He was born Alexander, son of King Phillip II of Macedonia, in July of 356 B.C. As a child, he showed his skill in riding and in
the use of arms. His mother, Olympias, was very ambitious and encouraged him to learn. He was taught to think deeply and seriously by his teacher, the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle. As Alexander matured, Macedonia, the northernmost of the Greek states, was gaining power. At only 18, Alexander was given command of a legion of cavalry at a famous battle. His brilliance in that battle led to a smashing victory over the combined armies of Thebes and Athens. Thereafter, Macedonia was the dominant power of all Greece. Then, under suspicious circumstances, Alexander’s father died suddenly. Alexander, now 20, became king of Macedonia. That was just the beginning of Alexander’s incredible career. He gathered an army and marched to the east, toward Persia (modern-day Iraq and Iran). He and his forces conquered Persia and then most of near Asia—right up to the borders of India. After conquering Egypt, he founded the city of Alexandria, which still bears his name today. In the year 323 B.C., at the age of 33, Alexander died of a fever. By then, he had conquered much of the known world through cruel and brutal conquests. Entire populations of men, women, and children were slaughtered. Yet, Alexander also brought Greek art and education to parts of the world. Whatever we may think of this historical figure, we can understand why some still refer to him as Alexander the Great. What does it mean if you're suspicious? What does the word incredible mean? What does the word brutal mean? Which sentence in the last paragraph provides a clue to the meaning of the word slaughtered?
