I-Heart-Mykonos-tank-top.jpg
Greek-flag-socks.jpg
Santorini-luggage-tag.jpg
save-water-drink-ouzo-t-shirt.jpg

Alexander the Great

Greece is rightly proud of the King of Macedonia, Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), as the Greek Empire was at its mightiest during his reign. By the time of his death his armies had conquered lands throughout the Middle and Near East, as far as the Punjab, and down into Egypt, where he founded the city of Alexandria and where he is somewhere thought to be buried – although he actually died in Babylon.

The story of Alexander the Great: https://www.greece-travel-secrets.com/Alexander-the-Great.htmlAlexander the Great Statue in Thessaloniki

Philip of Macedonia

Alexander’s father, Philip II of Macedonia, was already extending his Empire and gave his son, who was born in Alexander the Great, the very best start in life. He had the finest teachers, including Aristotle, and he was commanding part of the Macedonian Army by the age of eighteen. Two years later his father Philip was assassinated as he prepared to invade Persia, and it cannot be certain that Alexander did not actually have a hand in this. 

Alexander immediately took command of the Macedonian troops, and in 334 BC took an army of some 35,000 of them across the Hellespont (now the Dardanelles) and although outnumbered they defeated the Persian Army allegedly with the loss of only 110 of their own men. He had already swiftly put down rebellions in some of the Greek city-states, notably Thebes, which he burned to the ground.

From Persia he turned his attention to the Middle East, conquering Damascus, then Palestine, and finally marching into Egypt. Here he was welcomed for liberating the country from the Persians, and in 331 BC he founded Alexandria, having by this time complete control of the Eastern Mediterranean. Not satisfied with his, he headed for India, where he won more victories but at the cost of great numbers of men. 

The story of Alexander the Great: https://www.greece-travel-secrets.com/Alexander-the-Great.html

Alexander the Great, as depicted in the Alexander Mosaic

The Death of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great was back in Babylon in 323 BC, turning his attentions to conquering more of Arabia and further west into North Africa, when he was taken ill with a fever after a banquet and died eleven days later. His body was taken in a gold casket to Alexandria, but his burial place has never been firmly established. Some recent archaeological digs claim to have found his tomb in the Egyptian desert, but without convincing proof.

Alexander the Great's Legacy

There is no doubt that Alexander was indeed one of the greatest leaders in history, noted for his tactical ability, his charisma in leading his men and inspiring bravery in his troops, and for his own bravery too. Like all such leaders, though, he had his ruthless side and didn’t hesitate to eliminate potential rivals just as swiftly and as brutally as he wiped out his enemies.

It is also said that he had a vision not merely to conquer the world but to unite both East and West in one large harmonious Empire. Certainly the cities he founded were all civilised and cultured places, and he fervently spread Greek culture and language while taking an interest in the cultures of the lands he conquered. He might well even be regarded as the most important Greek who ever lived.

Other Greek history pages

  • This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.

    Greek Architecture

    This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.

  • Sir Arthur Evans is the archaeologist famous for the excavations he made at the royal palace of Knossos on Crete.

    Sir Arthur Evans, archaeologist at Knossos on Crete

    Sir Arthur Evans is the archaeologist famous for the excavations he made at the royal palace of Knossos on Crete.

  • The archaeological site of Vergina in Macedonia is famous for the royal tombs which were the burial place of King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.

    The Royal Tombs and Archaeological Site of Vergina in Macedonia

    The archaeological site of Vergina in Macedonia is famous for the royal tombs which were the burial place of King Philip II, father of Alexander the Great.

  • The home of the Greek Gods was the top of Mount Olympus, and among the better-known Gods and Goddesses in the Greek pantheon were Zeus, Poseidon and Aphrodite.

    The Greek Gods

    The home of the Greek Gods was the top of Mount Olympus, and among the better-known Gods and Goddesses in the Greek pantheon were Zeus, Poseidon and Aphrodite.

  • Did Homer write The Odyssey and The Iliad, and what is known about the life of this famous Greek writer, when did he live, where was he born, and was he blind?

    Homer and the Odyssey

    Did Homer write The Odyssey and The Iliad, and what is known about the life of this famous Greek writer, when did he live, where was he born, and was he blind?

  • A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.

    A History of Athens

    A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.

  • Heinrich Schliemann was a German archaeologist who explored sites connected with Homer, including Troy, Mycenae, and Ithaca, and made some extraordinary finds

    Heinrich Schliemann

    Heinrich Schliemann was a German archaeologist who explored sites connected with Homer, including Troy, Mycenae, and Ithaca, and made some extraordinary finds

  • The Battle of Crete during World War 2 inspired several books and took place with an airborne invasion over Maleme on the north coast of the island.

    Battle of Crete

    The Battle of Crete during World War 2 inspired several books and took place with an airborne invasion over Maleme on the north coast of the island.

Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how...

Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it?

  1. Click on the HTML link code below.
  2. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable.

Latest Posts

  1. Greece Welcomes Parthenon Fragments Returned by the Vatican

    Greece welcomed three sculpture fragments from the Parthenon, which were returned following an intervention by Pope Francis by the Vatican Museums, during a reunification ceremony in Athens. The fragm…

    Read More

  2. PM: Greece to Hold General Elections on May 21

    Greeks will be going to the polls on May 21 after the country’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, announced the news on Tuesday.

    Read More

  3. Transavia to Fly Direct to Kefalonia from Paris in Summer 2023

    Low-cost Dutch airline Transavia, part of the Air France-KLM group, this summer will operate direct flights between Paris and the Greek island of Kefalonia two times per week, according to the Greek N…

    Read More

  4. Greece Among Europe’s Top 10 Most Desired Destinations for Easter

    Greece is among the 10 most searched for destinations in Europe, according to travel intelligence provider ForwardKeys, as intra-European air seat capacity is set to recoup pre-pandemic levels this Ea…

    Read More

  5. Elefsina’s Archaeological Museum Reopens After Refurbishment

    The Archaeological Museum of Elefsina, one of the first archaeological museums in Greece, has reopened its doors to the public after completing maintenance and improvement works. The upgrade focused o…

    Read More

  6. Athens’ Iconic Lykavittos Theater to Reopen in Fall

    The historic Lykavittos open-air theater atop Lycabettus Hill in central Athens, will be reopening to the public following a complete revamp, announced Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis this week. The po…

    Read More

  7. Passengers Rank Thessaloniki ‘Makedonia’ Airport Among Best in Europe

    Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport has been named one of the top in Europe at the 2022 Airport Service Quality (ASQ) Awards by the Airports Council International (ACI) World and travel technology compan…

    Read More

  8. Greece on Top 20 List of Best Countries for Entrepreneurs and Startups

    Greece is among the top 20 countries for entrepreneurs and startups, according to a recent study conducted by Compare the Market, a UK-based insurance comparison website.

    Read More

  9. Travelers from Poland Already Booking Greek Summer Holidays

    Demand from Poland is growing with 30 percent of Polish travelers having already booked their holidays to Greece, according to feedback collected by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) duri…

    Read More

  10. Europe’s Highest Growth in February Airbnb Demand was in Greece

    Demand for Airbnb-style rentals in Greece was the strongest in Europe last month despite historically being the least busy period of the year, marking a 60 percent increase compared to 2022, said anal…

    Read More