Alexander the Great explained: from Macedonia to India in about a decade

The short answer

Alexander the Great, or Alexander III of Macedon, was a king from northern Greece who led an army across Asia in the 4th century BCE and created one of the largest empires of the ancient world. In little more than ten years he defeated the Persian Empire, conquered Egypt and marched as far as the borders of India. He died young, at about 32, and his empire fell apart soon afterwards. Yet the world he changed lasted far longer.

Childhood and education

Alexander was born in 356 BCE in Pella, the capital of Macedon. His father, Philip II, had turned Macedon into a powerful military state. As a boy Alexander learned to ride and fight. His teacher was the philosopher Aristotle, who taught him at Mieza. A well-known story tells how the young Alexander tamed the horse Bucephalas, which no one else could ride. Whether or not every detail is true, the tale shows how later writers liked to describe his character: bold and ready to take risks.

Becoming king

In 336 BCE Philip II was assassinated and Alexander, then about 20, became king. He secured control over the Greek city-states, which had been organised in an alliance called the League of Corinth, and crushed a revolt by destroying the city of Thebes in 335 BCE. Then he prepared for the great war against Persia.

Conquering Persia

• 334 BCE: Alexander crossed into Asia and won the Battle of the Granicus River.
• 333 BCE: At Issus he defeated the Persian king Darius III.
• 332–331 BCE: He took Tyre, entered Egypt and founded the city of Alexandria.
• 331 BCE: At Gaugamela he won the decisive battle against Darius. The Persian Empire, which had ruled the region for about two centuries, collapsed.

Alexander then marched east through Iran and Central Asia, founding or renaming many cities.

India and the end of the march

In 326 BCE Alexander defeated the Indian king Porus at the Battle of the Hydaspes River. His soldiers, exhausted after years of campaigning, refused to march further at the Beas River. Alexander turned back. He returned to Babylon, where he died in 323 BCE. Historians debate whether illness, poison or another cause killed him. Most think a fever is the most likely explanation.

What happened afterwards

Alexander left no adult heir. His generals, called the Diadochi (successors), fought over the empire and divided it into large kingdoms, among them the Ptolemies in Egypt and the Seleucids in Western Asia. The period that followed is called the Hellenistic age. Greek language and culture spread from Egypt to Central Asia and mixed with local traditions. Cities such as Alexandria became centres of learning.

Myths and questions

• “Alexander conquered the whole world.” He ruled a vast area, but he never reached China or most of Africa and Europe.
• “He was a hero without flaws.” His conquests brought war and destruction, and later authors both praised and criticised him. Historians read the ancient sources carefully because they were often written long after his death.
• “Everything ended with his death.” The Hellenistic kingdoms lasted for centuries.

Explore it in Temporis

The history app Temporis has a campaign called Alexander the Great with seven chapters. They cover his birth and upbringing, Philip II and the rise to the throne, the crossing to Asia and the great battles, the fall of the Persian Empire, the campaign in India, his death and the Hellenistic world. Lessons are short, end with quizzes and work offline. More on the Temporis page.