June 30th

On this day in 356 BC Alexander the Great, of Macedonia in Greece, was born. Alexander changed the face of the civilised world by conquering an area that stretched from Greece eastwards to what is present day Pakistan, including Egypt. No wonder they call him 'The Great'. As a youth Alexander was tutored by Aristotle who taught him philosophy, politics and rhetoric as well as introducing him to Homer. The young king was inspired by the story of Achilles and the fall of Troy and carried a copy of Homer’s Iliad with him wherever he went. Famous for his drunken orgies as well as his conquests, Alexander fell ill after a heavy drinking session at Persepolis and died in mysterious circumstances, perhaps related to alcoholism. Like his hero Achilles, he had his fatal weakness. There is...

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