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Alexander III of Macedon (20/21 July 356 – 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great (Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Μέγας, Aléxandros ho Mégas [a.lék.san.dros ho mé.gas]),iii[›] was a King (Basileus) of the Ancient Greek kingdom ofMacedon[1][2][3] and a member of the Argead dynasty. Born in Pella in 356 BC, Alexander succeeded his father, Philip II, to the throne at the age of twenty. He spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through Asia and northeast Africa, until by the age of thirty he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to Egypt and into northwest India.[4] He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history's most successful military commanders.[5]
Born of Epiriote Princess, Alexander the son of Philip II of Macedon, was not a true heir of the throne of the Kingdom of Macedonia. Phillip II fathered many children with his many wives and his marriage to the mother of Alexander’ mother was a political move to establish alliance and peace with the king of Epirus. Phillip’s relationship to Olympia was not a good one. Phillip regarded her as a “barbarian” and a sorceress and finds her in bed with a snake. According to the writings of ancient writer Plutarch, this was the conception of Alexander. He claims that Olympias was impregnated not by Philip, who was afraid of her and her affinity for sleeping in the company of snakes, but by Zeus. Plutarch (Alexander 2.2-3) relates that both Philip and Olympias dreamt of their son's future birth. Olympias dreamed of a loud burst of thunder and of lightning striking her womb. In Philip's dream, he sealed her womb with the seal of the lion. Hence the prophesied birth of Alexander is what gave him his name, “A le, si Ander” which in Pelasgian (Albanian) can be translated as “born like the dream”. The importance of his birth is also affirmed by Italian historian, Valerio Massimo Manfredi, in his bestseller book called “Alexander; Child of a Dream”.
Olympia played a major role in Alexander’s career and was the driving force behind his rise to the throne. Characterized as “arrogant, headstrong and meddlesome…”, Olympia may have had a hand in Phillip’s assassination and did everything in her power to insured that Alexander was Phillip’s successor. She also embedded into Alexander his admiration for the Trojan War. Olympia was the daughter of Neoptolemus I of Epirus of the house of the Molossians, the Epirus royal house of Molissus, direct decedent of Achilles. This may have been the motivation for Alexander’s obsession to conquer the East.
As a child, Alexander, was picked on and verbally abused by Phillip. This made their relationship a difficult one. Phillip considered Alexander a better fit for choir rather than warfare. This caused Alexander to seek a father figure on his mother’s side. At an early age, he was under the mentorship of Olympia’s cousin, Leonidas of Epirus. Not having Phillip as a father figure did not sit well with Alexander, yet he knew that Macedonia was too small for him. This became apparent to Phillip and Olympia, when Alexander figured out how to ride the crazy house that no man could. This was the turning point when Olympia convicted Phillip that their son needed tutoring in more than just warfare. Phillip sought a tutor for his son who spoke the language of his mother tongue, the Thracian who had studied under Plato, Aristotle. It was with Aristotle that Alexander learned Greek and about the Hellenic culture.
Olympia played a major role in Alexander’s career and was the driving force behind his rise to the throne. Characterized as “arrogant, headstrong and meddlesome…”, Olympia may have had a hand in Phillip’s assassination and did everything in her power to insured that Alexander was Phillip’s successor. She also embedded into Alexander his admiration for the Trojan War. Olympia was the daughter of Neoptolemus I of Epirus of the house of the Molossians, the Epirus royal house of Molissus, direct decedent of Achilles. This may have been the motivation for Alexander’s obsession to conquer the East.
As a child, Alexander, was picked on and verbally abused by Phillip. This made their relationship a difficult one. Phillip considered Alexander a better fit for choir rather than warfare. This caused Alexander to seek a father figure on his mother’s side. At an early age, he was under the mentorship of Olympia’s cousin, Leonidas of Epirus. Not having Phillip as a father figure did not sit well with Alexander, yet he knew that Macedonia was too small for him. This became apparent to Phillip and Olympia, when Alexander figured out how to ride the crazy house that no man could. This was the turning point when Olympia convicted Phillip that their son needed tutoring in more than just warfare. Phillip sought a tutor for his son who spoke the language of his mother tongue, the Thracian who had studied under Plato, Aristotle. It was with Aristotle that Alexander learned Greek and about the Hellenic culture.
