Alexander The Great

5 Pages 1337 Words

Alexander the Great was king of the Macedonians and one of the greatest generals in history. Alexander was born in 356 as the son of the Macedonian king Philip II (359-336). Alexander the Great was born in 356 B.C. His father, Philip, was the brother of King Perdiccas III of Macedon or Macedonia, in northern Greece. His mother was Philip's wife Olympias, daughter of King Neoptolemus I of Epirus, in modern Albania. Alexander had a younger sister, Cleopatra (not the famous Egyptian queen). Unfortunately for Alexander and Cleopatra, their parents hated each other. In keeping with Macedonian tradition, Philip had several lesser wives, and Olympias regarded these other women and their children with great animosity. When one of her rivals gave birth to a retarded son, Philip Arridaeus, it was rumored that Olympias had caused his disability with poison. Olympias told Alexander that Philip wasn't his real father, but this probably wasn't true. Philip certainly seems to have believed that Alexander was his son. He made sure the boy was well educated; the great philosopher Aristotle was one of Alexander's tutors. At the age of 13, Aristotle was hired to be Alexander’s private tutor. Aristotle inspired interests of politics, other races of people and countries, plants and animals, and a great love for literature in Alexander. He was an outstanding athlete and excelled in every sport of his time. In 338 B.C., at the age of 18, Alexander led the cavalry of his father’s army in the Battle of Chaeronea, which brought Greece under Macedonian control. At the age of 20, Alexander’s father was murdered by one of his bodyguards, and Alexander succeeded the throne as king of Macedonia.

After his father's murder in 336 B.C. Alexander became King Alexander III. After Alexander’s father died, some Greek cities under Macedonian rule revolted. In 335 B.C., He had several rival claimants to the throne executed, including his cousin Amyntas, whose t...