Alexander III the Great, usually called Magnus, was son of
Philip II and Olympia. He was born in the year 356 BC.
He is regarded as one of History's most famous
personalities for his courage and achievements as a
military leader. He was very fond of arts and
humanities,
and had Aristotle as his preceptor, who convinced him
of
his superiority above Persians. His horse Bucefalous
was
also well-renowned, considered to be a cross between a
dromedary and an elephant.
He
defeated Thebans at Queronea
battle and destroyed
Thebes. He disembarked in Asia Minor and defeated
Persian
at the Granico battle. He defeated Darius III, king of
Persian, at the Ipsos battle and took Capadocia,
Jerusalem
and Damask.
He also invaded Egypt, where he founded Alexandria. He
then
advanced towards Mesopotamia, where he accomplished the
Persian massacre at the Gaugamela battle, held in
October
331 BC. Darius ran away pursued by Parmenium and was
murdered by Bessus the satrap. Alexandre the Great
occupies
Suza and Persepolis, appointing himself king of
Persian. He
then crossed the Afghanistan borders and reached to
India.
The destruction of the Persian empire granted to Greece
the
supremacy over the Near East. Alexander attempted to
arrange marriages between his generals and Persian
women in
order to establish a friendful relation between Persia
and
Greece.
His death also represented the death of his policies.
He died in Babylon at 33 years of age, in the year 323
b.c.