Alexander the Great Quotes

king of Macedonia and conqueror of Achaemenid Persia (356–323 BC)

Alexander III of Macedon (20/21 July 356 BC – 11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a Macedonian king who ruled the kingdom of Macedon. He succeeded his father King Philip II to the throne at the age of 20, and spent most of his ruling years conducting a lengthy military campaign throughout Western Asia and Northeastern Africa. By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered to be one of history's greatest and most successful military commanders.

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Native Name: Ἀλέξανδρος Γ' ὁ Μέγας

Alternative Names: Alexander III of Macedon • Alexander • Eskandar • Sikandar • Alexander of Macedonia • Alexander III • Great Alexander • Alexandros the Great • the Great Alexander • Alexandros • Alexandros III • Alexandros III of Macedon • Alexander of Macedon • Alexander III of Macedonia • Alexandros III of Macedonia

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If it were not my purpose to combine barbarian things with things Hellenic, to traverse and civilize every continent, to search out the uttermost parts of land and sea, to push the bounds of Macedonia to the farthest Ocean, and to disseminate and shower the blessings of the Hellenic justice and peace over every nation, I should not be content to sit quietly in the luxury of idle power, but I should emulate the frugality of Diogenes. But as things are, forgive me Diogenes, that I imitate Herakles, and emulate Perseus, and follow in the footsteps of Dionysos, the divine author and progenitor of my family, and desire that victorious Hellenes should dance again in India and revive the memory of the Bacchic revels among the savage mountain tribes beyond the Kaukasos...

Now you fear punishment and beg for your lives, so I will let you free, if not for any other reason so that you can see the difference between a Greek king and a barbarian tyrant, so do not expect to suffer any harm from me. A king does not kill messengers.

There are no more worlds to conquer!

Are you still to learn that the end and perfection of our victories is to avoid the vices and infirmities of those whom we subdue?

Know ye not that the end and object of conquest is to avoid doing the same thing as the conquered?