Top 20 Alexander the Great Facts
#20: His Origins Have Sparked Competing Claims
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Alexander the Great was famously Macedonian. Macedonia was an ancient kingdom located in the northern region of present-day Greece, was characterized by its Hellenic culture, language, and traditions. In contrast, today's North Macedonia, which gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, has a distinct Slavic heritage, reflecting a blend of cultural influences due to its location in the Balkans. The debate over Alexander's legacy arises from these cultural differences: Greece's Macedonia claims continuity with the ancient kingdom's Hellenic culture, while North Macedonia seeks to assert its connection to the historical region through geographical and, to some extent, historical ties. This has led to complex discussions about identity, heritage, and the right to claim a shared past.
#19: He Had Heterochromia Iridum
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Alexander’s appearance is best represented by statues and coins, but neither of those accurately portray his most distinguishing feature – his different colored eyes. The condition, known as heterochromia iridum or iridis, affects approximately 6 out of 1,000 people. Alexander had complete heterochromia, where one iris is a completely different color from the other. Arrian, a famous Greek historian, wrote “he had one eye dark as the night and one blue as the sky.” This was echoed by British historian Peter Green, who reviewed several ancient documents and determined that one of his eyes was blue and the other was brown.
#18: He Was Aristotle’s Student
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Whether you study classical history or not, most people are familiar with the name Aristotle. One of history’s greatest philosophers, Aristotle wrote on many subjects and is considered by some to be the first genuine scientist in history. He also spent three years tutoring Alexander. Aristotle was hired by Alexander’s father, Philip, who agreed to rebuild the teacher’s hometown of Stageira as payment. It is believed that Alexander developed his passion for the works of Homer while studying under Aristotle. The philosopher even gave the great conqueror an annotated copy of the Iliad, which Alexander took on his campaigns.
#17: He Had Numerous Important Influences
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In addition to Aristotle, the remarkable achievements of Alexander were shaped by various mentors and prominent figures he admired. His father King Philip II of Macedon didn’t just hire a tutor, he provided Alexander with a strong foundation in military and political leadership. Alexander's admiration for the Homeric hero Achilles influenced his desire for glory and immortality, driving him to undertake epic conquests. Importantly, he was also inspired by Cyrus the Great, the founder of the Persian Empire, whose model of leadership and governance Alexander sought to emulate in his own empire. These influences combined to create a leader who was not only a military genius but also a patron of the arts and sciences, leaving a legacy that would shape cultures and civilizations long after his death.
#16: He May Have Been Involved in a Plot to Kill His Father
Philip and Alexander had a strong relationship when he was a child, but that slowly deteriorated over time. It didn’t help when Philip decided to marry Cleopatra Eurydice, putting Alexander’s right to the throne in jeopardy. Mysteriously, however, Philip was assassinated at a wedding banquet in 336 BCE by his own bodyguards. With the throne open, Alexander was proclaimed king at just 20 years old and immediately had all potential rivals removed, including his own cousin. Although there is no proof, many people believe that either Alexander and/or his mother Olympias were involved in Philip’s murder.
#15: His Sexuality Reflected His Time Period
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Alexander’s relationship with Hephaestion, his closest friend and companion, is one of the most discussed aspects of his personal life. Ancient sources, such as those by Plutarch and Arrian, depict their relationship as one of unparalleled closeness, often comparing them to Achilles and Patroclus, another pair famous for their bond. While explicit evidence of bisexuality is limited by the historical context and the nature of ancient sources, Alexander's life reflects the broader sexual norms of his time, where relationships between men were not uncommon and could coexist with heterosexual relationships. The speculation about Alexander's bisexuality, including his relationship with Hephaestion, underscores the complexity of historical figures' personal lives and the way modern perspectives interpret ancient behaviors and social norms.
#14: His Royal Steed Was Also Noteworthy
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No legendary commander is complete without a noble steed upon which to ride into battle. According to Plutarch, Alexander won the horse when he was about 12 years old by making a wager with his father Philip, who agreed to purchase the animal if Alexander could tame it. The horse, called Bucephalus, was a mighty steed who possessed a mighty temper. Alexander, realizing that the horse simply feared his own shadow, lured the horse towards the sun and successfully calmed the animal. Bucephalus served Alexander in multiple battles before eventually dying during the Battle of the Hydaspes in June 326 BCE.
