Alexander the Great : a name that evokes a legendary myth of ancient times. Born Alexander III of
Macedon in 356 B.C. in Pella, ancient Macedonia, he was the son of King Philip II and the Epirote
princess Olympias. He succeeded his father to the throne at the age of 20 and swiftly demonstrated
his conquering spirit. By the age of 30, he had created the largest empire the world had known,
stretching from Greece to the banks of the Indus River, and about which he used to say : “the sun
never sets”.
An outstanding strategist, Alexander the Great is famous for his desire to conquer and for his efforts
to establish a political unity between East and West. He died prematurely in 323 B.C., at the young
age of 32, leaving behind a rich cultural heritage marked by his determination to bring Greece and
the Orient closer together.
The “Hellenistic period” that followed his reign saw political crisis, as a result of his sudden death,
together with a flourishing artistic development. Incarnating the victorious conqueror.