History UsefulNotes / AlexanderTheGreat

* The French {{edutainment|Show}} ConfessionCam parody web-series ''WebVideo/ConfessionsDHistoire'' has a planned four parter about Alexander, the first part of which was uploaded in December 2022.

* The ''Literature/BookOfDaniel'' foretells Alexander's rise to power 200 years before his birth, when Daniel sees a vision of a ram with two horns (representing the Persian Empire) being slain by a goat with a single horn (Alexander) which then breaks into four pieces (the four new territories his generals divided amongst themselves.) Later on, Jewish history records that when Alexander arrived in Jerusalem, he embraced the High Priest, Jaddus, and went into the temple to see the prophecy written about him, and offer a sacrifice to the Lord. Under his rule, the Jews enjoyed the same rights as they did under the Persians, and even named many of their sons Alexander (Sender, in Hebrew form) in his honor.

* In {{Literature/The Quran}}, there is a heroic character of disputed prophethood known as Dhul Qarnayn ('the Two-Horned One') often identified with Alexander the Great. His connection to horns comes from an artistic representation of him with a two-horned helmet. In his Qur'anic depiction, he is described as a just king who conquered from east to west with the permission of God and as a just ruler who defeated Gog and Magog. This figure has also been identified as Cyrus the Great and other well-known rulers, but no theory has reached the mainstream and popular status of Alexander, who already had many romance legends in the region.

Born in 356 B.C., full name Alexander III of Macedon, he was the son of Philip II of Macedon and Olympias of Epirus. "Alexander" is actually [[AncientGrome the Roman/Latin]] form of his name, which is in fact (Ἀλέξανδρος) Aléxandros in Greek, and was how he was known in his lifetime, by his peers, and by himself. During his conquests in Persia, he adopted the customs of the Persian rulers (who called their rulers "The Great King", most famously UsefulNotes/CyrusTheGreat, whom Alexander saw as a role model), and became Ἀλέξανδρος ὁ Μέγας[=/=]Aléxandros ho Mégas[=/=]Alexander the Great.

* The French {{edutainment|Show}} ConfessionCams web-series ''WebVideo/ConfessionsDHistoire'' has a planned four parter about Alexander, the first part of which was uploaded in December 2022.

Alexander's conquests led to Greek culture being spread to the East, and ideas from the East going back to the West, marking the start of the Hellenistic period, which led to Greek becoming the lingua franca or common tongue of the Ancient Middle East, influencing Persia (Greek remained the language of administration well into the Sassanid Empire in the 6th century A.D.), India, Ancient Arabia, and Judea. In a 2009 poll conducted on Greek television, Alexander the Great was voted the greatest Greek of all time. Still, it cannot be denied that even if his conquests led to the Hellenistic empires and spread Greek culture across the Middle East and North-West India, it more or less marked the end of Greece's Classical era. His poor handling of his succession and addiction to war led to the UsefulNotes/MacedonianSuccessionWars, where his generals (the Diadochi, or "Successors") ended up fighting each other. Eventually Greece would be swallowed by the Romans, who crushed the successor kingdoms of Pyrrhus, Mithridates and other Macedonian holdouts, and thereafter Greece would become part of the Roman Empire, and be DemotedToExtra. Likewise, modern historians note that Alexander set a bad example for the likes of Pompey the Great, Caesar, and later Napoleon, who all sought to invade, expand, and conquer in imitation of their hero, and much of this came at the expense of land, life and dignity of people on the ground, and it led many of them to a sticky end.

In his lifetime he came to acquire the following titles: Basileus (King) of Macedon, [[ElectiveMonarchy Hegemon of the Hellenic League]], [[TheEmperor Shahanshah of Persia]], [[TheConqueror Pharaoh of Egypt]], [[UpToEleven Lord of Asia]]. He is generally considered one of four great conquerors (alongside UsefulNotes/JuliusCaesar, UsefulNotes/GenghisKhan and UsefulNotes/NapoleonBonaparte) whose military and political activities literally changed the world. He was taught by Creator/{{Aristotle}} until he was about 16; it's said he was particularly interested in his teacher's lessons in geography and on Homer (he was known for carrying his copy of ''Literature/TheIliad'' with him wherever he went). As a young man he served in his father's army as a commander in his campaigns, and came to power after the assassination of his father by the captain of his bodyguard. He benefited greatly from the military reforms of Philip, who developed the Macedonian phalanx formation and introduced the ''sarissa'' (a pike roughly twice the length of a typical Greek spear), which gave his army an edge over the rest of Greece and a force that could potentially expand the power of Greece outside the Peloponnese peninsula. Alexander promptly put down a series of rebellions around the Balkans and attracted other allies and fence-sitters to support an invasion of Persia. He was elected Hegemon of the Hellenic League (composed of Macedonian allies, subjects and other city-states and kingdoms, except of course for the Spartans[[note]]This was a famous mockery of the Spartans for turning down this offer of invasion, more or less intended by Alexander to note that they missed out on their chance of participating in the greatest glory of Greece and that they couldn't claim any part of Alexander's glory[[/note]]).

