Alexander the Great

Alexander III of Macedon (356–323 BCE) was a king and military commander whose conquests created an empire spanning Greece, Egypt, and parts of Asia.

Battle of the Granicus: A 334 BCE battle in which Alexander defeated Persian satrapal forces in northwestern Anatolia. This first major victory in Asia opened Alexander’s invasion of the Persian Empire.
Macedonian phalanx: A dense infantry formation armed with long sarissas, used by Macedonian armies. Its long spears pinned opposing infantry while other troops sought openings.
Philip II of Macedon: King of Macedon from 359 to 336 BCE who expanded the kingdom and reformed its army. His military reforms and political conquests gave Alexander the forces and kingdom he inherited.
Wars of the Diadochi: A series of conflicts among Alexander’s successors over control of his empire after his death. His lack of an uncontested adult heir turned the empire into a struggle among generals.
Darius III: The last king of the Achaemenid Persian Empire, defeated by Alexander during the Macedonian invasion. His resistance makes clear that Alexander’s empire was won through war against an established imperial power.
Battle of Issus: A 333 BCE battle in which Alexander defeated the Persian king Darius III in southern Anatolia. The victory forced Darius to retreat and gave Alexander control of the eastern Mediterranean coast.
Companion cavalry: The elite Macedonian heavy cavalry that served as a principal striking force under Alexander. Alexander often led its charges against weakened or exposed parts of enemy lines.
Olympias: A princess of Epirus and wife of Philip II, and the mother of Alexander the Great. Her position at court and Alexander’s succession shaped the politics of his early life.
Hellenistic period: The era from Alexander’s conquests to Roman expansion, marked by Greek-speaking kingdoms across the eastern Mediterranean and Asia. His conquests spread Greek language and institutions, while successor kingdoms blended them with local traditions.
Achaemenid Empire: The Persian Empire founded by Cyrus the Great, which ruled a vast territory from western Asia to Egypt before Alexander’s conquest. Alexander adopted and contested institutions of the empire he dismantled.

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