Alexander the Great was born in 356bc, the son of Philip II, king of Macedonia. He grew up with the example of Philip and the tutelage of Isocrates, Aristotle, and others. "From an early age he had been associated with the king, his father, in conducting religious ceremonies, and he was imbued with the many ideas of orthodox religion and of ecstatic mysteries" (MWH, 141). He believed he was descended from Zues and Heracles and was destined to be king. Alexander "was acclaimed 'son of Zues' by the oracle at Didyma, the Sibyl at Erythrae..." (MWH, 137) and his apparent supernatural powers were affirmed at Gaugamela, at least in the eyes of most of his troops. Before going into battle, he prayed to the gods to "protect and strengthen the Greeks" (MWH, 137) and it was answered as the Greeks won.

Even if Alexander was backed by the gods, the extent of his accomplishment could never have been so great if he was not as intelligent as he was, both as a military leader as well as a political leader. "We can see that it was Alexander's leadership and training which made the Macedonians incomparable in war and in administration and enabled them as rulers of the so-called Hellenistic kingdoms to control the greater part of the civilized world for a century or more" (MWH, 136). He believed in Homonoia and wanted all peoples to be united as one. He was able to gain the respect of the people he had just conquered and as a result, he had a multi-racial army. His ability to lead an army of such a diverse nature has never been rivaled. He integrated all of the people he conquered, including all of Asia, into one empire. "As his power extended, he did not introduce European administrators at a level which would inhibit native self-rule...; instead he continued native administrators in office and raised the best of them to the highest level in civil affairs by appointing them as his immediate deputies in the post of satrap..."

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