He Conquered the Known World—And Then Some
In less than a decade, Alexander the Great conquered the known world, even pushing the borders of his sprawling empire into the uncharted territories of the Indus Valley. How he conquered the world—and then lost it—is an epic tale of betrayal, fate, heroism, and villainy.
1. He Was The Heir Apparent
Alexander the Great, or Alexander III of Macedon, was born in in mid-356 BC. As the son of King Philip II of Macedon and his fourth wife, Olympias, Alexander was the heir apparent to the burgeoning superpower that his father was building. Although, it’s not exactly clear who his father really was.
2. He Was (Possibly) The Son Of Zeus
According to legend, Alexander wasn’t just the son of King Philip II, but also of the King of the Gods, Zeus. Alexander’s mom claimed to have had a dream in which her womb was struck by a lightning bolt, causing a flame “to spread far and wide”.
For the Macedonians, it was a clear sign that Alexander was destined to do great (or terrible) things. He didn’t waste any time getting started.
3. He Saw What No One Else Could
The first hint that Alexander was destined for greatness came when he was just 10 years old. A trader, hailing from another Greek city, brought a horse to Philip in an effort to sell the animal. However, the horse simply refused to have anyone ride it, and wildly bucked and kicked at any who dared approach.
Anyone, that is, except for Alexander.
4. He Tamed A Wild Beast
Alexander noticed something that no one else had: the horse was afraid of its shadow. When Alexander’s turn came to try and tame the animal, he stunned everyone watching. Not only did he manage to get the horse to calm down, but he mounted it and rode it around. What followed was a very real lifelong friendship.
5. He Would Ride His Horse Across The World
The Greek philosopher and historian Plutarch recounted the rest of the events. He claimed that Philip, overcome with pride and joy for his son, declared, “My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambitions. Macedon is too small for you”.
He purchased the horse for Alexander who named it Bucephalus, which translated to “ox-head”, for his stubbornness. Together, Alexander and Bucephalus would conquer the world.
6. He Learned From The Best
Given his potential for greatness, Philip II knew that Alexander required a great instructor—and only the best would do. He hired none other than the legendary Greek philosopher, Aristotle, as Alexander’s tutor. Aristotle taught the future world conqueror to, among other things, “read, play the lyre, ride, fight, and hunt".
We’ll let you guess which of those activities Alexander excelled at.
7. He Met His “Companions”
Alexander wasn’t the only one to learn from the great Aristotle. His classroom at Mieza served as something of a “boarding school” where he forged lifelong friendships with other students such as Ptolemy, Hephaistion, and Cassander. If those names sound familiar, they should.
These “Companions” would ride right alongside Alexander into the fiercest battles of his conquests—and would be the ones left to fight over his empire.
8. He Was A Fighter—And A Lover
In order to conquer the world, Alexander would need more than brawn. He would need a brain—and Aristotle gave it to him. From his philosophy teacher, Alexander learned all about “medicine, philosophy, morals, religion, logic, and art”.
He also had a profound respect for Greek literature, delving into the works of Homer (even bringing a copy of the Iliad on campaign), and reciting Euripides by heart.
9. He Saved His Father’s Life
When he was 16, Alexander left the classroom for the battlefield. After his education with Aristotle, Alexander continued proving that he was a phenom, serving successfully as regent in his father’s absence and attaining his first victories in the battlefield.
Legend has it that he even saved his father during a battle with the army of Perinthus. But he didn't do it all by himself.
10. He Was Kind Of A Nepo Baby
Alexander gets all of the credit for his later exploits—but he was kind of a nepo baby. It was, in fact, his father, Philip II, who reformed the Macedonian army, pioneered new battle technologies and strategies, and assembled the most elite fighting force the world had ever seen.
But that wasn't the only advantage he gave to his privileged son.
11. His Father Was The Supreme Leader
With his elite Macedonian phalanx, each hoplite equipped with a fearsome 20-foot long sarissa, Alexander’s father achieved the unthinkable: He united the ceaselessly warring and fractious Greek city-states. By sheer force of will, Philip II forged the Hellenic Alliance and crowned himself “hegemon” (supreme leader).
And with the Greek world conquered, he set his sights on the real prize: The Persian Empire. But he couldn’t conquer Alexander.
