forces on one side using the feint attack. • Meanwhile, Alexander rode in with the Companion Cavalry on the other side and broke the weakened line of Persians. • Alexander the Great defeated the Persians and won the battle • Took 2,000 prisoners • Liberated Greek cities from Persian Rule • Because of this battle, he gained a very strong base in Asia Minor

Battle at Issus • Before the battle, King Darius I gathered his troops in the plains east of the Amanus Mountains. • Alexander led some of his troops to the Syrian Gates where he expected Kind Darius to be. • Darius then marched across another path, to Issus. The Persians killed most of Alexander's troops and then got separated from them. • Once Alexander reunited with his troops, he went to a mountain top to make sacrifices to the gods. That was before he saw Darius’ army on the other side of the Pinarus River. • Alexander marched his army across the river. Once they saw the royal chariot, his men raced toward it. • Darius and his troops fled and so they were unable to take over the Persian King.

Battle of Gaugamela • On the eve of battle Alexander's generals suggested to surprise attack them at night. Alexander said no because he would not "steal his victory". Darius, fearing a night attack, kept his army awake and on alert for the whole night, while Alexander's was allowed to sleep. The next morning, Alexander over-slept. When his concerned generals woke him, he stated that the battle had already been won. • While Darius had a significant advantage in numbers, most of his troops were of a lower quality than Alexander's. • Darius managed to escape with a small portion of his forces remaining. The Bactrian cavalry and Bessus caught up with him • Bessus murdered Darius before he could go east. When Alexander discovered Darius was murdered, he was sad to see an enemy he respected killed that way, so he gave Darius a full burial ceremony at Persepolis • He angrily captured Bessus and executed him the following year.

While He Ruled ♚ • He introduced the Persian idea of absolute monarchy • Built a number of cities • He named most of them after himself and one after his horse • He gave his region a common language(Greek) which enabled conversations and commerce. • Famous for never having never lost a battle

After Death ☠ • After Alexander the Greats death, his empire broke into 3 kingdoms which were ruled by his generals which became important dynasties later on. • Antigonid • Seleucids • Ptolemaic • Lasted longer than Alexander’s empire as a whole • His empire was so big that archaeologists found coins in what is now Afghanistan with pictures of their king and the word “king” under the picture in GREECE. That’s far.

FUN FACTS 👍 • He had one brown eye and blue eye • He had epilepsy • Collapsed after taking strong medicine for pneumonia. • Some say he is actually the son of Zeus and not Phillip II…

Alexander the Great