Alexander the Great’s story begins in 356 BC, born in Pella to King Philip II and the fiercely ambitious Olympias. From his earliest days, Alexander was surrounded by greatness—his mother claimed divine lineage from Achilles, and his father, a master strategist, shaped Macedonia into a military powerhouse. Tutored by Aristotle, young Alexander absorbed the wisdom of philosophy and science while honing his skills as a warrior. His boundless ambition and fearlessness were evident even as a boy, famously taming the untamable horse Bucephalus, a feat that foreshadowed his destiny to conquer the unconquerable.
When his father was assassinated, 20-year-old Alexander ascended to the throne, inheriting not only the kingdom of Macedonia but also his father’s dream of uniting Greece and toppling Persia. In just a few short years, he proved his brilliance on the battlefield, defeating Darius III and claiming the Persian Empire’s crown jewels—Babylon, Persepolis, and Susa. But Alexander wasn’t content with conquest alone; he envisioned a world where East and West were united. Founding cities and embracing the customs of those he conquered, he sought to forge a legacy greater than any before him.
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