Alexander’s father, Philip II, had transformed Macedonia into a formidable military power but he was assassinated in 336 bce, Philip had been planning to conquest West Asia, to free the former Greek city-states ruled then by the world’s superpower {the Persian Empire}.
Pursuing his father’s quest, Alexander set about while satisfying his own thirst for glory, after forcing the other Greek city states to accept his authority, in 334BC. Alexander marched into Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) at the head of an army of 43,000 foot soldiers and 5,500 cavalry.
After an initial victory over the Persians, he went on to twice defeat the far superior forces gathered by Darius III, the Persian emperor in 331BC. subduing Egypt in the interval.
Alexander is now the king of a vast and ethnically diverse empire that included 70 newly founded cities, united by a common Greek culture, customs, and language, and linked by trade routes.
Alexander died at age 32 at the height of his power—most likely from disease but perhaps by poisoning—without naming a successor, his funeral cortège was hijacked by Ptolemy, one of his generals, and diverted to Alexandria in Egypt, where his tomb was later visited by Julius Caesar, but is now lost.
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