Alexander the Great was born (356 BC – 323 BC) in the northern Greek kingdom of Macedonia. His parents were Philip II, King of Macedon, and his wife, Olympias. As a young child, he was tutored by the great philosopher, Aristotle. Aristotle taught a variety of subjects including philosophy, poetry and the ideals of government. To some extent, these ideals influenced Alexander when he was later governing conquered nations. Alexander the Great was perhaps the greatest military commander of all time. During one decade, he conquered all of the known world leaving one of the world’s most extensive empires.