Born in the Macedonian capital Pella Alexander was taught by Aristotle when he was 13, and he commanded the cavalry of his father when he was only 18. His father, Philip II, had united the Greek states in a confederacy against Persia, the world empire which had threatened Greece for a long time.

Alexander became king of Macedonia at the age of 20. After he consolidated his power over Greece he took up his fathers task of the Persian adventure.

In 334 BC Alexander crossed into Asia and systematically began the conquest of the Persian Empire. Everywhere he championed Greek ways and founded numerous cities, the most important of which was Alexandria in Egypt.

After 330 BC, when the Persian monarch was killed by his own troops, Alexander claimed to be his legitimate successor. He aspired to conquer the whole world, and was disappointed when his weary troops, after subduing the easternmost reaches of the Persian empire and invading northwestern India, refused to march any further.

After a difficult return trip to Babylon, the great conqueror died suddenly of a fever at age 33.