Birth of Alexander

Alexander, son of Philip and Olympias, was descended from Achilles. Born 356 BC at Pella, Philip ordered all boys born that day to become Alexander's bodyguard. Three omens marked his birth: Parmenio won a victory, Philip's horses won at Olympia, and Diana's temple at Ephesus burned. The arsonist Erostratus confessed he did it to make his name immortal—the people forbade mentioning him, but his name survived anyway. Alexander loved his nurse and her son Clytus. He learned the Iliad and Odyssey by heart, admiring Achilles. He kept Homer in a golden box and slept with it under his pillow.