* ironic enough one of the most popular legends in Greece about Alexander the Great has his sister as the main character. it was said that Alexader asked the oracle for a way to live forever and the oracle said to him how to find 'the immortal water' which everyone who drank it would become immortal. after many hardships, Alexader finds the water but before he had a chance to drink it his sister, Thessalonike wich was a real person btw, out of ignorance bathes and drinks the water. when she founds about out what she did to her brother she tried to continue suicide by jumping off a cliff but Poseidon took mercy upon her and transformed her into a mermaid. since that day she is forever roaming the seas and eachtime she find finds ship she asks the same question "does King Alexander still lives?" if the answer is negative then her rage and grief are so great they make up a storm that sunks the ship but if the answer is "he lives and reigns and conquers the world" then the mermaid would smile and give the ship calm seas for a save voyage.

* He is referenced in Saint Augustine's ''The City of God'' and is one of the most famed examples were he is treated in an unfavorable light since his actions are judged by Christian Morality rather than the Pagan Morality of the Classical world and his role is that of a proxy to St. Augustine's criticism that were also meant to Rome itself. For instance, the book makes reference to an apocryphal conversation between Alexander and a pirate with the latter arguing that both were [[NotSoDifferentRemark deep down the same]], with the difference being the scale of their acts (the pirate robbed gold while Alexander took land) as well as featuring a mention to a letter Alexander sent to his mother Olimpia of a conversation he had with a priest in Egypt who told him that the gods were essentially self-serving creations made for the interest of the rulers (in opposition to what Christianity, Islam or Judaism teach about God's relation with those that rule). Indeed, Saint Augustine's criticism of Alexander and the ideal of the virtuous conqueror that he came to represent in Antiquity was one of the first foundations on the modern concept of what we call a "Just War".

* ''Anime/MazingerZ'': During a passionate speech, [[MadScientist Dr.]] [[BigBad Hell]] declared that he would achieve that Alexander was unable to do ([[TakeOverTheWorld conquering the world]]).

* ''Anime/ReignTheConqueror'' (a.k.a. ''Alexander Senki'') was a very... loose... retelling of the story of Alexander's conquests, with character designs by Peter Chung of ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'' fame.

* Alexander's life is retold in ''Alexandros'' by Yoshikazu Yasuhiko, better known as the original character designer for the Franchise/{{Gundam}} franchise. (Thus, Alexander looks rather like [[Anime/MobileSuitGundam Amuro Ray]].)

* Alexander's ([[StockUnsolvedMysteries famously-lost]]) tomb is a key plot point in [[Series/MoonKnight2022 Moon Knight]], [[spoiler: being the hidden location of Ammit, the central antagonist's worshipped deity. Alexander is also revealed [[BeethovenWasAnAlienSpy to have been Ammit's Avatar in the past]]]].

* In the {{Literature/The Quran}}, there is a heroic character in the Qur'an, of disputed prophethood, known as Dhul Qarnayn ('the Two-Horned One') often identified with Alexander the Great. His connection to horns comes from an artistic representation of him with a two-horned helmet. In his Qur'anic depiction, he is described as a just king who conquered from east to west with the permission of God and as a just ruler who defeated Gog and Magog. This figure has also been identified as Cyrus the Great and other well-known rulers, but no theory has reached the mainstream and popular status of Alexander, who already had many romance legends in the region.

* Alexander's ([[StockUnsolvedMysteries famously-lost]]) tomb is a key plot point in [[Series/MoonKnight2022 Moon Knight]], [[spoiler: being the hidden location of Ammit, the central antagonist's worshipped deity]].

* Alexander's ([[StockUnresolvedMysteries famously-lost]]) tomb is a key plot point in [[Series/MoonKnight2022 Moon Knight]], [[spoiler: being the hidden location of Ammit, the central antagonist's worshipped deity]].

