Who was Alexander the great?
Answers
Answer:
Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. A member of the Argead dynasty, he was born in Pella—a city in Ancient Greece—in 356 BC.
Answer:
Alexander the Great was a king of Macedonia who conquered an empire that stretched from the Balkans to modern-day Pakistan.
Alexander was the son of Philip II and Olympias (one of Philip's seven or eight wives). He was brought up with the belief that he was of divine birth. "From his earliest days, Olympias had encouraged him to believe that he was a descendent of heroes and gods. Nothing he had accomplished would have discouraged this belief," writes Wellesley College classics professor Guy MacLean Rogers in his book "Alexander" (Random House, 2004).
"The personality of Alexander the Great was a paradox," Susan Abernethy of The Freelance History Writer told LiveScience. "He had great charisma and force of personality but his character was full of contradictions, especially in his later years (his early thirties). However, he had the ability to motivate his army to do what seemed to be impossible."
Alexander was a visionary, said Abernethy. His ability to dream, plan and strategize on a large scale allowed him to win many battles, even when he was outnumbered. It also helped motivate his men, who knew they were part of one of the greatest conquests in history.
Alexander could be inspiring and courageous, continued Abernethy. He was devoted to training his men, rewarding them with honors and spoils, and going into battle beside them, which furthered their devotion and confidence. "The fact that Alexander was young, beautiful and empathetic only helped to increase his influence on his soldiers and subjects," she said.
Yet, despite his military accomplishments, ancient records say that he failed to win the respect of some his subjects and, furthermore, he had some of the people closest to him murdered.
Alexander the prince
Alexander was born around July 20, 356 B.C., in Pella, which was the administrative capital of Macedonia. His father was often away, conquering neighboring territories and putting down revolts. Nevertheless, King Philip II of Macedon was one of Alexander's most influential role models, said Abernethy. "Philip ensured Alexander was given a noteworthy and significant education. He arranged for Alexander to be tutored by Aristotle himself … His education infused him with a love of knowledge, logic, philosophy, music and culture. The teachings of Aristotle [would later aid] him in the treatment of his new subjects in the empires he invaded and conquered, allowing him to admire and maintain these disparate cultures."
Explanation: