Alexander the Great Essay -- essays research papers

Alexander the Great was born in June, 356 BCE in the ancient capital of Macedonia called Pella. He was the son of Philip II, King of Macedon and Olympia, Princess of Epirus. Alexander inherited his father’s excellent organization skills and his mother’s hot temper. When Alexander was a young boy his mother had taught him that Achilles was his ancestor and that his father is a descendant from Hercules. This inspired Alexander to learn the Iliad by heart and always carry with him. Alexander showed signs of fearlessness and strength at a very early age. He tames the horse Bucephalus, which was a horse that nobody touched or rode. Later in his life Alexander rode Bucephalus to India, where it died. He then built the city of Bucephalus on the Hyphasis River in memory of his horse. Alexander’s parents saw the potential in their son to be a great leader, so they hired Aristotle as his personal tutor. Aristotle and Alexander studied together at Mieza, a temple 20 miles from his palace in Pella. Alexander learned philosophy, politics, ethics and medicine, as well as played sports and exercised daily to develop a strong body. Aristotle also sparked Alexander’s interest in other countries and races of people. When he was eighteen, Alexander commanded part of his father’s cavalry at the battle of Chaeronea.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In 335 BCE, Philip II was assassinated, and at the age of twenty Alexander ascended to the Macedonian throne. When Alexander took the throne many peopl...