Alexander the Great (in Greek Μέγας Αλέξανδρος, transliterated Megas Alexandros; born in Pella, Macedon, in July, 356 BC, died in Babylon, on June 10, 323 BC), King of Macedon 336–323 BC, is arguably the most successful military commander in world history, conquering most of the known world before his death. Alexander is also known in the Zoroastrian Middle Persian work Arda Wiraz Nāmag as "the accursed Alexander" due to his conquest of the ...

Including:

• Alexander the Great - Early life
• Alexander the Great - The ascent of Macedon
• Alexander the Great - Period of conquests
• Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire
• Alexander the Great - The invasion of India
• Alexander the Great - After India
• Alexander the Great - Alexander's marriages and sexuality
• Alexander the Great - The army of Alexander the Great before the Battle of Gaugamela
• Alexander the Great - Infantry
• Alexander the Great - Cavalry
• Alexander the Great - Death
• Alexander the Great - Legacy and division of the empire
• Alexander the Great - Timeline
• Alexander the Great - Alexander's character
• Alexander the Great - Stories and legends
• Alexander the Great - Ancient sources
• Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend
• Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend in non-Western sources
• Alexander the Great - Main towns founded by Alexander
• Alexander the Great - Alexander in popular media
• Alexander the Great - Note

Read more here: » Alexander the Great: Encyclopedia - Alexander the Great

See also:

Alexander the Great, Alexander the Great - Early life, Alexander the Great - The ascent of Macedonia, Alexander the Great - Period of conquests, Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great - The invasion of India, Alexander the Great - After India, Alexander the Great - Alexander's marriages and sexuality, Alexander the Great - The army of Alexander the Great before the Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander the Great - Infantry, Alexander the Great - Cavalry, Alexander the Great - Death, Alexander the Great - Legacy and division of the empire, Alexander the Great - Timeline, Alexander the Great - Alexander's character, Alexander the Great - Stories and legends, Alexander the Great - Ancient sources, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend in non-Western sources, Alexander the Great - Main towns founded by Alexander, Alexander the Great - Alexander in popular media, Alexander the Great - Note

Read more here: » Alexander the Great: Encyclopedia II - Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend

Modern opinion on Alexander has run the gamut from the idea that he believed he was on a divinely-inspired mission to unite the human race, to the view that he was a megalomaniac bent on world domination. Such views tend to be anachronistic, however, and the sources allow for a variety of interpretations. Much about Alexander's personality and aims remains enigmatic. Alexander is remembered as a legendary hero in Europe and much of both Southwest Asia and Central Asia, where he is known as Iskander or Iskandar Zulkarnain ...

See also:

Alexander the Great, Alexander the Great - Early life, Alexander the Great - The ascent of Macedonia, Alexander the Great - Period of conquests, Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great - The invasion of India, Alexander the Great - After India, Alexander the Great - Alexander's marriages and sexuality, Alexander the Great - The army of Alexander the Great before the Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander the Great - Infantry, Alexander the Great - Cavalry, Alexander the Great - Death, Alexander the Great - Legacy and division of the empire, Alexander the Great - Timeline, Alexander the Great - Alexander's character, Alexander the Great - Stories and legends, Alexander the Great - Ancient sources, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend in non-Western sources, Alexander the Great - Main towns founded by Alexander, Alexander the Great - Alexander in popular media, Alexander the Great - Note

Read more here: » Alexander the Great: Encyclopedia II - Alexander the Great - Alexander's character

Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire. Alexander's army had crossed the Hellespont with about 42,000 soldiers---primarily Macedonians1 and Greeks, but also including some Thracians, Paionians and Illyrians. After an initial victory against Persian forces at the Battle of Granicus, Alexander accepted the surrender of the Persian provincial capital and treasury of Sardis and proceeded down the Ionian coast. At Halicarnassus, Alexander successfully waged the fi ...