12. He Almost Lost His Inheritance
Philip II conquered Greece and had plans to conquer Persia—but he couldn’t conquer his own household. At the wedding of Philip’s new (and much younger) wife Cleopatra, her uncle suggested that her children would be the “true heirs” to the throne.
Alexander, furious (and probably deep in his cups), hurled a bowl at the upstart and declared, “What, am I then a bastard?” His father did not like that...
13. He Outsmarted His Own Father
Philip, in a drunken rage, lunged at Alexander with a sword in retaliation for his surly remarks. Thankfully, Philip tripped and landed flat on his face. Alexander proceeded to further humiliate his father, sneering, “See there, the man who makes plans to cross from Europe into Asia, and he can’t even cross from one seat to another”.
He was right about that.
14. He Became King Under Suspicious Circumstances
In 336 BC, Philip’s plans to invade Persia came to a screeching halt—and Alexander’s date with destiny kicked into hyperdrive. At yet another wedding, things turned bloody when Pausanias, once a trusted bodyguard, ran King Philip through, ending his rule and his life.
The already dramatic event became even more dramatic when, at just 20 years of age, Alexander’s kinsmen proclaimed him king on the spot. No one yet imagined how far he would go.
15. He Took Over The Family Business
Despite their differences, Alexander shared his father’s ambitions. After ascending to the Macedonian throne, Alexander wasted no time taking Philip’s title of “hegemon” and continuing the preparations to invade Persia. But first, he would have to reconquer Greece.
16. He Showed Thebes Who Was Boss
Not everyone in Greece was thrilled about Alexander taking the throne. Thebes rebelled, thinking that Alexander was weaker than his father and hoping to overthrow their new “barbarian” overlord. They had no clue what they were getting themselves into.
Alexander razed Thebes to the ground, enslaved its people, and spared only the house of a poet he admired. With Greece subdued, he set his sights further afield.
17. He Took The Fight To Persia
In 334 BC, Alexander crossed the Hellespont with a massive army of over 48,000 infantry, 6,100 cavalry, and a fleet of over 100 ships. But his campaign was unlike any the world had seen before, consisting of historians, scribes, and even philosophers.
Nevertheless, he planned to conquer Persia with the sword, launching a spear into the ground and proclaiming Asia “a gift from the gods”.
18. He Solved The Gordian Knot—His Way
According to legend, much like King Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, Alexander opened his campaign with a mythical feat. In Gordium, he encountered the legendary Gordian Knot. Allegedly, whoever untied the impossibly tangled rope was prophesied to rule all of Asia.
Alexander didn’t waste time with patience or puzzles, though. He drew his sword and sliced the knot in half. Conquering Asia, however, would not be that easy.
19. He Was Severely Outnumbered
If Alexander thought that he was simply going to march into Persia and take it over, he had another thing coming. Darius III, the thirteenth Achaemenid King of Kings and ruler of the Persian Empire, reportedly boasted an army of 2.5 million fighters, assembled from across his vast lands.
In other words, Darius III brought the world to bear against Alexander. It wasn't enough.
20. He Faced An Army Of Immortals
Alexander’s march into Persia pitted him against some of the most formidable fighting forces of the ancient world. The Persian cavalry, renowned for their speed and precision, joined with archers and scythe chariots—vehicles equipped with razor-sharp blades designed to cut down enemy infantry in droves.
But the most fearsome men in Darius III’s army were the elite “Immortals,” who according to myth, had never lost a single man. Alexander would prove their name false.
21. He Prepared For A Major Battle
At first, Darius III thought that he could ignore Alexander’s arrival in Asia. But, after a brief skirmish near the town of Granicus, it became apparent that the Achaemenid “King of Kings” would have to deal with the upstart Macedonian himself. The two titans prepared to square off near the coastal town of Issus in what would be the first major battle of Alexander’s campaign.
22. He Outsmarted The “King of Kings”
Given his superior numbers, Darius III wanted to force Alexander to face him head-on. So, he attempted to outmaneuver Alexander and cut off his supply lines, thus forcing Alexander to press onward. But he made a huge mistake: The battle location—which, funny enough, Darius III had chosen himself—was too narrow for the maneuver.
Plus, Alexander had his own plans.
23. He Perfected A Winning Strategy
At Issus, Alexander attempted a battle tactic that showcased his bravery and battlefield prowess. He used his army’s speed to misdirect enemy forces, drawing them toward one flank and subsequently creating a gap in the center of their lines. Then, when the moment was right, he would strike.
