Alexander the Great

356 BCE – 323 BCE · died at about 33^[1][2]

Politics & Leadership

Fun Facts About Alexander the Great

• Alexander the Great's body was laid in a gold coffin filled with honey. According to one story, Augustus later accidentally knocked the nose off his mummified body.^[1][3][4]
• When Alexander asked the philosopher Diogenes what he could do for him, Diogenes asked him to stand aside because he was blocking the sunlight.^[1]
• Alexander's horse Bucephalas, whose name means "ox-head," carried him as far as India. When it died, Alexander named a city Bucephala after it.^[1]
• To pay Aristotle for tutoring Alexander, his father Philip agreed to rebuild Aristotle's hometown of Stageira, which Philip himself had razed.^[1][5][6]
• Alexander loved Homer's Iliad and carried a copy annotated by Aristotle on his campaigns.^{[1][5][6][7][8]}
• According to ancient historians, the mother of the Persian king Darius III mistook Alexander's friend Hephaestion for Alexander because he was taller and more impressive.^[1]
• Aristotle was Alexander the Great's personal tutor.^[1][2][5][6]
• Alexander the Great was alive at the same time as Plato — their lives overlapped for about 8 years (356 BCE–c. 348 BCE).^{[1][2][9][10]}

Alexander III of Macedon, most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to the throne in 336 BC at the age of 20, and spent most of his reign conducting a lengthy military campaign throughout Asia and Egypt. By the age of 30, he had created one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered to be one of history's greatest and most successful military commanders.^[1]

Contemporaries

Aristotle

33 yr overlap

Plato

8 yr overlap

Euclid

2 yr overlap

Questions About Alexander the Great

When was Alexander the Great born?

Alexander the Great was born in 356 BCE and died in 323 BCE.

How old was Alexander the Great at death?

Alexander the Great died in 323 BCE at about 33 years old (356 BCE–323 BCE).

What was Alexander the Great known for?

Alexander the Great was known for: Conquered the largest empire of the ancient world. Alexander III of Macedon, most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip II to the throne in 336 BC at the age of 20, and spent most of his reign conducting a lengthy military campaign throughout Asia and Egypt. By the age of 30, he had created one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered to be one of history's greatest and most successful military commanders.

Who was alive at the same time as Alexander the Great?

Alexander the Great's closest contemporary was Aristotle. Their lives overlapped for 33 years.