According to the historian Plutarch, there were many favorable omens surrounding the birth of the man who would become known as Alexander the Great. Of course, the most fortuitous sign was that his father was the king of Macedon.

As a young boy, Alexander showed great promise, applying himself successfully to many pursuits. When he became a teenager, the great philosopher Aristotle was hired to tutor him and his potential reached even greater heights.

When he was younger, Alexander already boasted many of the traits that would help catapult him to future success—a family dynasty, great intellect, athleticism, and the advantage of being educated by one of the greatest minds to ever inhabit the earth.

Alexander Conquered the World

Alexander’s career as a ruler started at a very early age. By the time he was 16, he was already filling in for his father while Philip worked on various military campaigns. Eventually, they would join forces and Alexander would be praised for saving his father’s life during a battle. However, Philip’s new marriage with a young woman would spell disaster for his relationship with his ambitious son. Many questioned which son Philip would select as his successor.

He Became a Young King

As it turned out, the issue of succession would become prominent much sooner than Philip intended it to. Assassinated at a wedding by his own bodyguard, Pausanias, Philip did not live to see his son take over the world. As soon as Philip died, Alexander was proclaimed to be the rightful heir to his throne; the 20-year-old quickly set about destroying any political rivals who might make a claim themselves. Carving out a place for himself as the king, Alexander pursued those goals that would end up making his name immortal.

Fought for World Domination

From the Balkans to Asia Minor, Alexander continued to conquer as much of the inhabited world that he possibly could. Along the way, he participated in many activities that have now become legendary. It is disputed whether or not he actually used his sword to cut through the Gordian Knot, but nobody denied his success at achieving the prophecy that the knot foretold.

Achieving military success that had never been seen in history before, Alexander worked to unite people and liberate them as he wove his way through the world. As a military commander, it can still be argued that he has been the best of all time. With a never-ending stream of victories, Alexander used a variety of techniques to ensure that he would triumph in battle. Even when his armies were outmatched in number, he was always able to overwhelm the other side.

Although Alexander died when he was only 32 years old, he left behind an illustrious career that would inspire many other leaders for millennia to come. Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that his tomb was one of the major draws in Ancient Egypt!