World Civilization I
December 13, 2011
Alexander the Great
Alexander III was considered by many to be the greatest commander of all time, as he was undefeated in battle. Although he only lived to the young age of thirty two, he accomplished and conquered more than any man could ever imagine. Alexander was born in Pella in 356 BCE, and lived until June 323 BCE. He was commonly known as Alexander the Great.
He was the son of the king of Macedon, Phillip II and his fourth wife Olympias. His father, Phillip, had conquered much of Greece during that time. Although Phillip had multiple wives, Olympias was considered to be his primary wife due to the popularity of Alexander. Many legends exist in regards to Alexander the Great. There was an ancient Greek biographer by the name of Plutarch who claimed that on the eve of the consummation of her marriage to Philip, Olympias dreamed that her womb was struck by a thunder bolt, causing a flame that spread far and wide before dying away. There was a belief that Alexander was actually the son of the legendary god, Zeus. Alexander’s mother, Olympias, was very mystical in her own right. She practiced Darynessus, which were beliefs and practices entangled with wine and passion. She would often dance and become entranced. Her character was very tough and she had a lot of political pull.
In his early years, Alexander was tutored by a much disciplined Leonidas, who was a relative of his mother. As he got older, he began learning to read, play the lyre, ride, fight, and hunt. When Alex was 10, a horse that would change his entire life arrived. A trader brought the horse to Phillip in which he wanted to sell but, the horse refused to be mounted. The horse was ordered away, but Alex detected that the horse was afraid of its own shadow. Alex demanded that he be given a chance to try to tame the horse. He climbed on and rode off into the distance on the fearful horse. Phillip was overjoyed at...
