Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great

Alexander was the son of King Phillip II of Macedonian, a loving son that looked up to his father as a great worrier and King, one of whom he admired and emulated. Alexander was born in 356 B.C in Pella, where he was very well loved and cared for as a child. He was born into a life of luxury and wealth, with immense high expectations of him. At the age of 13 his father hired one of the greatest Greek philosopher and teacher Aristotle, who would become Alexander’s greatest mentor. Aristotle give him the best training in literature and rhetorical questions which stimulated his interest in science, medicine, and philosophy, all of which became of importance in Alexander’s later life and allowed him to be as successful as he was. 

At the age of 16 King Philip II left Alexander to rule Macedonia, soon after invading Thrace to which Alexander had to defend against rebels trying to over through them, he assembled an army which destroyed the opposition in swift, decisively tactics and with precision; where he captured the Maedi stronghold, and immediately rename it to Alexandropolis. In 338 B.C at the age of 22 King Phillip gave his son a commanding post among the senior generals, a great achievement for Alexander who was known for having a good reputation and high expectations even during the time the Macedonian army invaded Greece.

Soon after accomplishing this task and winning the war with great bravery and glory, Alexander’s family suffered a big split when his father married Cleopatra; forcing Alexander to flee with his mother to Epirus. Alexander returned to his father after constant pleading, but he stayed very much distrustful and uncomfortable during that time. Not to long after his return King Phillip II was assassinated resulting in heavy speculation that Alexander was involved in his father’s killing. Many thought his mother was the one behind it all, but in the end Alexander became King. As King, Alexander immediately ordered the killing of his step-family ceasing any chance of a successor to claim his throne and assassinating all his enemies.  The death of King Phillip created instability in all the conquered nations. Alexander began a campaign that would stretch farther than his own father ever dreamed of; creating the greatest empire. Alexander went on to conquer and surpass a few countries that his father couldn’t for instance: Macedonian, Greece, Granicus, Egypt, and Babylon just to name a few, an empire that stretched all the way passed Persia into India. Alexander’s men were feeling fatigued, yearning to go home even though they conquered city after city, but Alexander was able to persuade them to continue on. Unfortunately tragedy will continue to follow Alexander, for instance, one night after a drunken brawl with provocative words from Cleitus stating Alexander was responsible for the murders of Parmenio and Philotas. He went further by ridiculing Alexander for claiming to be "son of Ammon" and for denouncing his own father Philip II. This provoked Alexander to lose his temper, snatching the spear from one of the bodyguards standing near him and killed Cleitus with it. Although he mourned his friend excessively and nearly committed suicide when he realized what he had done, Alexander began fearing his paranoia and dangerous temper. Alexander also went on marring a Persian noble-woman, an act that would solidify previous marriages between soldiers and native women giving them extravagant weddings. This resulted in a political slap to the face to the society of Greece that he claimed to have dearly loved. Alexander also had planned for an Arabian campaign, but he resigned due to a bad fever he contracted after attending a private party thrown by his friend Medius of Larisa. The fever worsened each day enabling him to not being able to move or speak, keeping him in bed. His soldiers from Macedonia were allowed to past by their leader for one last time before he died. Alexander the Great never met his death in a glorious battle like he wanted; instead he died on June 7, 323 B.C on his bed at the age of 33. Alexander, the Macedonian King, who never lost a fight from the ages of 22 through 33, a great king who conquered all of the Persian Empire, died without designating a successor to his Empire. 

                                           Alian Pequeno-Gimenez