24. He Was The Pointy Edge Of The Spear
Just as he had planned, Alexander’s feint created a gap in Darius III’s lines. Seeing the opening, Alexander executed the next part of his plan: Cut off the head of the snake. On cue, he personally spearheaded a cavalry charge directly into the center of the Persian lines—straight at the “King of Kings”.
25. He Forced Darius III To Flee
Alexander’s bold charge proved two things. First, that he was as brave as he was bold, and secondly, that Darius III was neither. The Persian King, stunned by the Macedonian onslaught and by Alexander’s fierceness, panicked and fled the battlefield for fear of his life.
His fighters, humiliated and terrified, fell into chaos and began a retreat of their own.
26. He Took Darius III’s Family As Captives
As Alexander claimed victory at Issus, Darius III fled so quickly that he abandoned his wife, mother, and children. Not to mention, a massive cache of Persian treasure, fueling Alexander’s campaign.
But that day, Alexander the Great walked away with more than just Darius III’s stuff.
27. He Gained A New “Mother”
Following the battle at Issus, Darius’ mother, Sisygambis, was so disillusioned by her son’s defeat and cowardice that she disowned him. Then she added insult to injury. Sisygambis embraced Alexander as her son, giving him legitimacy in the eyes of the Persians—and infuriating Darius III.
28. He Turned Down A King’s Ransom
After such a humiliating defeat, Darius III attempted to save face by negotiating a peace treaty. He offered Alexander 10,000 talents in exchange for his family and all of the lands that he had already conquered. However, Alexander immediately rejected the generous offer—because he wanted something more.
29. He Wanted The World
When Alexander rejected Darius III’s offer, he sent a clear message to the Persians and to his own men. He didn’t just want to defeat Darius III; he wanted the world and everything in it. Darius III, however, would do anything to avoid another confrontation.
30. He Rejected Another Offer From Darius
After Alexander rejected his first offer, Darius III came back with an even better one. This time, he offered Alexander a bride; his daughter Stateira II. And to sweeten the deal, he even agreed to give Alexander a massive swathe of his territory. Once again, however, Alexander rejected the offer outright.
31. He Was Offered Half An Empire
Desperate to avoid another humiliating defeat, Darius III extended yet another offer to Alexander. This time, he flattered Alexander, praising him for his humane treatment of his family. He offered to make Alexander co-ruler of the Persian Empire, the hand of another daughter, and a staggering 30,000 talents of silver.
This offer was almost too good to refuse. But Alexander was Alexander.
32. He Wanted To Be The Only King
When Alexander discussed Darius III’s third offer with his generals, Parmenion suggested they accept, saying, “If I were Alexander, I should take what is offered”. Alexander famously replied, “So should I, if I were Parmenion”. Ultimately, he rejected the offer again, saying, “There can be only one king of Asia”.
33. He Laid Siege To Tyre
With all diplomatic channels exhausted, Alexander returned to the battlefield. In an effort to gain control of the Mediterranean coast, he turned his attention from pursuing Darius III to Tyre, a fortress city on an island. The siege lasted seven grueling months, testing Alexander’s patience and battlefield ingenuity.
It also tested his humanity.
34. He Left No Survivors
When Tyre finally fell, Alexander’s response was brutal. He ordered his men to slaughter all the men of fighting age and sold the women and children into slavery. This harsh punishment was a message to others who dared to resist. Shockingly, not everyone was scared.
35. He Confronted Resistance In Gaza
Alexander continued gobbling up swathes of Darius III’s empire. Eventually, he found himself marching toward Egypt when he encountered another fortified city: Gaza. Built on a hill and heavily defended, Alexander’s generals warned him that Gaza might be the rock that would break the wave that was his Macedonian army.
36. He Did The Impossible
Alexander’s engineers told him that Gaza’s height and fortifications made it impossible to conquer. But that only made him even more determined. After three failed assaults, his fighters finally breached the city, but not before Alexander himself sustained a serious wound.
Like Tyre, Alexander took out his frustration on the people of Gaza, slaughtering the men and enslaving the women and children.
37. He Was The Liberator Of Egypt
By the time Alexander arrived in Egypt in 332 BC, his reputation had preceded him. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that of a bloodthirsty Greek ogre. The Egyptians had grown tired of Persian rule and greeted Alexander with open arms as a liberator. In fact, they thought he was divine.
