BY THEODOROS II
There is a great possibility that you are familiar with at least some facts about Alexander the Great. After all, his mark on history is quite substantial. Alexander the Great is responsible for the birth of a whole historical period, widely known as the Hellenistic age. During his reign, the Greeks saw an unprecedented scale of unification and expansion, and his campaign remains one of the greatest—if not the greatest—ever orchestrated by a single ruler. During this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its peak in Europe, Africa, and Asia; it underwent prosperity and progress in exploration, literature, theater, architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy, and science.
His settlement of Greek colonies and the resulting spread of Greek culture in the East lasted many centuries, aspects of which were still evident in the traditions of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-fifteenth century and the presence of Greek speakers in central and far eastern Anatolia until the 1920’s. Even more importantly, his undefeated status and his genius battlefield tactics became the measure against which military leaders compared themselves, while military academies throughout the world still teach his strategies. The following 25 unusual facts about Alexander the Great will make it perfectly clear why his legacy continues to live on and retains a strong hold on contemporary historians.
5 ― Despite being known as one of the greatest generals and warriors of all time, Alexander loved philosophy so much that during his conquest of India, he paused his military campaign to have lengthy discussions with the gymnosophists, “naked philosophers” in the Hindu and Jain religious traditions (they eschewed human vanity and clothing).
Source: Alexander the Great by Robin Lane Fox, Image: Wikipedia
4 ― Alexander the Great washed his hair on a daily basis in saffron to keep it shiny and orange. Keep in mind that saffron was rare at the time and a little more expensive than gold.
Source: Alexander the Great by Robin Lane Fox, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
3― The 2008 television program Great Greeks, based on the BBC’s 100 Greatest Britons and the Discovery Channel’s The Greatest American, named Alexander the Great the greatest Greek of all time (via audience voting) an astonishing 2,331 years after his death.
Source: skai.gr/tv, Image: Wikipedia
2― It is said that Alexander the Great smelled even greater. The Greek historian Plutarch reports in his book Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans that “a most agreeable odor” exuded from Alexander’s skin, and that his breath and body was so fragrant as to perfume the clothes he wore.
Source: Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans by Plutarch, Image: Wikipedia
1 ― Alexander the Great had heterochromia iridum: one of his eyes was blue and the other was brown.
Source: Alexander the Great by Robin Lane Fox, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
From list25
There is a great possibility that you are familiar with at least some facts about Alexander the Great. After all, his mark on history is quite substantial. Alexander the Great is responsible for the birth of a whole historical period, widely known as the Hellenistic age. During his reign, the Greeks saw an unprecedented scale of unification and expansion, and his campaign remains one of the greatest—if not the greatest—ever orchestrated by a single ruler. During this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its peak in Europe, Africa, and Asia; it underwent prosperity and progress in exploration, literature, theater, architecture, music, mathematics, philosophy, and science.
His settlement of Greek colonies and the resulting spread of Greek culture in the East lasted many centuries, aspects of which were still evident in the traditions of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-fifteenth century and the presence of Greek speakers in central and far eastern Anatolia until the 1920’s. Even more importantly, his undefeated status and his genius battlefield tactics became the measure against which military leaders compared themselves, while military academies throughout the world still teach his strategies. The following 25 unusual facts about Alexander the Great will make it perfectly clear why his legacy continues to live on and retains a strong hold on contemporary historians.
5 ― Despite being known as one of the greatest generals and warriors of all time, Alexander loved philosophy so much that during his conquest of India, he paused his military campaign to have lengthy discussions with the gymnosophists, “naked philosophers” in the Hindu and Jain religious traditions (they eschewed human vanity and clothing).
Source: Alexander the Great by Robin Lane Fox, Image: Wikipedia
4 ― Alexander the Great washed his hair on a daily basis in saffron to keep it shiny and orange. Keep in mind that saffron was rare at the time and a little more expensive than gold.
Source: Alexander the Great by Robin Lane Fox, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
3― The 2008 television program Great Greeks, based on the BBC’s 100 Greatest Britons and the Discovery Channel’s The Greatest American, named Alexander the Great the greatest Greek of all time (via audience voting) an astonishing 2,331 years after his death.
Source: skai.gr/tv, Image: Wikipedia
2― It is said that Alexander the Great smelled even greater. The Greek historian Plutarch reports in his book Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans that “a most agreeable odor” exuded from Alexander’s skin, and that his breath and body was so fragrant as to perfume the clothes he wore.
Source: Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans by Plutarch, Image: Wikipedia
1 ― Alexander the Great had heterochromia iridum: one of his eyes was blue and the other was brown.
Source: Alexander the Great by Robin Lane Fox, Image: commons.wikimedia.org
From list25
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