These following facts about Alexander the Great will definitely provide you much information about this figure. Alexander the Great was a king of the Greek kingdom of Macedon. He was born in Pella in 356 BC and succeeded his father Philip II, to the throne a 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 present-day Pakistan. To get to know more about this figure, here are some other facts about Alexander the Great you might be interested in.

Facts about Alexander the Great 1: Legacy

Alexander’s legacy includes the cultural diffusion his conquests engendered. He founded some twenty cities that bore his name, most Alexandria in Egypt. Alexander’s settlement of Greek colonists and the resulting spread of Greek culture in the east resulted in a new Hellenistic civilization, aspects of which were still evident in the traditions of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-15th century.

Facts about Alexander the Great 2: Legendary

Alexander became legendary as a classical hero in the mold of Achilles, and he features prominently in the history and myth of Greek and non-Greek cultures. He became the measure against which military leaders compared themselves, and military academies throughout the world still teach his tactics.

Facts about Alexander the Great 3: Siege on the City

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.

Facts about Alexander the Great 4: Cleitus the Black

In his early years, Alexander was raised by a nurse, Lanike, sister of Alexander’s future general Cleitus the Blak. Later in his childhood, Alexander was tutored by the strict Leonidas, a relative of his mother by Philip’s general Lysimachus.

Facts about Alexander the Great 5: Regency

At age 16, Alexander’s education under Aristotle ended. Philip waged war against Byzantion, leaving Alexander in charge as regent and heir apparent. During Philip’s absence, the Thracian Maedi revolted against Macedonia. Alexander responded quickly, driving them from their territory. He colonized it with Greeks, and founded a city named Alexandropolis.

Facts about Alexander the Great 6: Balkan Campaign

Before crossing to Asia, Alexander wanted to safeguard his northern borders. In the spring of 335 BC, he advanced to suppress several revolts. Starting from Amphipolis, he traveled east into the country of the “Independent Thracians”; and at Mount Haemus, the Macedonian army attacked and defeated the Thracian forces manning the heights.

Facts about Alexander the Great 7: Death

On either 10 or 11 June 323 BC, Alexander died in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II, in Babylon, at age 32. There are two different versions of Alexander’s death and details of the death differ slightly in each. Plutarch’s account is that roughly 14 days before his death, Alexander entertained admiral Nearchus, and spent the night and next day drinking with Medius of Larissa.

Facts about Alexander the Great 8: After Death

Alexander’s body was laid in a gold anthropoid sarcophagus that was filled with honey, which was in turn placed in a gold casket.According to Aelian, a seer called Aristander foretold that the land where Alexander was laid to rest “would be happy and unvanquishable forever”.

Facts about Alexander the Great 9: Division of the Empire

Alexander’s death was so sudden that when reports of his death reached Greece, they were not immediately believed. Alexander had no obvious or legitimate heir, his son Alexander IV by Roxane being born after Alexander’s death.

Facts about Alexander the Great 10: Character

Alexander earned the epithet “the Great” due to his unparalleled success as a military commander.He never lost a battle, despite typically being outnumbered.This was due to use of terrain, phalanx and cavalry tactics, bold strategy, and the fierce loyalty of his troops.

Hope you would find those Alexander the Great facts really interesting, useful and helpful for your additional reading.