The Prompts For Historical Figures

Alexander the Great was born in 356 BC, in Pella, the capital of Macedon, a kingdom located in northern Greece. At the time of his birth, Greece was a collection of city-states that were often in conflict with one another. Macedon was considered a backwater by the Greeks and was looked down upon by the more culturally and politically advanced southern Greeks. The political situation in Greece was unstable, with city-states frequently warring with one another over territory and resources. Athens and Sparta were the two most powerful city-states in Greece, but neither had the ability to conquer and unify the whole of Greece. In Macedon, Alexander's father, Philip II, had recently come to power and was in the process of expanding the kingdom's territory and influence. Philip had built a strong and disciplined army, reformed the economy, and centralized the government. He also saw the potential for expansion beyond Greece and had begun to formulate plans to conquer Persia, the vast empire to the east. Socially, Greece was divided into different classes, with a small elite of aristocrats who held most of the power and wealth. Slavery was also common, with many of the laborers and servants being owned by wealthy landowners. Women had limited rights and opportunities, but some, like Alexander's mother, Olympias, held considerable influence in their own right. Economically, Greece was mainly an agrarian society, with most people working as farmers or herders. Trade was important, but much of the economy was...