Alexander the Great

Alexander The Great

Michael Wood

Alexander The Great by Michael Wood discusses the youth and life of the Greek Ruler Alexander. Born in 356 B.C.E. to Philip II and Olympias , at Pella, Macedonia, Alexander grew to be one of the biggest rulers in Ancient Greek History. The book follows every battle and event that happened in Alexander's short but fully packed life. It contains information on every battle; who was in it, what weapons they wielded, how many in their army, how many were wounded in the fighting and most importantly, who won. Michael Wood manages shows you a glimpse of Alexander's childhood, family life and his thoughts about the world that surrounded him. It had his and his enemy's strategies, which showed some of the brilliant minds of Alexander's time.

Alexander the Great, inspired by his father's leadership, boundless ambition, and bravery in battle, inherited his father's empire when he was twenty and resolved to expand it . Philip and Olympias saw the potential for greatness in the boy and arranged for his education. His first teacher was the harsh Leonidas, a relative of Olympias. Leonidas was a strict disciplinarian who instilled in Alexander his ascetic nature, which became famous during his Persian and Indian expeditions . In 340 B.C.E., when Philip went to Byzantium to fight rebels, Alexander, a mere 16 years old, was left in charge of Macedonia as regent, with the power to rule in Philip's name in his absence. That Alexander was given such a position at such a young age indicates that he was already accomplished in battle, meaning he had made his first kill and most likely several others. During his time as regent, the Maedi of northern

Macedonia revolted. Alexander traveled up there, put down the revolt, captured the city, drove the survivors north, and established a Greek colony, naming it Alexandroupolis. Alexander never got along well with his father, although Philip was proud of Alexander for the Bucephalus incident and founding the city. Alexander had always been closer to Olympias than Philip and everybody knew it. Philip and Olympias also did not get along all that well, owing primarily to Olympias' "barbarian" heritage of Epirus , now Albania. The family essentially was split apart irreparably when Philip married a woman named Cleopatra, a Macedonian. At the wedding banquet, Cleopatra's father made a remark about Philip fathering a "legitimate" heir, basically, one that was pure Macedonian. Alexander took exception and threw his cup at the man, and some sources say Alexander killed him. Enraged, Philip stood up and charged at Alexander, only to trip and fall on his face in his drunken stupor. Alexander, rather upset at the scene, is said to have shouted "Here is the man who was making ready to cross from Europe to Asia, and who cannot even cross from one table to another without losing his balance."

Alexander then moved Olympias back to Epirus, and he went to Illyria. He only returned when Demaratus of Corinth, a close friend of Philip, asked how Philip could care so much for his troops abroad and so little for his family at home. From then till the assassination of Philip, they remained a family in name only. Some think that Olympias may have even had a role in Philip's murder.

Michael Wood provides a supreme description of the life of Alexander.