Alexander The Great - Part 2  | Life Story
Channel: Generals in History
Date: 2022-07-28

Alexander III was born on the sixth day of the ancient Greek month of Hekatombaion, which probably corresponds to 20 July 356 BC (although the exact date is uncertain). 

He was the son of the erstwhile king of Macedon, Philip II, and his fourth wife Olympias. According to Plutarch, Olympias dreamed that her womb was struck by a thunderbolt that caused a flame to spread "far and wide" before dying away. 

On the day Alexander was born, Philip was preparing a siege on the city of Potidea. In his early years, Alexander was raised by a nurse, Lanike, sister of Alexander's future general Cleitus the Black.   Plutarch stated that Philip, overjoyed at this display of courage and ambition, kissed his son tearfully, declaring: "My boy, you must find a kingdom big enough for your ambitions.  

Alexander was raised in the manner of noble Macedonian youths, learning to read, play the lyre, ride, fight, and hunt. In return for teaching Alexander, Philip agreed to rebuild Aristotle's hometown of Stageira, which had been destroyed by Artaxerxes III. 

This gave the Macedonian court a good knowledge of Persian issues, and may even have influenced some of the innovations in the management of the Macedonian state.

While Philip was away, the city of Amphissa began to work lands that were sacred to Apollo near Delphi, a sacrilege that allowed Philip to further intervene in Greek affairs. The Illyrians invaded Macedonia, only to be repelled by Alexander. In 338 BC, Philip and his army marched south through Thermopylae, taking it after stubborn resistance from its Theban garrison. They went on to occupy Elatea, only a few days' marches from both Athens and Thebes. During the ensuing Battle of Chaeronea, Philip commanded the right wing and Alexander the left, accompanied by a group of generals.

After defeating the Persians in 338 BC, Philip II of Macedon and his son Alexander marched unopposed into the Peloponnese. When they reached Sparta, they were refused but did not resort to war. At Corinth, Philip established a "Hellenic Alliance" which included most Greek city-states except Sparta. Alexander fled Macedon with his mother, dropping her off with her brother, King Alexander I of Epirus.

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Data sources: https://en.wikipedia.org
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