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The Life Of Alexander The Great

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The Life of Alexander the Great There are many great conquers in the history of this world. Augustus Caesar, Atilla the Hun, Charlemagne, to name a few. But none of these quite measure up to Alexander III of Macedonia. Or, his more common title: Alexander the Great. He conquered much of Asia and the Persian Empire, and left a legacy that will not be forgotten. Alexander III was born in Pella, capitol of Macedonia, on July 20th 356 BC to Olympus, Princess of Epirus, and Philip II, King of Macedonia. He was a well-educated young boy, and his tutor was none other than the famous scholar Aristotle. He studied until 340 BC, when he began to work with his father, Philip II, on several military attacks. Alexander worked with his father up …show more content…

Once Alexander had been named king of Macedonia, he was thrown into a series of uprisings that his father’s death had triggered. He quickly forced his way into Northern Greece, and restored Macedonian rule there. After taking control of Northern Greece, he moved south, surprising the Southern Greeks and forcing them to acknowledge his rule. Then, assuming the Greeks were well aware of his power, he returned to Macedonia, and proceeded to conquer the Thracians, Tribalians, and the Illyrians. After these battles, rumors had sprung up in Greece that Alexander had died. Enraged with the rumors that had broken out; Alexander proceeded to move to Thebes, covering 240 miles in two weeks. This astonishing speed made the Athenians and Peloponnesians reconsider siding with the Thebans, leaving them alone. After the Thebans refused to surrender, Alexander and his men stormed the city, killing more than 6,000 Thebans and taking 30,000 more as slaves to sell. They plundered and destroyed the city, save the temples. This short battle made the rest of Greece realize that it was futile to riot, and the country remained under Alexander’s rule. In spring of 334 BC, Alexander and his troops set out to fight what some say is his most famous fight, The Battle of Granicus. During this battle, Alexander was 22 years old, and he was facing the forces of King Darius III, who is said to be the young king’s greatest rival. His

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