Alexander's own policies also created divisions among his generals. He started syncretizing aspects of Greek mythology and culture with that of Egypt and Media. He called himself Pharoah, and identified Ammon as an aspect of Zeus. To the eyes of his Greek soldiers, he was GoingNative to an unacceptable degree, dressing in Persian fashion and custom, asking his men to [[KneelBeforeZod kneel before him]] and, most offensively to them, recruiting and promoting Persian soldiers and commanders to ranks in his combined armies on the basis of merit and competence, seemingly treating the Macedonians and allied Greeks no differently from the others. The challenge of ruling the large empire of Persia was quite a difficult feat for the Achaemenids, and Alexander, after wrecking and destabilizing it, more or less wanted to put it back in place [[MeetTheNewBoss only with himself in charge]]. Alexander seemed to want to reconcile the unfamiliar and seemingly strange culture of the East with the European West, and he encouraged [[AssimilationPlot syncretism, cultural contact, intermarriage with locals]], and even seemed to suggest resettlement and exchanges of natives from Persia and Media to Greece and vice versa. [[PetTheDog This rather positive aspect]] of his reign was valued and admired in Asia even after his death and the dissolution of his conquests, and influenced central and South Asian culture for most of a millennium afterwards. In UsefulNotes/{{Iran}} after the fall of the Sassanids and the rise of Shi'a Islam, Alexander came to be seen positively and even acknowledged as a Shah in ''Literature/TheShahnameh'' and in Afghanistan, Pakistan and North India (around Punjab where the River Beas was the furthest in India he ever came), the name Sikander (derived from Alexander) remains a name for warrior, champion or victor well into the 21st Century.

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* In ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'', Lord Commander Solar Macharius is heavily inspired in Alexander the Great. His conquests (1000 wolds in ''seven years'') came to an end at the edge of the galaxy. Macharius prepared to move onwards but his armies, never beaten by the enemy, wavered and crumbled at the prospect of exploring the psychic darkness at the galaxy's edge. Also like Alexander, his conquests splintered among the seven generals he had, though the Imperium quickly brought them all back into the fold.

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* Is the leader of the Greeks in many of the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' games (though VI finally created a separate Macedon civilization and made him the leader of it). And is also the [[{{Jerkass}} biggest dick out of all the AIs]]
* He is the protagonist of a ''VideoGame/RomeTotalWar'' expansion pack, appropriately named ''Alexander''. You get an automatic NonStandardGameOver if Alexander ever routes from a battle.
** He is one of the Greek commanders in ''Total War: Arena''. His abilities are best suited for cavalry and he is a very LargeHam.

* In ''VideoGame/TheAncientArtOfWar'', Alexander "keeps good food lines but is weak when not on the plains."
* He is featured on the box art of ''VideoGame/EmpireEarth'''s and the last 3 missions of the game's Greek campaign are about his rise to power and his conquest of Persia.
* He is the star of a self-titled campaign in ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations''' expansion.

* In ''VideoGame/AgeOfEmpiresI'', there is an Alexander HeroUnit, and the later missions for the Greek campaign involve playing as him.
* In ''VideoGame/DantesInferno'', [[{{Satan}} Lucifer]] mentions that Alexander was one of the many people throughout history who failed to free him from Cocytus.
* In ''Franchise/AssassinsCreed'', Alexander used LostTechnology from the {{Precursors}} and was assassinated by one of the predecessors of the Assassin Brotherhood. ''Videogame/AssassinsCreedOrigins'' makes reference to his status as a conqueror of Egypt.
* ''VideoGame/ImperatorRome'' deals with his legacy. The game begins 19 years after his death (304 BCE), and his generals are now aging monarchs of their own empires. He appears as a deified ruler in the Hellenic pantheon.
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* He is referenced in Saint Augustine's ''The City of God'' and is one of the most famed examples were he is treated in an unfavorable light since his actions are judged by Christian Morality rather than the Pagan Morality of the Classical world and his role is that of a proxy to St. Augustine's criticism that were also meant to Rome itself. For instance, the book makes reference to an apocryphal conversation between Alexander and a pirate with the latter arguing that both were [[NotSoDifferent deep down the same]], with the difference being the scale of their acts (the pirate robbed gold while Alexander took land) as well as featuring a mention to a letter Alexander sent to his mother Olimpia of a conversation he had with a priest in Egypt who told him that the gods were essentially self-serving creations made for the interest of the rulers (in opposition to what Christianity, Islam or Judaism teach about God's relation with those that rule). Indeed, Saint Augustine's criticism of Alexander and the ideal of the virtuous conqueror that he came to represent in Antiquity was one of the first foundations on the modern concept of what we call a "Just War".

* ''VideoGames/ImperatorRome'' deals with his legacy. The game begins 19 years after his death (304 BCE), and his generals are now aging monarchs of their own empires. He appears as a deified ruler in the Hellenic pantheon.

* Historian Valerio Massimo Manfredi also dedicated his own Literature/AlexanderTrilogy to the eponymous character. The rights for a filmic adaptation were bought a long time ago.