See also:

Alexander the Great, Alexander the Great - Early life, Alexander the Great - The ascent of Macedon, Alexander the Great - Period of conquests, Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great - The invasion of India, Alexander the Great - After India, Alexander the Great - Alexander's marriages and sexuality, Alexander the Great - The army of Alexander the Great before the Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander the Great - Infantry, Alexander the Great - Cavalry, Alexander the Great - Death, Alexander the Great - Legacy and division of the empire, Alexander the Great - Timeline, Alexander the Great - Alexander's character, Alexander the Great - Stories and legends, Alexander the Great - Ancient sources, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend in non-Western sources, Alexander the Great - Main towns founded by Alexander, Alexander the Great - Alexander in popular media, Alexander the Great - Note

Read more here: » Alexander the Great: Encyclopedia II - Alexander the Great - Period of conquests

Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire. Alexander's army had crossed the Hellespont with about 42,000 soldiers---primarily Macedonians1 and Greeks, but also including some Thracians, Paionians and Illyrians. After an initial victory against Persian forces at the Battle of Granicus, Alexander accepted the surrender of the Persian provincial capital and treasury of Sardis and proceeded down the Ionian coast. At Halicarnassus, Alexander successfully waged the fi ...

See also:

Alexander the Great, Alexander the Great - Early life, Alexander the Great - The ascent of Macedonia, Alexander the Great - Period of conquests, Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great - The invasion of India, Alexander the Great - After India, Alexander the Great - Alexander's marriages and sexuality, Alexander the Great - The army of Alexander the Great before the Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander the Great - Infantry, Alexander the Great - Cavalry, Alexander the Great - Death, Alexander the Great - Legacy and division of the empire, Alexander the Great - Timeline, Alexander the Great - Alexander's character, Alexander the Great - Stories and legends, Alexander the Great - Ancient sources, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend in non-Western sources, Alexander the Great - Main towns founded by Alexander, Alexander the Great - Alexander in popular media, Alexander the Great - Note

Read more here: » Alexander the Great: Encyclopedia II - Alexander the Great - Period of conquests

Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire. Alexander's army had crossed the Hellespont with about 40,000 soldiers---primarily Macedonians [1] and Greeks, but also including some Thracians, Paionians and Illyrians. After an initial victory against Persian forces at the Battle of Granicus, Alexander accepted the surrender of the Persian provincial capital and treasury of Sardis and proceeded down the Ionian coast. At H ...

See also:

Alexander the Great, Alexander the Great - Early life, Alexander the Great - The ascent of Macedon, Alexander the Great - Period of conquests, Alexander the Great - The defeat of the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great - The invasion of India, Alexander the Great - After India, Alexander the Great - Alexander's marriages and sexuality, Alexander the Great - The army of Alexander the Great before the Battle of Gaugamela, Alexander the Great - Infantry, Alexander the Great - Cavalry, Alexander the Great - Death, Alexander the Great - Legacy and division of the empire, Alexander the Great - Timeline, Alexander the Great - Alexander's character, Alexander the Great - Stories and legends, Alexander the Great - Ancient sources, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend, Alexander the Great - Alexander's legend in non-Western sources, Alexander the Great - Main towns founded by Alexander, Alexander the Great - Alexander in popular media, Alexander the Great - Note

Read more here: » Alexander the Great: Encyclopedia II - Alexander the Great - Period of conquests

Dhul-Qarnayn (Arabic ذو القرنين, also transcribed Dhu'l-Qarnein, Zul-Qurnayn, Zul-Qarnain, Zul-Qarneyn, Zul-Qarnayn, etc.), literally "He of the Two Horns", is a figure mentioned in the Qur'an, the sacred scripture of Islam, where he is described as a great and righteous ruler who built a long wall that keeps Gog and Magog from attacking the peoples of the West. He is regarded by some Muslims as a prophet. Historically Dhul-Qarnayn has been identified with Alexander the Great, and this remai ...

