Alexander The Great: Life, Empire and Legacy

The legend of the Gordian Knot stated that any man who could untie the knot would destined to rule the world. Alexander drew his sword and slashed the knot in two releasing the knot. Alexander's destiny would become true.

Alexander was born on July 20th 356 B.E.C. to the parents Phillip and Olympians. Phillip was the King of Macedonia and someday Alexander was going to rule his father's kingdom. Alexander received his first teacher when he was seven. The tutor was Leonidos, a very strict disciplinarian. When Alexander was thirteen he got a new tutor. The tutor was a very wise man called Aristotle. When Aristotle was Alexander's tutor he taught him Philosiphy, ethics, politics, and healing. He also instilled a love for Greek literature, and a sense of scientific method and logic. Also when he was thirteen he received his first horse named Bucephalas. Three years later Alexander fought in his first battle at Macedonia. Alexander's parents also were no separated by this time.

When Alexander was Twenty-one years old his father was murdered. Alexander become the King of Macedonia. He became Alexander III, king of Macedonia. Alexander had his father's creative fighting power and the army was well prepared thanks to Phillip. Alexander's first duty as king was to drive out the barbarians out of Thebes and Athens. After doing this it probably gave Alexander a taste of glory.

Alexander began his conquest. He lead a Phanhellenic invasion of the Persian empire to eliminate tyranny and oppression. Alexander sought revenge on Persia for its incasion on Greece in 490 B.C.E. Him and his army conquered lands outside of the Persian empire. In 334 B.C.E. Alexander crossed the Hellesport with his army into Asia Minor. He landed on the shore of Troy like his hero Achilles. He then crossed the river of Granicus near the Aegean coast. Him and his army came across Darius the king of Persia. The Persians and the Macedonian army fought. Alexander was victorious. The Macedonian army then marched through Ionia to free Greek cities from Persian rule. Spring of November 333 B.C.E. Alexander and his army battled Darius and the Persian army at the mountain pass at Issus. Again Alexander and his men won but Darius had escaped. Alexander then entered Damascus and captured Darius's war cheat and his family. Alexander went on his conquest and captured all the cities down the Phoenician coast. To capture Tyre it took seventeen months but the Tyrians eventually gave up. In 331 he left Egypt to pursue Darius. While doing this he conquered the lands between Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Alexander finally located the Persian army at the plains of Guagamela. Yet again he conquered the Persian army but Darius escaped. After this battle Alexander was named King of Asia. After this it was 331 B.C.E. and Alexander and his army traveled the Phoenician coast. He was welcomed by the people and a city was named after him. He then Journeyed across the river to visite the oracle of Zeus Ammon. Alexander was told he would be the ruler of the World. During this stay at Egypt they made him the Pharaoh. Alexander continued and conquered Babylon and Susa. The now great army of Macedonia fought its way into Persepolis, the capital of the Persian Empire. Alexander stayed several months and rested his army. His army then burnt down the royal palace. In 330 B.C.E. there was a plot to assassinate Alexander. Alexander totured and executed the his friend Pilotas because he was accused of being the leader of the plot. After this Alexander became paranoid. After Alexander had solved that problem he continued his pursuit to catch Darius. When Alexander caught up to Darius he found the Darius dead because he was murdered by his own men. Alexander gave Darius a royal burial and he killed the Assassins of Darius. After this he and his men marched into Parthia. When in Parthia Alexander tried to mend the gap between the Persians and the Greeks. Alexander began to wear Persian style of dress, and he started a trainging program to teach Persians Greek and Macedonian culture. He also married a Persian dancer name Roxane. In 327 B.C.E Alexander left Parthia and Marched into India. Once he reached India he reshaped his army. On July 326 B.C.E. Alexander and his Army had their greatest battle against India. India was lead by a powerful Indian leader Porus. The battle occurred at the river Hydaspes. The Indians faught with elephants and Alexander's horse was injured but Alex was victorious. Porus was captured but Alexander let him govern his territory. Alexander's horse he had since he wast thirteen died also. Alexander named a city after his beloved horse. After all this his next goal was to reach the Ganges river which was 250 miles away. But his men refused to go further. They have conquered to the Indus river and now they were tired. Alexander persuaded them to travel the Hydaspes and Indus rivers on rafts. His men and him stopped at a village belonging to the Malli, one of the most warlike of the Indian tribes. During the battle Alexander was wounded. An arrow had pierced Alexander's breastplate and ribcage but luckily Alexander was rescued by his men. In 325 B.C.E Alexander and his men sailed to the mouth of the Indus River and marched across the Gerdrosian Desert. This was a big mistake. Alexander lost three quarters of his men to starvation. Alexander's and his men's fortune changed. They reached Carmania where they were welcomed. They then traveled to Harmezeia where the met the other men who took a different route. They then marched inland to Persis to rest. In 324 B.C.E Alexander arranged thousands of marriages between the Greek soldiers and the Persian women in susa. It was there also that Alexander took a second wife, Stateira. Ironically, She was one of Darius's daughters. Alexander traveled with his men to Babylon where. Little did Alex know that this would be the last city he would live in. Many bad omens happened before his death but he ignored them. On June 19th 323 B.C.E. Alexander the great died of fever.

Though Alexander died his name will go down in history as the great. Many signs said he would rule the world. Alexander died at age thirty two but he managed to conquer most of the world in that time period. If he did not die of such an early age there no telling what other amazing feats he could have accomplished.