79. Lysippos (c. 395-305 B.C.E.), Head of Alexander

the Great, Pergamon, Roman copy after a Greek original,

Greek, Classical style, c. 320 B.C.E. Marble,

height: 41 cm. Archaeological Museum, Istanbul.

 

 

Taking the throne at the age of twenty, Alexander was determined to continue his father, Philip II of Macedon’s, dream of conquering Asia. Rallying the Macedonian army, Alexander lead a force of 43,000 infantry and 5,500 cavalry from Greece to Persia to eventually overthrow the entire Persian Empire in battle before going on to invade India. There, Alexander was forced to turn back due to the protests of his troops, but in the short time that he had reigned he had already amassed one of the largest empires in ancient history.

Contracting a fever while returning to Greece from India, Alexander died in Babylon at the age of thirty-two, however, Alexander’s short life had a huge impact on the history of the world. Shortly after his death, Alexander’s generals divided the conquered lands amongst themselves, thus dispersing Hellenistic culture throughout the East and ultimately influencing the world as we know it today.