Arrain once said, "for I myself believe that there was at that time no race of mankind, no city, no single individual, to which the name of Alexander had not reached." Alexander III contributed greatly to our history. In an amazing eleven-year journey of conquest, young Alexander of Macedonia conquered all the way from Egypt to India. Behind him came Greek institutions and the Greek language, which became the standard of the ancient world.
When Alexander was 13 years old, he became the pupil of Aristotle. He was always eager to learn. Aristotle inspired the talented youth with a great love for literature. He took part in sports and daily exercise to develop a strong body. Aristotle also inspired in Alexander a keen interest in other countries and races of people, and in animals and plants. Alexander's education was not all from books. He talked with ambassadors from many foreign countries, and with other noted persons at his father's court. When he was only 18, he commanded part of Philip's cavalry. Alexander also acted as his father's ambassador to Athens. Alexander never got along well with his father. Alexander had always been closer to Olympias than Philip and everybody knew it. Philip and Olympias also did not get along that entire well, owing primarily to Olympias' "barbarian" heritage of Epirus. Olympias was the orphaned daughter of the king of Epirus, now modern Albania. According to Plutarch, she was descended from Aeacus, through Neoptolemus. Aeacus was the legendary king of Aegina and the grandfather of Achilles. The family essentially was split apart irreparably when Philip married a woman named Cleopatra, a Macedonian. At the wedding banquet, Cleopatra's father made a remark about Philip fathering a "legitimate" heir, one that was pure Macedonian. Alexander took exception and threw his cup at the man, and some sources say Alexander killed him. Enraged, Philip stood up and charged at Alexander, only to trip and fall on his face in his drunken stupor.