#13: He Was a Proponent of Cultural Open-Mindedness
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Cyrus’s influence on Alexander was extensive, particularly in terms of valuing cultural toleration. This was revolutionary for his time – Alexander actively encouraged the spread of Greek culture while also adopting or tolerating local customs and practices. Acceptance of religions and traditions was a key factor in his successful conquest and subsequent governance. By showing reverence to local deities and participating in traditional ceremonies, he won the hearts and minds of his new subjects. His respect for local traditions helped to legitimize his rule and integrate the diverse populations of his empire. It also demonstrated Alexander's understanding that military conquest alone was not enough to maintain control over such a vast and culturally diverse empire.
#12: He Was Revered as a Demi-God
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During his campaign in Egypt, Alexander visited the Oracle of Ammon at Siwa Oasis, where, according to legend, the oracle confirmed him as the son of Zeus Ammon, a syncretism of the Greek god Zeus and the Egyptian god Ammon. This divine affiliation not only elevated Alexander's status among his followers and subjects but also strategically bolstered his claim to rule over Egypt and the vast territories he aimed to conquer. By adopting the identity of a demi-god, Alexander leveraged religious and cultural symbols to unify his diverse empire, intertwining his military conquests with a narrative of divine destiny and supernatural favor, further enhancing his legacy as a ruler chosen by the gods.
#11: He Was a Chip Off the Old Block
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Even though he may have tried to kill his dad, Philip II of Macedon, reigning from 359 to 336 BCE, was hugely influential in Alexander’s success. He was a transformative military strategist whose innovations laid the groundwork for his son’s future conquests. Philip reorganized the Macedonian army and introduced the sarissa-armed phalanx, a formation that utilized long spears to create a nearly impenetrable wall of defense and offense. This innovation proved instrumental in Philip's victories over various Greek city-states, including the significant defeat of the Athenians and Thebans at the Battle of Chaeronea in 338 BCE, effectively bringing Greece under Macedonian hegemony. Philip's strategies, infrastructure, and the professional standing army he developed made him an architect of the Macedonian Empire's greatness.
#10: He Was a Master Tactician
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The siege of Tyre in 332 BCE showcased Alexander’s tactical brilliance and innovative military strategy. Faced with the challenge of capturing an island city fortified by massive walls, Alexander decided to build a causeway to connect the mainland to the island. This monumental engineering feat involved moving vast quantities of rubble and debris from the old mainland city and nearby areas into the sea. Despite facing fierce resistance from the Tyrians, who used ships to attack the workers and launched fire ships to burn the wooden structures, Alexander's forces countered by constructing two towers equipped with artillery to protect the workers and the bridge. His persistence and ingenuity in overcoming the natural and man-made defenses of Tyre demonstrated his mastery of siege warfare.
#9: He Brought Down the Persian Empire
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Alexander faced the Persian King Darius III in three famous battles and boldly refused truce terms in his audacious letters to Darius. The last of the three battles resulted in the fall of the Persian Empire. In the Battle of Gaugamela, also known as the Battle of Arbela, the Macedonian army was outnumbered by the Persians, but they succeeded due to their phalanx formation, which they perfected under Alexander’s leadership. This formation involved a tight grouping of soldiers carrying shields and spears, making it difficult to penetrate. The defeat of the Persians exposed some of Alexander’s vices, including his alcoholism. A heavy drinker, he got so drunk that he burned Persepolis, one of the biggest cities of the Persian Empire, though whether it was by accident or on purpose is not known.
#8: He Never Lost a Battle
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The winning started early. Alexander won his first military victory at just 18 years old, and the wins just kept on coming. He took on the Persian Empire at just 22 years old and defeated them in three major battles resulting in their destruction less than 3 years later. Eventually, Alexander moved into India and defeated King Porus in an epic battle in 326 BCE. He even conquered the coastal base of Tyre by building a causeway over half a mile long to access the island. Although Alexander’s armies were usually outnumbered, his bold tactics, military speed, and superior leadership allowed him to defeat any enemy he faced.
