Arguably the most brilliant and courageous warrior in recorded history, a man whom many considered not a mere mortal, but a god. The True Story of Alexander the Great. One of conquest, love, hate, revenge and ultimately tragedy.
In the year 334 BC, a 20-year-old military commander from northern Greece set out to conquer what was then the known world. His name was King Alexander of Macedon. During the next 12 years, he led 40,000 troops more than 20,000 miles, defeating the most powerful ruler on Earth, King Darius of Persia, and conquering all of Asia. He died of a battle wound at the age of 32, but his conquests have been celebrated and studied for more than 2,000 years. Today, we know him as Alexander the Great.
Throughout the course of history, there are few who can claim the notable feat of having conquered the known world by the relatively tender age of 25 -- but then again not even the greatest military leaders of the 21st century can compare their lives or careers to that of Alexander the Great -- one of history's most notorious and debated conquerors.
Alexander was born into the royal family of Macedonia, the kingdom that would soon rule over Greece. Tutored as a boy by Aristotle, Alexander had an inquisitive mind that would serve him well when he faced formidable obstacles during his military campaigns. Shortly after taking command of the army, he launched an invasion of the Persian Empire, and continued his conquests as far south as the deserts of Egypt and as far east as the mountains of present-day Pakistan and the plains of India.
Hosted by Peter Woodward, the program takes viewers to the Greek locations of Alexander's youth: his father King Philip II's palace in Macedonia, the caves where he was tutored by the famous philosopher Aristotle, the battlefields where he fought by his father's side, the amphitheatre where Alexander watched helplessly as Philip was assassinated.
Guided by accounts of ancient historians portrayed by actors, and interviews with the world's most respected modern-day Alexander scholars, this journey continues with visits to the actual battlefields in Turkey and Lebanon where Alexander's troops, though heavily outnumbered, emerged victorious. Alexander's signature battle plans and weaponry are examined and demonstrated using re-enactors and state-of-the art computer graphics.
THE TRUE STORY OF ALEXANDER THE GREAT is special presentation from THE HISTORY CHANNEL, examining the life and career of this military genius, impassioned lover, fearless leader, and goes where no previous documentary has dared to journey.

Written & Directed by Jim Lindsay ; Produced by Greystone Communications, Inc. For History Television Network Productions