he began to organize the territory into a realm such as he envisioned. His early death brought an end to his plans.

Alexander was born in Pella, capital of
Macedonia. His father was Philip II of Macedon, who had conquered Greece; his mother was Olympias, a princess from Epirus. Aristotle was Alexander's tutor, and the literature of Greece was his inspiration. The handsome youth took Achilles of Homer's Iliad, a reputed ancestor, as his hero. Alexander's teachers in military science were his father's generals. When he was only 16, he commanded forces in military actions against hill tribes.

Inside this Article

1. Introduction to Alexander the Great
2. Succession to Power
3. Mediterranean Conquests, 334–331 B.C.

4. Conquest of Persia, 331–330 B.C.
5. Final Period
6. See all General History articles

Maps of Greece

It is said he was buried in his namesake city. There are quite a few Alexandrias around, but when I was doing oceanography offshore Alexandria Egypt in 1977, we discovered some ruins underwater next to Fort Kait Bey. They speculate the fort was the site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world. What more fitting place to entomb Alexander than under the famed Lighthouse. While diving there, we found a man made passage into bedrock under the ruins, but did not venture inside as we had no lines or lights. I wonder....