Alexander the Great's Early Years Quiz

Answer: The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was destroyed by fire

Herostratus was a young man who desperately wanted his name to echo through the ages, so he decided to make his mark in a most terrible way, knowing that it would affect the known world at the time. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and Herostratus its destructor.

Herostratus burned down the temple and, instead of denying the blame, admitted to it. Unsurprisingly, Herostratus was executed and any mention of his name was under the penalty of death, to make sure that the dead arsonist's wish did not come true.

Despite the effort, Herostratus' name is widely known and exists today in both German and English languages. In German, for example, "Herostrat" is an individual in constant pursuit of fame.

The English term "Herostratic fame" is derived from Herostratus.

Answer: Plato

Aristotle was once hailed as being called "the most intelligent man alive", and so no-one was better suited to teach Philip's son.. Aristotle lived in Athens, taught by Plato. When Socrates died, Plato travelled to Egypt and Italy, studied with students of Pythagoras, and spent several years advising the ruling family of Syracuse. Eventually, he returned to Athens and established his own school of philosophy at the Academy. For students enrolled there, Plato tried both to pass on the the Socratic heritage and to guide their progress through mathematical learning. Plato was also fond of astronomy, believing that the planets rotate around the earth. Obviously, this theory was wrong, but not the theory that the moons light is the reflection from the sun. Plato died around 347 BC, aged about 80.

Answer: Pausanias

Aristotle conducted an investigation after Philip's death and he stated that a man named Pausanias was having a sexual relationship with Philip that went sour. After a few years, the old Pausanias was replaced by another man of the same name beside the king (which was not uncommon as Phillip had many lovers).

But it was the elder Pausanias who made matters worse for his jealousy made him provoke his young rival. The young Pausanias committed suicide after his ordeal with his namesake beacme unbearable. Attalus - one of Philip's generals who was also the Greek who had the famous row with Alexander - blamed the elder Pausanias for the suicide and had him raped after a meal. Pausanias, enraged by this insult, demanded that Phillip take revenge on Attalus to regain his honour.

But as Attalus was such a good general and an uncle of his wife Eyridice, Philip refused. Pausanias then waited for the right time to assasinate Philip, and seized the moment at the wedding of Philip's daughter Cleopatra to a Macedonian prince by the name of Alexander of Epirus.

This event is all the more famous as it was the day that Philip II's "face was placed amoung the gods". Before Philip was killed, twelve statues of the Greek gods were paraded before the wedding with the king's own statue coming last, but with no less applause.

Answer: My son, you are invincible!

This happened after Alexander had sealed his authority over Greece and Macedonia. After Philip's death, Alexander was considered "just a boy" compared to his father. The words of the priestess was all he needed to hear before he set off for Asia in 334 BC.

Answer: 16

The Argead Star was the standard of Macedonia when Philip II reigned as king. This symbol was put on many artefacts that were found in a tomb at Verghinia that is believed to be Philip II's tomb. One was a small golden box holding human remains. I haven't found any reason to believe that Alexander used this standard after his father's death.

Answer: "My father will get ahead of me in everything, and will leave nothing great for me to do."

Alexander wept when Philip II had crushed the enemy Greek, Illyrian and Thracian cities on the Macedonian border. Before the death of Philip II the Greek cities were in revolt and were plotting against him and Macedonia. They labelled the latter "barbaric" and called on the other Greek cities (such as Athens, Sparta, Thebes) to put aside their violent past and their grudges and unite.

They even went as far as asking the Persians for aid. When Philip defeated the main Greek army, he announced that he was the sole ruler of Greeks when the war against the Persians came (in much the same way as Agamemnon had done with the Greek cities before attacking Troy). And so it is unsurprising that Alexander felt a little deprived of the glory to be had in the known world.

Answer: Ox head

The poor horse had a strangely shaped head and a terrible attitude. There's an old story that a Thessalian called Philoneicus brought a wild untamed horse to Pella. He presented the horse to the king and watched as Philip II grew upset with the horse's manner.

The king was eventually swearing and shouting after every attepmt to control the horse had failed. Alexander was also watching and told his father that he had the ability to tame the horse, and if he could not then he would pay Philoneicus the full 13 talents (around £780 according to the 1994 "World Almanac"). Alexander did not fail in taming Bucephalus, as he had seen that the animal was afraid of its own shadow. Alexander took the reigns, showed the horse the sun and whispered soothing words in its ear.

The boy prince gently walked beside the horse until the animal was comforted and calm enough to ride. The rest is history ... Bucephalus died in 326 BC of battle wounds. Alexander named a city called Bucephala after his beloved horse.

It exists today in northern Pakistan as Jhelum.

Answer: Leonidas

Alexander never forgot Leonidas' words. And when he conquered the lands around Gaza (which was one of the major spice resourses), Alexander sent Leonidas eighteen tonnes of frankincense and myrrh with a letter in the shipment, telling the old tutor not to be stingy any more as he now owned enough incense to make himself inexhaustibly rich.

Answer: Mieza

The ruins of Mieza lie twenty miles from those of Pella in the north of modern day Greece. Alexander was sent to Mieza when he was around thirteen. Alexander spent several years in the city under Aristotle before finishing his education where it is said, in some accounts, that the famous philosopher and Alexander became estranged from each other over the differences in their views towards foriegners. Aristotle condemed many foriegners as barbaric in nature while Alexander believed that Macedonians and foriegners could merge as one.

It was this point of view that made Alexander many enemies within his own army in later life.

Answer: Alexandroupolis

The Maedi lived in what is now Bulgaria. It was not unusual for cities and tribes to revolt against their rulers (the Greek city states had been beating each other to death for over a thousand years before Alexander's birth). However, as regent whilst Philip was away, the young Alexander took up arms and headed north. Upon news of his victory, Philip made Alexander a general in his Macedonian army.