The glorious life of Alexander the Great

Birth and family

Alexander III was born in 356 BCE in Pella, the capital city of the Kingdom of Macedon, as the son of King Philip II and the legendary Olympias. His bloodline was the combination of Macedonian royalty and the royal lineage of Epirus, an ancient kingdom part of modern-day Greece and Albania.

Early campaigns

In 340 BCE, while King Philip II fought Byzantium, Alexander crushed the Thracian Maedi tribe (located in modern-day Bulgaria). Two years later, he commanded a major regiment of his father’s army during the Battle of Mount Haemus against Athens and Thebes. These youthful victories earned Alexander prestige as a warrior.

Consolidating Greece

He restored order in Greece and was confirmed commander of the League of Corinth, which gave him authority over all Greek forces as they marched against the Persian Kingdom. This would be known as the Persian Campaign, and it effectively united the Greek states behind him.

Victory at Issus

In 333 BCE, Alexander confronted Darius III, the last king of Persia (pictured), at Issus in Syria. He won a decisive victory, and Darius fled, leaving his family in Alexander’s hands. This gave Alexander control of Syria and Phoenicia at the young age of 23.

Conquest of Egypt

A few months later, Alexander entered Egypt unopposed. He was hailed as liberator, crowned pharaoh in Memphis, and founded the city of Alexandria at the western edge of the Nile River Delta.

Fall of Persia

After Gaugamela, Alexander occupied Babylon and the ancient city of Susa, seizing vast treasures. He then captured Persepolis, the Persian ceremonial capital (pictured), while treating Darius’ family with courtesy. His actions helped quell any remaining resistance.

Revolt and marriage

The following year, Alexander faced a revolt led by Spitamenes, a warlord in the ancient Iranian civilization of Sogdia. After defeating the insurgents and capturing their stronghold, he married a woman named Roxana, who was the daughter of a nobleman. This allowed him to secure an alliance with the region’s elites.

Battle of Hydaspes

At 30 years old, he defeated the ancient Indian king Porus at the Hydaspes River (now located in Pakistan). He won a hard-fought victory despite Porus’ war elephants. To mark his triumph, Alexander founded the cities Boukephala and Nikaia on either side of the river.

Desert crossing

In 325 BCE, he marched through the Gedrosian desert in the Iranian plateau, but the journey was catastrophic. Extreme heat, thirst, shortages of food and water, and storms decimated three-quarters of Alexander’s army and camp followers.

Susa weddings

In 324 BCE, Alexander held a grand mass wedding festival at Susa. He and about 80 Macedonian officers married Persian noblewomen, including Alexander himself wedding two of Darius’ daughters, all with the aim of uniting the ruling classes.

Personality

Alexander’s successful conquests were marked deeply by his character. He was charismatic and visionary, yet could be ruthless if necessary. He believed that he was descended from the gods and had a genuine interest in learning. His boldness inspired deep loyalty among his troops. But this did not save him in the end.

Illness and mystery

Ancient accounts report Alexander fell ill and died after a protracted fortnight of illness. He suffered fever and severe abdominal pain, yet remained conscious as his strength failed. These symptoms have fueled debate over the precise cause of his death.

Poison theories

Rumors soon blamed poisoning. A later legend even claims that a court cupbearer served Alexander a poisoned drink. Historians typically regard this story with skepticism, as it appeared long after his death.

West Nile theory

Some researchers propose that he perished from mosquito-borne West Nile encephalitis. Reports of ravens dying near Babylon and Alexander’s symptom profile fit this insect-borne disease. But no one will ever truly know for certain.

Wars of successors

With no clear heir, the kingdom’s generals proclaimed Alexander’s half-brother, Philip Arrhidaeus, and his son, the infant Alexander IV, as joint kings. The empire was then partitioned, and each general took a region, which soon became independent Hellenistic kingdoms.

Hellenistic world

Alexander’s conquests spread Greek culture across three continents, laying the foundations for the Hellenistic world. His cities and military kingdoms carried Greek language and learning from Egypt all the way to India.