Alexander the Great's relation to triumph is obvious, he created an army which took over most of the known world. But what is not known widely is how tragic his life was. When Alexander was a child, his parents were constantly fighting and his father was usually away on campaigns, so he rarely saw him when he was young. He therefore was usually under his mother's influence. When he was a young man, his father was killed and he had to take over an entire country himself which was in very bad shape. As he grew he had to deal with disputes, revolts and cruel neighboring rivals. When he was a grown man, he killed many people, including killing his friends while he was in his drunken rages who had saved his life. At one point in his life, he killed a life long friend while drunk and then realizing what he had done, he would have killed himself if his bodyguards had not restrained him. He then went into seclusion for three days. These are just an overview of the things that shaped Alexander the Great and it is likely that some of the memories tormented him through most of his life.
            
             Alexander's father was Philip II, the king of Macedonia, who put together a great army and crushed his foes. One of Philips many wives was Olympia, Alexander's mother and Daughter of the late king Epirus. She had an iron will, and did everything to protect and advance Alexander's interests, constantly instilling the notion of greatness. It was through his mother that Alexander could claim a lineage that included both Achilles, and at least indirectly, Hector, the two Great combatants of the Trojan War. This was to have a profound effect on Alexander, and his own self-awareness. Philip as well, was deeply committed to Alexander's success. Though he was away on many campaigns for long stretches, his attitude toward Alexander showed every indication of parental pride and affection. The feeling was not m...