Lineage and childhood
Bust of a young Alexander the Great from the Hellenistic era, British Museum
Aristotle tutoring Alexander, by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris
Alexander was born on the sixth day of the ancient Greek month of Hekatombaion, which probably corresponds to 20 July 356 BC, although the exact date is not known,[11] in Pella, the capital of the Kingdom of Macedon.[12] He was the son of the king of Macedon, Philip II, and his fourth wife, Olympias, the daughter of Neoptolemus I, king of Epirus.[13][14][15] Although Philip had seven or eight wives, Olympias was his principal wife for some time, likely a result of giving birth to Alexander.[16]
Several legends surround Alexander's birth and childhood.[17] According to the ancient Greek biographer Plutarch, Olympias, on the eve of the consummation of her marriage to Philip, dreamed that her womb was struck by a thunder bolt, causing a flame that spread "far and wide" before dying away. Some time after the wedding, Philip is said to have seen himself, in a dream, securing his wife's womb with a seal engraved with a lion's image.[18] Plutarch offered a variety of interpretations of these dreams: that Olympias was pregnant before her marriage, indicated by the sealing of her womb; or that Alexander's father was Zeus. Ancient commentators were divided about whether the ambitious Olympias promulgated the story of Alexander's divine parentage, variously claiming that she had told Alexander, or that she dismissed the suggestion as impious.[18]
On the day that Alexander was born, Philip was preparing a siege on the city of Potidea on the peninsula of Chalcidice. That same day, Philip received news that his general Parmenion had defeated the combined Illyrian and Paeonian armies, and that his horses had won at the Olympic Games. It was also said that on this day, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, burnt down. This led Hegesias of Magnesia to say that it had burnt down because Artemis was away, attending the birth of Alexander.[14][19] Such legends may have emerged when Alexander was king, and possibly at his own instigation, to show that he was superhuman and destined for greatness from conception.[17]
In his early years, Alexander was raised by a nurse, Lanike, sister of Alexander's future general Cleitus the Black. Later in his childhood, Alexander was tutored by the strict Leonidas, a relative of his mother, and by Philip's general Lysimachus.[20] Alexander was raised in the manner of noble Macedonian youths, learning to read, play the lyre, ride, fight, and hunt.[21]
When Alexander was ten years old, a trader from Thessaly brought Philip a horse, which he offered to sell for thirteen talents. The horse refused to be mounted and Philip ordered it away. Alexander however, detecting the horse's fear of its own shadow, asked to tame the horse, which he eventually managed.[17] Plutarch stated that Philip, overjoyed at this display of courage and ambition, kissed his son tearfully, declaring: "My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambitions. Macedon is too small for you", and bought the horse for him.[22] Alexander named it Bucephalas, meaning "ox-head". Bucephalas carried Alexander as far as India. When the animal died (due to old age, according to Plutarch, at age thirty), Alexander named a city after him,Bucephala.[15][23][24]
Adolescence and educationWhen Alexander was 13, Philip began to search for a tutor, and considered such academics as Isocrates and Speusippus, the latter offering to resign to take up the post. In the end, Philip chose Aristotle and provided the Temple of the Nymphs at Mieza as a classroom. In return for teaching Alexander, Philip agreed to rebuild Aristotle's hometown of Stageira, which Philip had razed, and to repopulate it by buying and freeing the ex-citizens who were slaves, or pardoning those who were in exile.[25][26][27]
Mieza was like a boarding school for Alexander and the children of Macedonian nobles, such as Ptolemy, Hephaistion, and Cassander. Many of these students would become his friends and future generals, and are often known as the 'Companions'. Aristotle taught Alexander and his companions about medicine, philosophy, morals, religion, logic, and art. Under Aristotle's tutelage, Alexander developed a passion for the works of Homer, and in particular the Iliad; Aristotle gave him an annotated copy, which Alexander later carried on his campaigns.[28][29][30]
