Of all those who have set out to conquer the world, Alexander the Great came closest to finishing the job. The son of King Philip II of Macedonia, from an early age he was taught that he was a descendant of Achilles and Hercules and was conditioned for conquest and kingly glory. Alexander was educated by the philosopher Aristotle and first led troops when he was just eighteen.

In 336 BC, King Philip was killed and Alexander ascended to the throne of Macedonia. Over the next twelve years Alexander conquered almost the entire known world of his era, irrevocably changing the course of history. In doing so he defeated the Thebans, the Persian Satraps, overthrew Darius, overran Syria and Phoenicia, possessed himself of all the cities along the Mediterranean, conquered Egypt and founded Alexandria.

He died suddenly at age 33, in Babylon, after a bout of heavy drinking; some suggest he was poisoned, though no cause of death has ever been proved.