Ancient Greece Alexander the Great

Philip's son Alexander was twenty years old when Philip died in 336 BC. Alexander decided to carry out his father's plans and fight Persia. Alexander's first battle was at the river Granicus. Next Alexander went down the coast to Syria. He fought the Persian army and won again. Even though the Greeks won, Darius III, the king, was able to escape Alexander's army.

Next Alexander went to Egypt. The Egyptians welcomed Alexander and crowned him pharaoh. Alexander built a city on the Nile Delta and named it Alexandria. Then he headed north and fought Darius III at Gaugamela. Even though Alexander's army was outnumbered, Alexander won because of his army's superior tactics. [Alexander had approximately 40,000 infantry and 7,000 cavalry compared to Darius's 100,000 infantry and 10,000 cavalry.] Darius was able to escape again, but was later murdered by one of his satraps, a provincial governor in the ancient Persian Empire. Alexander took the Persian capital Babylon causing the end of the Persian Empire.

Alexander went to Persepolis. After feasting in the Persian palaces, he set them on fire. The fire was so great that only the columns, stairways, and doorways remained of the great palace.

Then Alexander turned east and fought his way all the way to India. He battled the Indian king whose army rode battle elephants. At this point Alexander's army refused to go any further.

Alexander died a short time later of fever at the age of 33. His army had fought for twelve years. 

Flow Chart of Alexander the Great  

Click the images to go to the individual pages.