This chapter discusses the marriage or relationship between Alexander the Great's father, Philip, and a woman named Cleopatra. Alexander and his mother, Olympia, were insulted by this relationship and felt a sense of wounded pride. There is a suggestion that Alexander and his mother believed they were not of pure Macedonian descent, which was a concern for his succession.
Alexander the Great is one of the most celebrated military commanders in history. Born into the Macedonian royal family in 356 BC, he gained control of Greece and went on to conquer the Persian Empire, defeating its powerful king, Darius III. At its peak, Alexander's empire covered modern Turkey, Syria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and part of India. As a result, Greek culture and language was spread into regions it had not penetrated before, and he is also remembered for founding a number of cities. Over the last 2,000 years, the legend of Alexander has grown and he has influenced numerous generals and politicians.
With:
Paul Cartledge
Emeritus Professor of Greek Culture and AG Leventis Senior Research Fellow at Clare College, University of Cambridge
Diana Spencer
Professor of Classics at the University of Birmingham
Rachel Mairs
Lecturer in Classics at the University of Reading
Producer: Victoria Brignell.