38. He Was Crowned In Memphis
Alexander went on a brief tour of his new acquisition before returning to Memphis. Once there, he decided to make things official. He was crowned as the Pharaoh of Egypt at the temple of Ptah at Memphis.
Being a king was one thing, but being a pharaoh had its perks.
39. He Honored The Egyptian Gods
Alexander embraced his new role as Pharaoh of Egypt. He quickly went about restoring old temples that the Persians had let fall into disrepair. Additionally, he commissioned new monuments to Egyptian deities, integrating himself into the region’s rich cultural heritage. And he was just getting started.
40. He Claimed Divine Ancestry
Alexander journeyed to the Siwa Oasis in the Libyan desert to consult the oracle of Amun-Ra. There, he was pronounced the son of Amun, effectively making him the son of an Egyptian deity. The move legitimized his rule in Egypt, aligning him with a lineage of divine pharaohs.
41. He Claimed Divine Origins
There was just one problem with Alexander claiming divine ancestry from Amun-Ra; he was already (allegedly) the son of Zeus! But Alexander had a clever way of fixing that little problem. Alexander began referring to Zeus-Ammon as his true father. Clearly, the ruse worked, as later coins depicted him with the Horns of Ammon.
42. He Left Egypt To Conquer The World
With Egypt firmly under his control by early 331 BC, Alexander departed from his newly acquired lands, leaving behind a legacy of temples, monuments, and thriving cities. Reinvigorated, he set his sights back onto the one man standing between him and the rest of the world: Darius III.
43. He Faced Darius At Gaugamela
Alexander managed to chase Darius III down who, in the intervening months, had regrouped and assembled an even larger force. The climactic showdown between Alexander and Darius III would take place at Gaugamela. Vastly outnumbered, Alexander’s forces prepared for a battle that would decide the fate of empires.
44. He Was Seriously Outnumbered
The historical accounts about the details of the Battle of Gaugamela vary, but historians agree on one thing: Alexander was severely outnumbered. His army consisted of a respectable 47,000 men. Darius III, on the other hand, had assembled a force that dwarfed that number. Estimates range from 250,000 to as many as 1,000,000 men.
It did not look good for the Macedonian upstart.
45. He Faced A Fearsome Array Of Fighters
Darius III brought to bear the best that his vast empire had to offer against Alexander and his Macedonians. His army was as diverse as it was massive. Elite cavalry from the eastern provinces, Scythian allies, scythed chariots, and even 15 Indian fighting elephants stood behind Darius III, ready to crush Alexander’s forces.
46. He Saw Right Through Darius III’s Army
As tradition dictated, Darius III positioned himself at the center of his formation, surrounded by his most trusted units, including Persian horse guards and Greek mercenaries. But Alexander wasn’t afraid of Darius III’s enormous army. If anything, he saw right through it.
47. He Was Surrounded On All Sides
The Persian army’s cavalry outnumbered Alexander’s by more than 5:1, and their line stretched far beyond the reach of the Macedonian forces. Alexander knew that a direct confrontation would spell certain doom. But, as the fighting began, Alexander put yet another genius strategy into motion.
48. He Made A Bold Move
While his infantry held the line against the Persian center, Alexander led his Companion Cavalry to the far right flank. This unexpected maneuver caused the Persians to stretch their forces thin and set the stage for Alexander’s masterstroke.
49. He Created The Perfect Opening
Just as at Issus, Alexander’s tactic was to draw the Persian cavalry toward the flanks, creating a gap in the enemy’s center. Timing, Alexander knew, would be everything. But, before he could execute his final stroke, Darius III suddenly countered.
50. He Neutralized Darius III’s Counterattack
Darius III saw what Alexander was doing and unleashed his scythed chariots against Alexander’s forces, thinking that Alexander would have to abandon his attack. But the Macedonians were prepared. Javelin-throwers took chariots by the hundreds, while infantrymen remade their formations, leaving the chariots to run harmlessly down wide aisles.
51. He Led A Fearsome Charge
As the Persian forces extended further toward the flanks, Alexander saw his opportunity. Disengaging his Companion Cavalry, he organized his units into a massive wedge formation, with himself at the tip. With the Persian center still entangled with the Macedonian phalanx, Alexander launched his decisive attack.