Including:

• Dhul-Qarnayn - Reference to context on Dhul-Qarnayn
• Dhul-Qarnayn - Dhul-Qarnayn in the Qur'an
• Dhul-Qarnayn - Theories on the identity of Dhul-Qarnayn
• Dhul-Qarnayn - Alexander the Great as Dhul-Qarnayn
• Dhul-Qarnayn - Cyrus the Great as Dhul Qarnain
• Dhul-Qarnayn - The archaic Dhul-Qarnayn
• Dhul-Qarnayn - The Arab Dhul-Qarnayn
• Dhul-Qarnayn - The angelic Dhul-Qarnayn

Read more here: » Dhul-Qarnayn: Encyclopedia - Dhul-Qarnayn

Basileus (Greek Βασιλεύς) means "king". It is perhaps best known in English as a title used by Byzantine monarchs, but also has a longer history of use in Ancient Greece. Basileus - Etymology. The etymology of "basileus" is unclear. The Mycenaean form was gwasileus (qa-si-re-u), denoting some sort of court official or local "boss", but not an actual king. Most linguists assume that it is a non-Greek word that was adopted by Bronze Age Greeks from a preexisting linguistic substra ...

Including:

• Basileus - Etymology
• Basileus - Ancient Greece
• Basileus - Alexander the Great
• Basileus - Byzantines
• Basileus - External link

Read more here: » Basileus: Encyclopedia - Basileus

Mestrius Plutarchus (ca. 46- 127) was a Greek historian, biographer, and essayist. Born in the small town of Chaeronea, in the Greek region known as Boeotia, probably during the reign of the Roman Emperor Claudius, Plutarch travelled widely in the Mediterranean world, including twice to Rome. Due to his parents' wealth, after 67, Plutarchus was able to study philosophy, rhetoric, and mathematics at the Academy of Athens. He had a number of influential friends, including Soscius Senecio and Fundanus, both important Senato ...

Including:

• Plutarch - Work as magistrate and ambassador
• Plutarch - Parallel Lives
• Plutarch - Life of Alexander
• Plutarch - Other works
• Plutarch - The Moralia
• Plutarch - Quaestiones
• Plutarch - Plutarch's influence
• Plutarch - Quotations

Read more here: » Plutarch: Encyclopedia - Plutarch

Greco-Buddhism, sometimes spelled Græco-Buddhism, is the cultural syncretism between the culture of Classical Greece and Buddhism, which developed over a period of close to 800 years in Central Asia in the area corresponding to modern-day Afghanistan and Pakistan, between the 4th century BCE and the 5th century CE. Greco-Buddhism influenced the artistic (and, possibly, conceptual) development of Buddhism, and in particular Mahayana Buddhism, before it was adopted by Central and Northeastern Asia from the 1st century CE, ultima ...

Including:

• Greco-Buddhism - Historical outline
• Greco-Buddhism - Religious interactions
• Greco-Buddhism - Alexander the Great in Bactria and India 331-325
• Greco-Buddhism - The Mauryan empire 322–183 BCE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Greek presence in Bactria 325 to 125 BCE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Indo-Greek kingdom and Buddhism 180 BCE –10 CE
• Greco-Buddhism - The Kushan empire 1st–3rd century CE
• Greco-Buddhism - Artistic influences
• Greco-Buddhism - The anthropomorphic representation of the Buddha
• Greco-Buddhism - A Hellenized Buddhist pantheon
• Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the rise of the Mahayana
• Greco-Buddhism - Conceptual influences
• Greco-Buddhism - Gandharan proselytism
• Greco-Buddhism - Intellectual influences in Asia
• Greco-Buddhism - Greco-Buddhism and the West
• Greco-Buddhism - Exchanges
• Greco-Buddhism - Religious influences
• Greco-Buddhism - Notes

Read more here: » Greco-Buddhism: Encyclopedia - Greco-Buddhism

In compiling the history of ancient Israel and Judah, there are many available sources, including the Jewish Tanakh (partially the Old Testament, it also consists of the book of the prophets, and the five books of Moses) and other Jewish texts such as the Talmud, the Ethiopian book of history known as the Kebra Nagast, the writings of historians such as Nicolaus of Damascus, Artapanas, Philo of Alexandria and Josephus, other writings, and archaeological e ...

