Alexander the Great is crowned pharaoh of Egypt.
**Alexander the Great** (356–323 BC) was one of the most successful military commanders in history, creating an empire that stretched from Greece and Egypt to India. Born in Pella, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Macedonia, Alexander was the son of King Philip II and Queen Olympias. As a young prince, he was educated by the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who introduced him to philosophy, science, literature and politics. Alexander became king of Macedonia in 336 BC at the age of 20, following the assassination of his father. He quickly consolidated his authority by suppressing rebellions in Greece and securing Macedonia’s borders. In 334 BC, he launched an ambitious military campaign against the mighty Persian Empire, beginning a series of conquests that would transform the ancient world.

Alexander’s military achievements were extraordinary, and he remained undefeated in battle throughout his campaigning career. His victories against the Persian king Darius III at the Battle of Issus in 333 BC and the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC effectively destroyed Persian resistance and established Alexander as ruler of one of the largest empires of the ancient world. He conquered Egypt in 332 BC, where he was welcomed as a liberator from Persian rule and founded the city of Alexandria, which would become a major centre of learning and commerce. Continuing eastward, Alexander conquered territories across Central Asia before invading northwestern India in 326 BC. His victory over King Porus at the Battle of the Hydaspes demonstrated his remarkable military abilities, but his exhausted soldiers eventually refused to advance farther east. Alexander reluctantly agreed to return west, having led his armies thousands of kilometres through some of the most challenging terrain in the ancient world.

Alexander the Great died in Babylon in June 323 BC at the age of just 32, following a sudden illness. The precise cause of his death remains uncertain, with historians suggesting possibilities including infectious disease and other medical conditions. Because he left no clear adult successor, his enormous empire was eventually divided among his generals, known as the Diadochi, who established several powerful kingdoms. Despite the fragmentation of his empire, Alexander’s influence endured for centuries. His conquests spread Greek language, art, philosophy and customs across vast regions of the Middle East and Asia, helping establish the Hellenistic Age, during which Greek and local cultures interacted and developed new traditions. Cities founded or developed under his influence became important centres of trade, scholarship and cultural exchange. Remembered for his military genius, extraordinary ambition and lasting cultural impact, Alexander the Great remains one of the most influential and fascinating figures in world history.