Alexander Macedonian

Although the Romans would rule more land, no one man has ever conquered such a vast territory in as short period of time as Alexander III or Alexander the Great. Before his death at the age of 32 he had ruled over most of the known world. Alexander did more than just win on the battlefield. Taught in the classic traditions of Greece, he brought an enlightened form of leadership to the regions he conquered. Had he lived his empire might have been a truly magnificent one and changed the course of history. In spite of his untimely demise, he ensured that the influence of Greece reached far beyond its borders, leaving an indelible mark in the ancient world.

Macedon was a rough, warlike country to the north of Greece, and though the Macedonians considered themselves part of the Greek tradition, the Greeks tended to look down on them as rude and unschooled. Alexander's father, Phillip II, would end up subjugating southwestern Europe. At 17, Alexander himself led a Macedonian force that conquered Thebes. Under the influence of his mother Olympias, he became enamored with the figure of Achilles from Homer's Iliad, and came to see his later exploits as fulfillment of the heroic legacy. A significant influence on his life was Aristotle. One of the world's wisest men tutored Alexander in his adolescent years. Under Aristotle's instruction, Alexander gained a wide exposure to the world. Alexander proved himself showed a combination of mental and physical agility when at the age 12 he tamed a wild horse. Naming the horse Bucephalus, the two would be companions almost for life. When Bucephalus died during Alexander's campaign in India, he would name a city for his beloved horse.

After Philip took control of Greece, he was assassinated. Alexander gained the support of the Macedonian nobility and consolidated his power in Greece. With a lightning-quick strike he captured Thebes and killed some 6,000 of its defenders. After that, he faced no serious opposition from the city-states, and embarked on a mission that had been Philip's dream: conquest of the vast Persian Empire to the east. Alexander's army moved into Asia Minor. Eventually, Alexander and his army passed through the ancient Phrygian capital of Gordian. In that city was a chariot tied with a rope so intricately knotted that no one could untie it. According to legend, the fabled King Midas had tied the Gordian Knot, and whoever could untie it would go on to rule the world. Alexander simply cut the knot. In a way the legend was fulfilled when Alexander took over control of the known world at the time. The Persian emperor Darius came to meet him with a force of 140,000 on his way to conquer Persia. Darius chose to wait it out, letting Alexander's forces come to him, and Alexander, taking this as a sign of weakness, charged on the Persians. Alexander nearly got himself killed, but the Battle of Issus was a decisive victory for the Greeks. Darius fled,