The Biggest Military Figure of Ancient History

To people, Alexander the Great was granted as one of the biggest military figure of our ancient history. He was defined to strive for greatness at a very young age by his father Philip II. Alexander was born in July of 356 BC in Pella Greece. His father's name was Philip II of Macedon, and his mother's name was Olympias. Alexander's mother had a dominant role in his life. Due to his father, not being around a lot because of the military campaigns and his other business. His main idol was his mother, even though his dad did have an impact on him with sending him to many teachers to educate him. Alexander was married three different times. That to Roxana from 327-323 BC, Stateira II from 324-323 BC, and Parysatis II from 324-323 BC. His parents were a huge impact to him growing up. He had a physique of an athlete. He was very skilled at hunting.

At the age of 12, Alexander had proven to his father that his greatness told by Plutarch showed his skills with many horses by training the untamable horses. One horse named Bucephalus was known for eating the flesh of the people that had tried to tame or even ride him. When Alexander took over and decided to ride him, he had done no such harm to Alexander. The horse was gifted by his father who was later dumbfounded because nothing had happened when Alexander rode him. Philip II had later educated Alexander by one of the finest teachers, Aristotle. He had taught Alexander at the age of 13, many ways of education which had later have a major impact on his life with many different situations. For example, he taught him science, poetry, drama, politics and many more. Philip had tried to raise his on with everything that he had known. As Philip went on a conquest to Persia, young Alexander was commanded the Macedonian left wing and annihilated the Scared Band of Thebans.

Two years later in 336 BC, Philip II was murdered. They said that a young noble in Philip's personal bodyguard was the one to pull a small weapon under his cloak and stabbed him in his heart which had killed him in a heartbeat. Many had said that Olympias was the one that had set up his death, but I could not later be proved. As the death is over with, Alexander had come to take over throne and became the King. Due to him being well known and worthy of himself, there were no questions about him being the King. As he was congratulated, he wanted to meet just one person. The great philosopher, Diogenes the Cynic. At the time, he was a famous citizen of Corinth. Diogenes the Cynic, was known for sleeping in the tub and had carried some source of light during the day, saying that he was looking for an honest man. The concept later became meaningful as Alexander's campaign of conquest to explore the rest of the known world.

Alexander had later destroyed a revolted city called, Thebes. He allowed the other city states to keep democratic government. He had prepared to complete the mission that had not accomplished, that was to invade Persia. He had completed his father's mission, and later the Persia Empire had traveled westward to conjoin the Greek cities of Asia Minor. This made one third of the Greek World. In 334 BC, Alexander went to Hellespont, between Europe and Asia Minor. Alexander had with him, 30,000 soldiers and 5,000 cavalries. They had worn armor, but they had also had a weapon called the long pike. Alexander had also brought along many other people, like the botanist, and geographers. They all collected information for Aristotle. As they kept records of the march, it served as the maps for the Asian centuries.

Alexander had visited ancient Troy to pay respect to Achilles and the other heroes of Iliad. In May, Alexander defeated a large body of Persian. It was said that it was four times the size of his own. As he then started to march towards the south, freeing the Greek cities from the Persian Empire, they became allies. During the winter time, he began to turn inland to subside the hill tribes. When he was in Gordium, he was shown a very special knot. A man had said that whoever could have united would be the ruler of Asia. Alexander had not doubt and cut the knot with his shiny sword.

Alexander army lead by Darius III of Persia, met in Issus, October of 333 BC. He was later founded out that he was charged of his cavalry against Darius who had later fled. He had later fled on to the coast of Phoenicia to reach the large Persian navy from its harbors. On a island, they were being held out for seven months until Alexander had used his knowledge to build a structure and that battered down the stone walls. During the end, the conqueror had reached Egypt. They had welcomed him and had accepted him as their pharaoh, or as they say king. He had strived and made many sacrifices to the gods. Near the end of the Nile River, they had found a new city which was later to be named, Alexandria after himself. It had took quick actions and replaced the Tyre as a major trade center in their region. It had later became into the first international city. As Greeks, Jews, Persians, and Macedonians, Indians and Africans were all brought in by the different options that were given in the port. As they all came together in the city, their culture became to be known as Hellenism. As it started to develop, both East and West were becoming to have an impact and change.

In the Libyan Desert, he had visited the Greek god Zeus, as he saluted him as the son of a great god. As he left Egypt in 331 BC, he had gone in search for Darius. As they met over a wide plain near a small village of Gaugamela, it was not far from a town called Arebla. As Darius had gathered his military strengths, with elephants they had a great number of troops. Alexander had then begun to start his march again towards Darius. As Darius had fled again, Alexander had conquered and won a great victory in October of 331 BC. He was claimed as king of Asia. The Persian city so big, took around two to three days for them to surrender. As they welcomed back he had made many sacrifices to the god Marduk. The capital of Persia, Susa had also opened many gates for him.

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