* In ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'', Lord Commander Solar Macharius is heavily inspired in Alexander the Great. His conquests (1000 wolds in ''seven years'') came to an end at the edge of the galaxy. Macharius prepared to move onwards but his armies, never beaten by the enemy, wavered and crumbled at the prospect of exploring the psychic darkness at the galaxy's edge. Also like Alexander his conquests splintered among the seven generals he had, though the Imperium quickly brought them all back into the fold.

* ''In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great'' by Michael Wood. Wood traveled to all the places Alexander went, guided by locals with their own stories of Alexander to tell. He often literally walked exactly where Alexander had walked and occasionally risked his own life.

He marched his army into the [[UsefulNotes/TheAchaemenidEmpire Achaemaenid Empire of Persia]] that governed over Asia Minor, the Levant, the Arabian Peninsula, the Persian Gulf, Bactria and frontiers into Central Asia. To the Greeks of the ancient world, this was more or less the edge of the known world and Alexander's invasion was more or less synonymous with conquering the world. In actual fact, Alexander's empire was only slightly smaller than the Achaemenid Empire at its height, was exceeded by the Han and Tang dynasties, and would also be exceeded in size by other land empires such as the Mongol Empire and the Russian Empire, albeit in terms of territory it was larger than UsefulNotes/TheRomanEmpire at its height. His famous campaign began in Egypt and marched alongside the coasts, taking over cities, winning over allies, sacking and murdering rebels and holdouts and wrecking the BalanceOfPower on which the Persian Empire was based. After Alexander's forces defeated the enormously numerically superior Persian armies and forced [[WorthyOpponent King Darius III]] to flee the Battle of Gaugamela, Darius was assassinated by a general who fled with him and Alexander seized control of the empire. Alexander is one of a very few military leaders who never lost a battle, and was notably willing to absorb tactics and soldiers that impressed him - notably, after Gaugamela, the use of war elephants. Later, Alexander's forces marched into Bactria and India, where Alexander was forced to stop his expansion under the threat of revolt from his army, who were beginning to wonder if he truly would march to the very end of the world, circumstances permitting. Alexander married a Bactrian woman named Roxana, who later [[BirthDeathJuxtaposition bore him a son after his death]]. Alexander died in 323 B.C. after a period of sickness in Babylon. It's unclear exactly what killed him. Some historians have suggested that he died of alcohol poisoning after a drinking contest with some of his soldiers, others suggest that he was poisoned, and still others believe that he may have caught some form of disease, specifically untreated typhoid fever. His empire collapsed shortly afterwards, with his generals dividing up Persia, Egypt, and Macedonia amongst themselves.

* The identity of Rider in ''Literature/FateZero'' is Alexander (albeit using the Persian translation of his name, Iskandar). He's a BoisterousBruiser who [[https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rider_fate_zero_portrait_7742.jpg looks like this]][[note]]The discrepancy between his LargeAndInCharge nature and the historical record of Alexander having been too small for Darius III's throne is explained; Iskandar says that history failed to record that Darius was ''even bigger''.[[/note]], has a very odd view on various things, especially the wearing of pants, and is thinking about conquering the world again. He also is among the strongest Servants that are around, his Ionioi Hetairoi being of the highest Noble Phantasm-Rank. It drags the target into a Reality Marble where they will have to face the Heroic Spirits of Alexander's former guards and companions (even his ''horse'' became a Heroic Spirit!), who, having bonded with him in life, remain loyal to him even after death. He also has ShockAndAwe powers because he is a descendant of Zeus here. There is also a sequence that elaborates on his reasons for conquering the world, how he desired to reach the end of the world and leave his footprints in the sand, and how he swept away anything that stood in his way and managed to convince many people to support and share his dream. Oh, and also, nearly everything the guy does is CrazyAwesome. The HistoricalHeroUpgrade is strong in this one, even when he freely admits to Saber's claim that he is a greedy tyrant and considers that an acceptable price for what he managed to accomplish.

* The namesake of "[[CrazyAwesome Alex the Great]]" in ''VideoGame/{{BioShock 2}}''.

* Is the leader of the Greeks in many of the ''VideoGame/{{Civilization}}'' games. And is also the [[{{Jerkass}} biggest dick out of all the AIs]]

* In the {{Qur'an}}, there is a heroic character in the Qur'an, of disputed prophethood, known as Dhul Qarnayn ('the Two-Horned One') often identified with Alexander the Great. His connection to horns comes from an artistic representation of him with a two-horned helmet. In his Qur'anic depiction, he is described as a just king who conquered from east to west with the permission of God and as a just ruler who defeated Gog and Magog. This figure has also been identified as Cyrus the Great and other well-known rulers, but no theory has reached the mainstream and popular status of Alexander, who already had many romance legends in the region.