52. He Broke The Persian Center
Just as he had planned, Alexander’s wedge tore through the weakened Persian center, smashing Darius III’s royal guard and the Greek mercenaries. With his defenses crumbling and his position untenable, Darius III repeated his folly from Issus and fled the battlefield.
It left Alexander with an impossible choice.
53. His Forces Were In Trouble
With Darius III fleeing the battlefield, Alexander all but secured yet another victory. However, just as he was about to go in pursuit of the defeated Achaemenid king, he received urgent messages from Parmenion: His forces on the left flank were crumbling.
54. He Faced An Impossible Choice
With Darius III fleeing as fast as he could, and his men in a dire struggle for survival against Persia’s most elite fighters, Alexander had to make a snap decision: pursue Darius III or save his army. Rather than risk the annihilation of his forces, Alexander abandoned his pursuit of Darius III to aid Parmenion.
55. He Let Darius III Escape
Alexander’s decision allowed Darius III to live another day, but it also ensured the survival of the Macedonian army for battles to come. And there were plenty of battles to come.
56. He Won Sisygambis’ Loyalty Again
During his retreat, Darius III attempted to rescue his mother, Sisygambis. However, she clearly meant what she had said earlier when she had disowned him. Sisygambis refused to leave with Darius III, reaffirming her allegiance to Alexander and all but cementing his political victory.
Still, the battle raged on.
57. He Fought His Fiercest Battle Yet
With his army saved, Alexander resumed his pursuit of Darius III. Eventually, he caught up with the Persian cavalry—Indians, Parthians, and some of Persia’s bravest warriors. The engagement was brutal, costing Alexander sixty Companions and injuring key generals like Hephaestion. In the end, however, it was worth it.
58. He Claimed The Spoils Of Victory
While Alexander was off pursuing Darius III, Parmenion managed to secure the Persian baggage train, which was basically one big treasure chest. The Macedonians captured a massive haul, including 4,000 gold talents, battle elephants, Darius III’s royal chariot, and his bow—cementing this as one of Alexander’s greatest victories.
59. His Enemies Started Regrouping
Despite Alexander’s best efforts, Darius III escaped with a small force, including his Bactrian cavalry and surviving Royal Guard. Rallying his men, he gave a speech promising to rebuild his army in the east and defeat Alexander in a third and final battle. But that battle would never come.
60. His Arch Nemesis Met An Ignominious End
Darius III’s hopes for a comeback were dashed by a vicious betrayal. Bessus, one of his satraps, and Nabarzanes, a high-ranking commander, panicked when they learned that Alexander was gaining them on. They bound Darius III in an ox-cart, speared him, and left him to bleed out.
Alexander’s reaction to the news was...unexpected.
61. He Honored A Fallen Foe
When Alexander discovered Darius III’s lifeless body, he didn’t celebrate; he mourned the loss of a once-eminent enemy. In a show of respect, he held a full burial ceremony for the “King of Kings” at Persepolis before chasing Bessus into Afghanistan and exacting his revenge.
62. He Won The Loyalty Of The Satraps
After Darius III’s demise, most of the Persian satraps pledged their loyalty to Alexander. As it was, they preferred Alexander’s more liberal policies anyway. His ascendancy marked the symbolic end of the Achaemenid Persian Empire and the beginning of a new world order.
An order that Alexander would struggle to keep.
63. He Adopted Persian Customs
In an effort to integrate these new Persian nobles into his court, Alexander adopted several Persian traditions. He took on a Persian style of dress and even embraced the practice of proskynesis—a gesture of submission involving either kissing the hand or prostrating oneself before a superior.
It didn’t go over well at all with his Macedonian nobles.
64. He Was Accused Of Wanting To Be A God
To the Greeks, proskynesis was a gesture reserved solely for the gods—not for the son of gods. When Alexander introduced it at his court, many of his countrymen believed it signaled his intent to deify himself, leading to resentment among his Macedonian followers. Resentment that turned bloody.
65. He Alienated His Macedonian Nobles
Alexander’s integration of Persian customs culminated in tragedy during another drunken altercation at Maracanda. Cleitus the Black, a trusted officer who had saved Alexander’s life at Granicus, accused him of abandoning Macedonian values. Enraged, Alexander charged at Cleitus and gored him with his spear.
The in-fighting didn’t end there.
