How Alexander The Great Conquered the World—Then Lost It
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.