#7: What We Know About Him Is a Blend of History and Myth-Making
The propagandization of Alexander the Great's image and achievements through history is a fascinating study of ancient and posthumous reputation management. While Alexander himself employed Callisthenes, a nephew of Aristotle, to document his campaigns, much of what contemporary audiences know about him comes from sources written centuries after his death, such as Plutarch, Arrian, Diodorus Siculus, and Quintus Curtius Rufus. These historians, writing in different contexts and for various purposes, contributed to the mythologizing of Alexander, blending fact with legend. Their accounts were influenced by the prevailing political, cultural, and philosophical ideas of their times, often portraying Alexander as a heroic, god-like figure. This process of propagandizing has shaped Alexander's legacy, making it a blend of historical fact and the embellishments of successive generations.
#6: His Era Was Not About Sparta
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Alexander’s era is often conflated with earlier periods of Greek history, particularly events like those depicted in the movie "300," which dramatizes the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE during the Persian Wars. But Alexander's conquests occurred approximately 150 years after King Xerxes' invasion of Greece, a time when Sparta's influence had waned from its zenith during the Persian Wars. Alexander's campaigns focused on creating a vast empire that stretched from Greece through Asia Minor, Egypt, and into the Persian Empire and India, far beyond the concerns of the city-states like Sparta that had previously dominated Greek life. His era marked a shift from the localized conflicts of the Greek city-states to the creation of a vast Hellenistic empire.
#5: The Conqueror Liked to Put His Name on Cities
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Alexander actually named a city after his horse in 326 BCE on the Hydaspes, now known as the Jhelum. In fact, he founded or renamed up to 70 cities during his conquest. Naturally, he named almost every single one after himself, calling them all Alexandria. The most famous Alexandria was founded at the mouth of the Nile River in 331 BCE. Once the home of Cleopatra and the wondrous Great Library, it is currently the second largest city in Egypt.
#4: He Could Cut to the Heart of the Matter
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The Gordian Knot was an intricate knot used by Gordius and tied by his son Midas to keep his ox-cart secured. It was better known by the famous prophecy that predicted that whoever untied the knot would become the king of Asia. Over the years, many people attempted to untie the knot, but none succeeded. However, this changed when Alexander reached the town of Gordium. Ever the problem solver, the story goes that Alexander grew frustrated with the knot, and immediately pulled out his sword and sliced it in half. He would eventually fulfill the prophecy by conquering Asia as far as the Oxus and the Indus.
#3: He Could Really Hold a Grudge
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The vengeful character Alexander often displayed is most epitomized by his decision to burn down Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire, in 330 BCE. This act was seen as retribution for the Persian King Xerxes' burning of Athens during the Greco-Persian Wars, generations earlier. Although Alexander's campaign was primarily aimed at conquering the Persian Empire and avenging previous Greek defeats, the destruction of Persepolis went beyond military objectives, serving as a symbolic act of vengeance and closure for the historical grievances between Greece and Persia. The burning of Persepolis is often cited as a moment where Alexander's personal emotions and desire for revenge influenced his decisions, showcasing a vengeful aspect of his character that intertwined with his military and political ambitions.
#2: Roxana Was Pretty Great Too
Alexander had many impressive accomplishments in his life, including the remarkable capture of Sogdian Rock in 327 BC. While surveying the captives, he noticed Roxana – also known as Roxanne - the daughter of a Bactrian nobleman. Despite opposition from his generals and friends, Alexander married Roxanne in a traditional ceremony, and she would go on to give birth to a son. Alexander also had other Macedonian men take Persian wives and adopted several aspects of Persian culture, including their dress, thanks to Roxana’s influence.
#1: His Death Was Suitably Mysterious
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By the time he was 32, Alexander had accomplished more than many could have in three lifetimes. Unfortunately, he suddenly died in June 323 BCE. Sources differ on the cause, with some claiming that he developed a fever after a day of drinking that was so severe he was unable to speak. Others claim that he may have been poisoned, with one source even going as far as to say that Aristotle was involved. Natural causes like typhoid fever or malaria have also been suggested, but we likely will never know the real cause. What do you think is the most astonishing fact about Alexander the Great’s life? Let us know in the comments!