66. He Kept Bumping Off Macedonians
When Alexander uncovered a plot against his life, he ordered the execution of Philotas, another one of his officers, for failing to report it. In keeping with tradition, and to prevent potential retaliation, Alexander also ordered the execution of Philotas’ father, Parmenion, who had fought alongside Alexander at Gaugamela.
Even with his Macedonian subjects souring on him, Alexander set his sights on the next big conquest.
67. He Faced Resistance In India
Alexander knew the world didn’t end at the Persian borders—and he wanted the whole world. He assembled his army in Gandhara, in modern-day Pakistan, replenishing its ranks with Persian subjects and advancing into India. However, despite his early victories, Alexander’s general Coenus eventually urged him to turn back.
The Macedonians had been away from home for nearly a decade, and they were on the verge of mutiny. Reluctantly, Alexander agreed and began the march south along the Indus.
68. He Faced A Mutiny At Opis
Alexander still had the urge to go campaigning, until he had truly conquered the world. Nevertheless, he was grateful to the army that had taken him to the very edges of the map and beyond. In a show of that gratitude, Alexander offered to pay off his fighter’s personal debts and send over-aged and disabled veterans home to Macedon.
Unfortunately, Alexander’s army misinterpreted his intentions, and the men officially mutinied. They criticized his adoption of Persian customs and the inclusion of Persian officers in Macedonian units.
69. He Forged A Fragile Reconciliation
After days of tension with his Macedonian army, Alexander added insult to injury when he started bestowing titles and command posts to Persians. Surprisingly, the move worked. Alexander’s Macedonian fighters quickly sought forgiveness, which Alexander accepted and celebrated with a banquet in their honor.
But the celebrations would be short-lived.
70. He Lost His Closest Friend And Ally
Alexander’s closest companion since childhood, Hephaestion, gave his last breath at Ecbatana in 324 BC, either from illness or poisoning. Devastated, Alexander ordered an extravagant funeral pyre and period of public mourning in Babylon. But his grief couldn’t overcome his ambition.
Between tears, he began planning new campaigns, starting with an invasion of Arabia.
71. His Reign Came To A Sudden End
Alexander’s grand plan to conquer more of the world never came to fruition. In June 323 BC, ten years after he had set out to conquer the known world, Alexander drew his last breath in Babylon, aged 32. No one knows the exact cause of his demise, with historians speculating that it could have been anything from poisoning to Guillain-Barré syndrome or even just the results of lifelong drinking and battle injuries.
Regardless, his demise left a gaping hole in the world—and only chaos would fill it.
72. His Last Words Caused Chaos
Even in death, Alexander the Great wasn’t finished reshaping the world. As he lay on his deathbed, someone asked him who his empire should go to. He responded with three simple words, the last he’d ever utter: To the strongest.
Those three words set off the Wars of the Diadochi, decades of vicious fighting between Alexander’s companions over his unwieldy empire, which collapsed almost the moment of Alexander’s passing.
73. His Generals Fought Over His Empire—And Destroyed It
Alexander passed without a clear successor or heir. After his passing, his top generals entered into a vicious 40-year power struggle that split his vast empire into fragments of the original. The dissolution of his empire proved that Alexander, and Alexander alone, could conquer and rule the world.
74. His Wife Learned From His Mom
Alexander left no heir, but his wife Roxana was pregnant at the time. She hoped that her boy might be able to one day take up his father’s mantle (good luck), and she was willing to do anything to make sure it happened. Soon after Alexander’s death, Roxana had both of Alexander’s other wives murdered so they couldn’t get in her way.
She learned from Alexander well. Unfortunately, eliminating your political rivals is a double-edged sword. Cassander, one of Alexander’s generals, had both Roxana and her son poisoned, ending Alexander the Great’s bloodline for good.
75. He Made Greece Great Again
Even though he spent almost all of his reign campaigning in Asia, Greece was a prosperous place under Alexander’s rule. He ensured a thriving economy and bustling trade by sending back untold sums of money from his conquests, and connecting the far reaches of his sprawling empire. But he also laid the foundation for its undoing.
76. He Left A Power Vacuum That Lasted For Centuries
Alexander’s constant campaigning drained Macedonia of its strongest young men as he constantly called them up to serve in his army. Furthermore, Alexander’s empire allowed Macedonians to migrate anywhere they pleased. Ultimately, this weakened Macedon and paved the way for the next world conqueror: Rome.