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Alexander the great
Alexander was born in Pella, Macedonia. He was the son of Philip of Macedon, who was an excellent general. His mother was Olympias, princess of Epirus. When Alexander was 13 years old he became Aristotle’s student. Aristotle gave his student a great love for literature. Alexander's education was not all from books, however. He talked with ambassadors from many foreign countries and with people at his father's court. When he was only 18, he commanded part of Philip's cavalry at the battle of Chaperone. Alexander also acted as his father's ambassador to Athens.
Alexander was 20 when he became king of Macedonia. The Greek other states had grown restless under Macedonian rule. Someone spread a story that he was , while he was away making war on some barbarian tribes in the north. The people in the city of Thebes revolted and called upon the people of Athens to join them. Alexander came down hard one them Every building in Thebes was destroyed, except the temples and the house of the poet Pindar because of Alexander’s orders. About 30,000 inhabitants were sold into slavery. Alexander's action broke the spirit of rebellion in the other Greek states. Alexander later overtook the weak Persian Empire. He marched victory to victory and eventually reached kind Darius who was already for him to find. When Alexander’s campaign had gone on for too long, his wearied troops refused to go further. He began planning another campaign when he came down with a fever and said to give his empire to the strongest. No one knew who could exceed Alexander’s greatness So they divided his kingdom up into 3 parts. Macedonia and Greece, Egypt, and Persia.
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