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born in macedonia
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Philip hires the Greek philosopher Aristotle to tutor Alexander.
Over the next three years, Aristotle teaches Alexander to appreciate philosophy, geography, Greek poetry, and
scientific investigation -
In 340 B.C., at age
16, Alexander finishes studying under Aristotle
and joins his father's army. By this point, Philip
controls all the Greek city-states except Athens
and Thebes. -
In August 338 B.C., the Macedonians meet the Athenians and Thebans in battle at Chaeronea.
Alexander leads the attack against the Thebans, while his father leads the attack against the Athenians. It is
Alexander's first taste of battle, and he and his father defeat the Greeks, placing all Greek city-states except
Sparta under Macedonian control. -
In October 336 BCE, Philip celebrates his
upcoming departure to attack Persia, as well as the
marriage of his daughter Cleopatra. However, one
of his bodyguards assassinates him in the theater
of Agae. Alexander becomes king of Macedonia at
the age of 20. -
In the Spring of 335 B.C., the Thracians and Illyrians rise up in rebellion. This inspires the Greek citystate
of Thebes to rebel, and Alexander quickly besieges the city and razes it to the ground. The inhabitants
are executed or sold into slavery, showing the other city-states that Alexander is just as powerful as his father. -
In June 334 B.C., Alexander leads the Macedonian army
against the Persians at the Granicus river. After savage fighting, the
Persians retreat, and Alexander's army moves across the southern
coast of Asia toward Gordium. -
Alexander spends the winter of 333 BCE
at Gordium, in present-day Turkey. According to legend, he solves
the puzzle of the Gordian knot, which held together the yoke and
pole of a wagon once belonging to King Midas. -
In 331 BCE, he creates the city of Alexandria, which is meant to be a hub of Greek commerce and culture. This is just one of many cities he names after himself during his conquests. Alexander and Darius, king of the Persians, meet at Gaugamela in a decisive battle.
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Suffering from the tensions of warfare and command, Alexander becomes drunk at a banquet in the
fall of 328 B.C. He and his close companion Cleitus, who saved his life at the battle of Granicus, fall into an
argument. -
In the Summer of
327 B.C., after conquering eastern Iran and capturing Prince Oxyartes, Alexander marries Roxane, the prince's
daughter. This is meant to be a political alliance, and it serves as an insult to Barsine, Alexander's Persian
mistress. -
In May 326 B.C., hoping to add even more territory to his empire, Alexander and his troops cross the
Hindu Kush into northern India. They defeat King Porus, leader of a kingdom east of the Hydaspes River, after
figuring out how to attack Porus' war elephants.
