General Information

Summary:

The Alexander Romance is an almost 2000 years old body of literature about the life and legends of Alexander the Great. It is the most widely translated and retold secular literary tradition from antiquity, with each successive time and place having their own version of Alexander.

Who is Alexander?

Alexander III of Macedon (356 – 323 BCE) was the son of Philip II and Olympias, and heir to the Argaed Dynasty of Macedon. After Philip’s assassination in 336 BCE, the twenty year old Alexander became hegemon of the League of Corinth, and inherited his father’s plan to invade the Persian Empire. In 13 years, Alexander successfully conquered Persia and Egypt, expanding his kingdom to a scale never seen before. He died from a sudden and unknown illness after returning from a campaign in modern-day Pakistan. His death immediately caused a turf war between his generals, which resulted in the fracturing of his empire and the start of the Hellenistic era.

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