Why know Alexander III as Alexander the great? I History I facts II

History

Why is Alexander Great famous?

Although king of ancient Macedonia for less than 13 years, Alexander the Great changed the course of history. One of the world’s greatest military generals, he created a vast empire that stretched from Macedonia to Egypt and from Greece to part of India. This allowed for Hellenistic culture to become widespread.

What was Alexander the Great’s childhood like?

Alexander was the son of Philip II and Olympias (daughter of King Neoptolemus of Epirus). From age 13 to 16 he was taught by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who inspired his interest in philosophy, medicine, and scientific investigation. As a teenager, Alexander became known for his exploits on the battlefield.

How did Alexander the Great die?

While in Babylon, Alexander became ill after a prolonged banquet and drinking bout, and on June 13, 323, he died at age 33. There was much speculation about the cause of death, and the most popular theories claim that he either contracted malaria or typhoid fever or that he was poisoned

What was Alexander the Great like?

While he could be ruthless and impulsive, Alexander was also charismatic and sensible. His troops were extremely loyal, believing in him throughout all hardships. Hugely ambitious, Alexander drew inspiration from the gods Achilles, Heracles, and Dionysus. He also displayed a deep interest in learning and encouraged the spread of Hellenistic culture.

Facts about Alexander the Great

• Alexander was born to the fourth wife of King Philip II, Olympias, the daughter of Epirus King, Neoptolemus I. Olympias was the principal wife of Philip out of seven or eight wives, probably because she was the mother of Alexander

• Alexander the Great’s royal upbringing ensured that he got the best education possible for the time period, and one of the young prince’s teachers just so happened to be the famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, a well-known fact about Alexander the Great.

• Aristotle had agreed to teach Alexander in exchange for King Phillip rebuilding his home in Stagira. These lessons at a young age are said to have inspired Alexander and they helped him develop a life-long love of philosophy. It is also said that his intelligence was a key factor in many of his key victories throughout his life.

• Aristotle taught them art, logic, religion, morals, medicine, and philosophy. Alexander completed his education at the age of 16 under Aristotle
• There are several myths surrounding the birth of Alexander the Great. One of them is that his mother, Olympia had a dream that her stomach was struck by a bolt of lightning on the day that she conceived Alexander. Many have interpreted this as Olympia seeing Alexander as being the son of Zeus.
• Alexander the Great’s royal upbringing ensured that he got the best education possible for the time period, and one of the young prince’s teachers just so happened to be the famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, a well-known fact about Alexander the Great.
• Aristotle had agreed to teach Alexander in exchange for King Phillip rebuilding his home in Stagira. These lessons at a young age are said to have inspired Alexander and they helped him develop a life-long love of philosophy. It is also said that his intelligence was a key factor in many of his key victories throughout his life.
• Alexander the Great had been involved in several battles before this date but his first major battle took place with the Persians at the Granicus River in May 334 BC. After crossing the Asian Minor, Alexander was attacked by a waiting Persian Army.
• The battle was tough and Alexander nearly lost his own life but his forces eventually overcome and won the battle. Alexander also had the Greek mercenaries who had worked with the Persian army executed as a show of power.
• History will always remember Alexander the Great as one of the greatest military leaders of all time but it was actually reform brought about by his father, King Phillip II, that laid the blueprint for his many victories, an interesting fact about Alexander the Great
• While his father’s legacy may not be as well known, he still helped establish Macedon as a key powerhouse who would dominate enemies for the best part of half a century. He developed the Macedonian phalanx tactic, which saw soldiers march very tightly together with pikes, which would then allow the calvary to attack as well.

• Alexander the Great married only once in his life. When he was 28, he married the daughter of a Bactrian nobleman called Roxanne. It said that he claimed to have fallen in love with her the moment that he first saw her and the couple were married not long after their first meeting.
• The couple had only one child together before Alexander’s untimely death – a son known as Alexander IV
• Alexander the Great was known for a great many things during his lifetime and one of them, surprisingly, was that he had a penchant for alcohol, especially wine, and would regularly get into drunken disputes, an interesting fact about Alexander the Great.
• In one famous incident, he threw a spear through his friend Brutus’ chest after a drunken argument, killing him. There are many historians who believe that his alcohol heavy lifestyle could have been one of the factors that contributed significantly to his early death.
• Though it was fairly common for the aristocracy and those in positions of power to live comparatively longer lives than their subjects, Alexander the Great died at just 32 years of age in the city of Babylon.
• The death of Alexander the Great is one of history’s most intriguing mysteries. While the ‘official’ cause of his death was a fever that he developed over the course of a few weeks, there has been a lot of speculation from historians about this, with many suggesting that he could have, in fact, been assassinated.(source credit-https://factsking.com/)