Alexander the Great is known widely around the world for his military career, leadership, and impact on the people. Maybe you heard of him for defeating one of the strongest empires in the world at that time, the Persian Empire. He was born in July, 356 BC in Greece, and he lived there for some time but then left (Biography, 2017). Perhaps you know him by the Gordian knot. All great things but one thing was above the rest.

The battle of Granicus was the first battle against the Persian empire (wasson). He came closest to dying and losing in this battle than all the others he fought (wasson). He arrived at the Granicus river on May 334 BC, and there he had the following: 15,000 infantry, 10,000 cavalry, his best generals and men, thousands of Greek mercenaries commanded by a Greek general named Memnon (Wilhelm 49). Alexander the Great was distinguished from his men by his helmet with his two plumes of horsehair on it (Wilhelm 50). He had a top commander named Parmenion, who had led many attacks against the Persians (Wilhelm 50). Parmenion advised him to attack at dawn, but Alexander insisted to charge right away (Wilhelm 50). Alexander knew how he would attack and he knew he would win so they marched over the river. Then came the Macedonian battle cry, which they did from trumpets (Wilhelm 50). A famous quote he did for this war was, “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion”, which is one of his best quotes (Biography, 2017). He led the cavalry over the river, and they charged over the mud and water (Wilhelm 51). The cavalry were forced to get off their horse and fight them hand-by-hand (Wilhelm 51). Alexander was spotted by two Persian officers that struck him with an axe and broke his helmet apart (Wilhelm 51). Then when the officer went for another swing, a Macedonian soldier named Cleitus  saved him from certain death, using his axe (Wilhelm 52). When the river fight ended, the mounted again and charged at the rest of the army at the riverbank (Wilhelm 52). When he killed off the Persians, he let the escaping ones go, but ordered his men to surround the Greek mercenaries, who were traitors, and Menmon escaped. 2,000 soldier of Memnon survived, who were sent to Macedonian silver mines, and Alexander has returned (Wilhelm 52). It was a step in the right direction, by winning this war Alexander the Great could beat the Persian empire and take it all over. Consequently; he did, and he took over Asia and Europe, Half of Africa, and more. He named seventy cities after his name, one after his horse. Later, he got sick, as a result, he went to one of his Alexandria’s, and there he retired and died.

Alexander the Great was one of the best leaders of all time, because of his career, his kingdom, laws. He was so loved that they preserved him in honey until he got to Macedonia, in fact, they even kept the honey for his grave. He had a great impact on the world then, and still has.