Good Facts About Alexander The Great
By June 7, 2022
World's Greatest Conqueror
Though perhaps not the greatest ruler, as many of his hard-won lands and alliances fell from his reign over the course of his life, Alexander the Great stands as one of the most prolific conquerors in human history, claiming over two million square miles of Eurasia, the Middle East, and Africa. He was second only to the famed Genghis Khan, who ruled over four million, but it's also important to note that Kahn lived nearly twice as long as Alexander, who died at age of 32..
He Learned From The Best
Of course, a prince of Macedonia would be expected to only learn from the best, and in Alexander's case, it was the very best. From 13 to 16 years old, he was tutored by none other than the famed Greek philosopher Aristotle, though he seemed somehow more impressed with his short run-in with another philosopher named Diogenes the Cynic, who was known for living an extremely ascetic lifestyle. Alexander approached him one day and asked if, with all his riches, there was anything he could do for the man. "Yes," Diogenes replied, "You can step aside, as you are blocking my sun." Alexander was smitten with his cool and collected attitude, even in the presence of a prince, and later remarked, "If I were not Alexander, I would like to be Diogenes."
He Was Truly Great
Alexander's military prowess is the stuff of legend, and though there is some controversy over the technicalities, it is mostly accepted that he didn't lose a single battle in his entire 15-year run as king. He particularly excelled at speed and the use of the phalanx formation, which was often composed of more than 15,000 men. He gained his first victory at the age of 18, and his tactics are still studied at military academies across the globe.
He Got Around
It's impossible to know just how many lovers Alexander had, but we do know he had three wives. Roxanna of Bactria was his first wife, and it was apparently love at first sight, as he asked her noble father for her hand the moment he saw her at the feast of his newest conquest. Together, they had a son, also named Alexander. Then he married two cousins, Stateria and Parysatis, in a political move that he hoped would bring the Persians deeper into his fold. He was also smitten with a eunuch named Bagoas, who he'd met through another Persian noble named Darius and quickly became a favorite in Alexander's love life. Given his openness to exploring sexuality across genders, it is also speculated that he may have been intimate with his commander and childhood friend Hephaestion, but there is no direct evidence of this, and it's just as likely that they loved one another as brothers.
