Life of Alexander the Great

Life of Alexander the Great

Introduction

Alexander was one of the renowned Persian Empire conqueror and King of Macedon (336-323 BC). His life primarily signify him as an influential and significant commander of Macedonian army, as his conquered empire included Greece (in 336 BC), Persia, Asia minor (in 333 BC), and Egypt where he established the city of Alexandria. He conquered the Persians again in Assyria in 331 BC, continued his indefatigable journey to east, and invaded India in 327 BC. He also invaded the Punjab before rebellious troops forced his retreat (Pierre, 1996).

Discussion

Personal life

Alexander was born to the Queen Olympias (375-316 BC) and King Philip II of Macedon (382-336 B.C.) in 356 BC at Pella, Macedonia. Alexander's father was mostly engaged in military campaigns, and Alexander very rarely interacted with his father and Olympias crammed his heart with resentment for his father. However, his education was of imperative concern to both the parents (Pierre, 1996).

Educational life

A relative of Olympias, Leonidas was hired by Philip as one of Alexander's first teachers to edify horsemanship, archery and arithmetic. Lysimachus was Alexander's favorite tutor, under whom he impersonated as Achilles (a Greek warrior) in the game and contemplated Achilles as his role model (Pierre, 1996).

Philip asked Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) in 343 BC, to be a tutor to Alexander. Aristotle was the prominent scientist and Greek philosopher who mentored Alexander in politics, government, sciences, drama, and poetry in the Macedonian village of Mieza for three consecutive years (Pierre, 1996).

Naissance of the soldier

In 340 BC, Alexander finished his education at Mieza. Philip left 16 year old Alexander as an acting king in his absence while he was fighting. In less than a year, Alexander commanded his first military attack on a rival tribe and in year 338 BC, he assisted Philip against the two Greek states of Thebes and Athens and commanded the cavalry in Battle of Chaeronea (The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia, 2010). When Philip took charge of the military alliance of Corinthian League and married another woman, Alexander ended his military assistance and relationship with his father and left Macedon with Olympia. However, he reunited with his father eventually.

Alexander's life as king

In 336 BC, Pausanias (a Macedonian noble) assassinated Philip and is sister married his uncle Alexander in Macedonian capital of Aegai. Alexander opted for kingship and after the approval of Macedonian army ...