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Alexander the Great: the Quest to Be Greater

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Alexander the Great was a conqueror and King of Macedonia prior to the Hellenistic Period. He succeeded to the throne after Phillip II of Macedon’s death brought his reign to an end. However, the continuance of the promised legacy his father left behind did not satisfy this power crazed King for fame and glory. Alexander the Great’s resentment towards his father led him to continue conquering because he wanted to overshadow his father. Under his headship, his unification of Greek city-states led to one of the largest empires known today.
Alexander was born in the summer of 356 B.C. to Phillip II King of Macedon and Olympias of Epirus. Born into a royal household with a great military leader as the head of it, Alexander spent most of his early childhood watching a distant father transform Macedonia. Alexander was always left behind for his father’s military conquests and expansion. “Whenever he heard of Philip's having taken some city or won some famous victory, he used to look unhappy at the news, and would say to his friends, "Boys, my father will forestall us in everything; he will leave no great exploits for you and me to achieve." Indeed, he cared nothing for pleasure or wealth, but only for honour and glory; and he imagined that the more territory he inherited from his father, the less would be left for him to conquer.” Alexander realized that his father’s absence meant that he was out conquering ("Plutrach Lives: The Life of Alexander" p. 304). This led to tension between the two men and Alexander’s growing resentment for his absent father.
In the absence of his father, Alexander was greatly influenced by his mother. “He inherited from her his energy, his passionate, mystical nature; from his father he inherited his energy and practical sense.” (Fuller p. 56) Phillip confined his thirteen year old son to Aristotle, a Greek philosopher. The young prince

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