Including:

• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Early history
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The patriarchal period
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Egyptian domination
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Period of the Judges
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The United Monarchy
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The period of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The period of captivity
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Rebuilding the Temple
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - The legacy of Alexander the Great and the dawn of Rabbinic Judaism
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Roman conquests
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Notable people
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Partial list of kings of Israel
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Partial list of kings of Judah
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Notable places
• History of ancient Israel and Judah - Religious places and objects

Read more here: » History of ancient Israel and Judah: Encyclopedia - History of ancient Israel and Judah

The Alexander Romance is any of several collections of legends concerning the mythical exploits of Alexander the Great. The earliest version is in Greek, dating to the 3rd century. Several late manuscripts attribute the work to Alexander's court historian Callisthenes, but the historical figure died before Alexander and couldn't have written a full account of his life. The unknown author is still sometimes called "Pseudo-Callisthenes". Alexander Romance - Versions of the Romance. Alexander was ...

Including:

• Alexander Romance - Versions of the Romance
• Alexander Romance - Li romans d'Alixandre: Alexander in 12th century French literature

Read more here: » Alexander Romance: Encyclopedia - Alexander Romance

The Gates of Alexander were a mythical barrier supposedly built by Alexander the Great in the Caucasus to keep the uncivilized barbarians of the north, often identified as Gog and Magog, from invading the land to the south. The gates were a popular subject in medieval travel literature, starting with the Alexander Romance in a version from perhaps the 6th century AD. The wall has been frequently identified with ...

Including:

• Gates of Alexander - The Caspian Gates at Derbent

Read more here: » Gates of Alexander: Encyclopedia - Gates of Alexander

Orientalists, studying ancient Christian legends about Alexander the Great, have come to conclude that the Qur'an's stories about Dhul-Qarnayn closely parallel certain legends about Alexander the Great found in ancient Hellenistic and Christian writings. There is some archeological evidence to identify the Arabic epithet "Dhul-Qarnayn" with Alexander the Great. There is also a long history of monotheistic religions coopting the historical Alexander. This leads to the theologically controversial co ...

See also:

Alexander in the Qur'an Theory, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in the Qur'an, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in early Islamic literature, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Similarities to Alexander the Great, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Historical background on religious Alexander legends, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The two-horned one, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The Caspian Gates, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Gog and Magog, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The rising of the Sun from the fetid sea, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Alexander's travels, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Muslim veneration of Alexander the Great, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Theological controversy

Read more here: » Alexander in the Qur'an Theory: Encyclopedia II - Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Similarities to Alexander the Great

Dhul-Qarnayn - Alexander the Great as Dhul-Qarnayn. Main article: Alexander in the Qur'an (Theory) The story of Dhul-Qarnayn as described in the Quran follows very closely some passages of the Alexander Romance, a thoroughly embellished compilation of Alexander the Great's exploits from Hellenistic and early Christian sources which underwent numerous expansions and revisions throughout Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The Alexander Romance was enormously extremely pop ...

See also:

Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - Reference to context on Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - Dhul-Qarnayn in the Qur'an, Dhul-Qarnayn - Theories on the identity of Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - Alexander the Great as Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - Cyrus the Great as Dhul Qarnain, Dhul-Qarnayn - The archaic Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - The Arab Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - The angelic Dhul-Qarnayn

Read more here: » Dhul-Qarnayn: Encyclopedia II - Dhul-Qarnayn - Theories on the identity of Dhul-Qarnayn

Dhul-Qarnayn - Alexander the Great as Dhul-Qarnayn. The story of Dhul-Qarnayn as described in the Quran follows very closely some passages of the Alexander Romance, a thoroughly embellished compilation of Alexander the Great's exploits from Hellenistic and early Christian sources which underwent numerous expansions and revisions throughout Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The Alexander Romance was enormously extremely popular in the Hellenistic world, including Jewish communities, among which Alexander had p ...