Bust of a young Alexander the Great from the Hellenistic era, British Museum
Aristotle tutoring Alexander, by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris
Alexander was born on the sixth day of the ancient Greek month of Hekatombaion, which probably corresponds to 20 July 356 BC, although the exact date is not known,[11] in Pella, the capital of the Kingdom of Macedon.[12] He was the son of the king of Macedon, Philip II, and his fourth wife, Olympias, the daughter of Neoptolemus I, king of Epirus.[13][14][15] Although Philip had seven or eight wives, Olympias was his principal wife for some time, likely a result of giving birth to Alexander.[16]
Several legends surround Alexander's birth and childhood.[17] According to the ancient Greek biographer Plutarch, Olympias, on the eve of the consummation of her marriage to Philip, dreamed that her womb was struck by a thunder bolt, causing a flame that spread "far and wide" before dying away. Some time after the wedding, Philip is said to have seen himself, in a dream, securing his wife's womb with a seal engraved with a lion's image.[18] Plutarch offered a variety of interpretations of these dreams: that Olympias was pregnant before her marriage, indicated by the sealing of her womb; or that Alexander's father was Zeus. Ancient commentators were divided about whether the ambitious Olympias promulgated the story of Alexander's divine parentage, variously claiming that she had told Alexander, or that she dismissed the suggestion as impious.[18]
On the day that Alexander was born, Philip was preparing a siege on the city of Potidea on the peninsula of Chalcidice. That same day, Philip received news that his general Parmenion had defeated the combined Illyrian and Paeonian armies, and that his horses had won at the Olympic Games. It was also said that on this day, the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, burnt down. This led Hegesias of Magnesia to say that it had burnt down because Artemis was away, attending the birth of Alexander.[14][19] Such legends may have emerged when Alexander was king, and possibly at his own instigation, to show that he was superhuman and destined for greatness from conception.[17]
In his early years, Alexander was raised by a nurse, Lanike, sister of Alexander's future general Cleitus the Black. Later in his childhood, Alexander was tutored by the strict Leonidas, a relative of his mother, and by Philip's general Lysimachus.[20] Alexander was raised in the manner of noble Macedonian youths, learning to read, play the lyre, ride, fight, and hunt.[21]
When Alexander was ten years old, a trader from Thessaly brought Philip a horse, which he offered to sell for thirteen talents. The horse refused to be mounted and Philip ordered it away. Alexander however, detecting the horse's fear of its own shadow, asked to tame the horse, which he eventually managed.[17] Plutarch stated that Philip, overjoyed at this display of courage and ambition, kissed his son tearfully, declaring: "My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambitions. Macedon is too small for you", and bought the horse for him.[22] Alexander named it Bucephalas, meaning "ox-head". Bucephalas carried Alexander as far as India. When the animal died (due to old age, according to Plutarch, at age thirty), Alexander named a city after him,Bucephala.[15][23][24]
Adolescence and educationWhen Alexander was 13, Philip began to search for a tutor, and considered such academics as Isocrates and Speusippus, the latter offering to resign to take up the post. In the end, Philip chose Aristotle and provided the Temple of the Nymphs at Mieza as a classroom. In return for teaching Alexander, Philip agreed to rebuild Aristotle's hometown of Stageira, which Philip had razed, and to repopulate it by buying and freeing the ex-citizens who were slaves, or pardoning those who were in exile.[25][26][27]
Mieza was like a boarding school for Alexander and the children of Macedonian nobles, such as Ptolemy, Hephaistion, and Cassander. Many of these students would become his friends and future generals, and are often known as the 'Companions'. Aristotle taught Alexander and his companions about medicine, philosophy, morals, religion, logic, and art. Under Aristotle's tutelage, Alexander developed a passion for the works of Homer, and in particular the Iliad; Aristotle gave him an annotated copy, which Alexander later carried on his campaigns.[28][29][30]