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Alexander the Great

son of which, refusing to surrender, was con- Philip of Macedon and Olympias, daugh- ter of Neoptolemus of Epirus, was born at Pella, 356 в. c. His mind was formed chiefly by Aristotle. Alexander was 16 years of age when his father marched ALEXANDER THE GREAT against Byzantium, and left the government in his hands during his absence. ALEXANDER THE GREAT against Byzantium, and left the govern- (338 B. c.), where he overthrew the Sacred Band of the Thebans. The father and son quarreled, however, when the ALEXANDRIA which, refusing to surrender, was conquered and razed to the ground. Six thousand of the inhabitants were slain, and 30,000 sold into slavery. This severity struck terror into all Greece. Alexander now prepared to prosecute the war with Persia. He crossed the Hellespont in the spring of 334 B. c., with 30,000 foot and 5,000 horse, attacked the Persian satraps at the river Granicus, and gained a victory, overthrowing the son-in-law of Darius with his own lance. by Memnon, the Persian leader, but was taken. He marched through Gor- dium, where he cut the famous Gordian by Memnon, the Persian leader, but was taken. He marched through Gordium, where he cut the famous Gordian Knot, defeated a vast army of Persians and Greek mercenaries at Issus, capturing the family of Darius; reduced the cities of Phoenicia, and pressed on into Egypt. Here he founded Alexandria Such marvelous success dazzled his (331).

Such marvelous success dazzled his judgment and inflamed his passions. He became a slave to debauchery, and at the instigation of Thaïs, an Athenian cour- tesan, he set fire to Persepolis, the woninstigation of Thaïs, an Athenian courder of the world, and reduced it to a der of the world, and reduced it to a heap of ashes. In 329 he overthrew the Scythians on the banks of the Jaxartes; and next year he subdued the whole of Sogdiana, and married Roxana, whom he ceeding to the conquest of India, Alexceeding to the conquest of India, Alexander crossed the Indus and pursued his ander crossed the Indus and pursued his there was opposed by Porus, a native prince, whom he overthrew after a bloody contest, and there he lost his charger Bucephalus. Thence he marched as lord of the country through the Punjab, estroops which had set out with Alexander, little more than a fourth part arrived troops which had set out with Alexander, little more than a fourth part arrived he married Stateira, the daughter of Darius. lar courage at the battle of Chæronea (338 B. c.), where he overthrew the took part with his mother, and fled to Epirus, to escape his father's vengeance; but, receiving his pardon soon afterward, he returned, and accompanied him in an took part with his mother, and fled to saved his life on the field. Philip, being appointed generalissimo of the Greeks, was preparing for a war with Persia when he was assassinated (336 B. C.), and Alexander, not yet 20 years of age, ascended the throne. After punishing his father's murderers, he marched to Corinth and obtained command of the forces against Persia. On his return to when he was assassinated (336 B. c.), and Alexander, not yet 20 years of age, Triballi up in arms, whereupon he forced his way through Thrace, and was everywhere victorious. But now the Thebans had been induced, by a report of his death, to take up arms, and the Athenians, stimulated by the eloquence of Demosthenes, were preparing to join them. To prevent this coalition, Alexander rapidly marched against Thebes, At Babylon he was busy with gigantic plans for the future, both of conquest and civilization, when he was suddenly At Babylon he was busy with gigantic 323 в. c.