See also:

Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - Reference to context on Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - Dhul-Qarnayn in the Qur'an, Dhul-Qarnayn - Theories on the identity of Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - Alexander the Great as Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - Cyrus the Great as Dhul Qarnain, Dhul-Qarnayn - The archaic Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - The Arab Dhul-Qarnayn, Dhul-Qarnayn - The angelic Dhul-Qarnayn

Read more here: » Dhul-Qarnayn: Encyclopedia II - Dhul-Qarnayn - Theories on the identity of Dhul-Qarnayn

As it has been noted, the early Muslim scholars generally identified the Dhul-Qarnayn of the Qur'an with Alexander the Great. In the centuries that followed, Dhul-Qarnayn was often thought of by Muslims as a Prophet of Islam. Early Islamic civilization would produce its own legendary traditions about Alexander the Great, particularly in Persia. With the Muslim-Arab conquest of Persia, the Alexander Romance found its way to an honored place in Persian literature—an ironic outcome considering pre-Islamic Persia's hostility to t ...

See also:

Alexander in the Qur'an Theory, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in the Qur'an, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in early Islamic literature, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Similarities to Alexander the Great, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Historical background on religious Alexander legends, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The two-horned one, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The Caspian Gates, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Gog and Magog, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The rising of the Sun from the fetid sea, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Alexander's travels, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Muslim veneration of Alexander the Great, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Theological controversy

Read more here: » Alexander in the Qur'an Theory: Encyclopedia II - Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Muslim veneration of Alexander the Great

In 326 BCE Alexander the Great made his foray into Punjab. King Omphis, ruler of Taxila, surrendered the city to Alexander. Many people had fled to a high fortress/rock called Aornos. Aornos was taken by Alexander by storm (see siege of Aornos). Alexander fought an epic battle against the Indian monarch Porus in the Battle of Hydaspes (326). After victory, Alexander made an alliance with Porus and appointed him as satrap of his ...

See also:

Greek Conquests in India, Greek Conquests in India - Conquests of Alexander The Great 326 BCE, Greek Conquests in India - Seleucid invasion 304 BCE, Greek Conquests in India - Indo-Greek rule 180-30 BCE, Greek Conquests in India - Legacy

Read more here: » Greek Conquests in India: Encyclopedia II - Greek Conquests in India - Conquests of Alexander The Great 326 BCE

Though many Muslim scholars have traditionally identified Dhul-Qarnayn with Alexander the Great, this identification has today become subject among Muslim scholars of numerous attacks. Most of the factual details of the Alexander Romance, as those that appear to be included in the Qu'ran (Alexander's fantastic deeds as well as his implied monotheism), have little or none basis in historical fact; and if Dhul-Qarnayn is Alexander, this confusion between fact and legend can possibly ...

See also:

Alexander in the Qur'an Theory, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in the Qur'an, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in early Islamic literature, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Similarities to Alexander the Great, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Historical background on religious Alexander legends, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The two-horned one, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The Caspian Gates, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Gog and Magog, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The rising of the Sun from the fetid sea, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Alexander's travels, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Muslim veneration of Alexander the Great, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Theological controversy

Read more here: » Alexander in the Qur'an Theory: Encyclopedia II - Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Theological controversy

Very little is written about Dhul-Qarnayn in the original sources of Islam, but he features prominently in the Qur'an, the sacred scripture believed by Muslims to have been revealed by God to Muhammad. He is commonly regarded as one amongst the prophets of Islam, but does not feature nearly as prominently in the Qur'an as prophets such as Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and other major Biblical characters. For this reason, there is uncertainty in Islam as to whether he is a prophet of Islam or only a person of power who was favored by God. The story of ...

See also:

Alexander in the Qur'an Theory, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in the Qur'an, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in early Islamic literature, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Similarities to Alexander the Great, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Historical background on religious Alexander legends, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The two-horned one, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The Caspian Gates, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Gog and Magog, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - The rising of the Sun from the fetid sea, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Alexander's travels, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Muslim veneration of Alexander the Great, Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Theological controversy

Read more here: » Alexander in the Qur'an Theory: Encyclopedia II - Alexander in the Qur'an Theory - Dhul-Qarnayn in the Qur'an