Who was alive at the same time as Alexander the Great?

King of Macedonia and conqueror of Achaemenid Persia

Alexander the Great lived 356–323 BCE. Here are the famous people whose lives overlapped with theirs.

Lived: 356–323 BCE
Lifespan: about 33 years
Born in, as it was then: Pella
On today’s map: Greece

Explore Alexander the Great’s world on the timeline →

Did you know?

When Alexander the Great was born, Aristotle was already about 28 years old.
Alexander the Great was about 31 when Euclid was born.
Alexander the Great and Diogenes (4th-century BC Greek Cynic philosopher) shared about 33 years on Earth, one born in Greece and the other in Turkey.
Epicurus outlived Alexander the Great by about 53 years.

Famous contemporaries of Alexander the Great

Rulers and commanders

Philip II of Macedon 382–336 BCE · 20 yrs shared
Demosthenes 384–322 BCE · 33 yrs shared
Darius III 380–330 BCE · 26 yrs shared
Ptolemy I Soter c. 367–286 BCE · 33 yrs shared
Seleucus I Nicator 358–281 BCE · 33 yrs shared
Antigonus I Monophthalmus 382–301 BCE · 33 yrs shared

Philosophers and scientists

Aristotle 384–322 BCE · 33 yrs shared
Plato c. 427–349 BCE · 7 yrs shared
Euclid 325–285 BCE · 2 yrs shared
Epicurus 342–270 BCE · 19 yrs shared
Diogenes c. 400–323 BCE · 33 yrs shared
Mencius c. 372–289 BCE · 33 yrs shared

Writers and artists

Xenophon c. 430–354 BCE · 2 yrs shared
Praxiteles c. 395–330 BCE · 26 yrs shared
Menander c. 342–291 BCE · 19 yrs shared
Lysippos c. 390–300 BCE · 33 yrs shared
Apelles 370–306 BCE · 33 yrs shared
Scopas c. 395–350 BCE · 6 yrs shared

Explorers and others

Roxana c. 347–310 BCE · 24 yrs shared
Isocrates 436–338 BCE · 18 yrs shared
Olympias c. 375–316 BCE · 33 yrs shared
Pytheas c. 359–289 BCE · 33 yrs shared

Born within five years of Alexander the Great

Pyrrho (360 BCE) · Seleucus I Nicator (358 BCE) · Cassander (355 BCE) · Lysimachus (361 BCE) · Pytheas (359 BCE) · Philip III of Macedon (359 BCE) · Arses of Persia (360 BCE) · Agathocles of Syracuse (361 BCE)

About Alexander the Great

Alexander III of Macedon, most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon from 336 BC until his death. He was the son of Philip II, born to him by his fourth wife, Olympias, and ascended to the throne at the age of 20 after Philip was assassinated. Alexander spent most of his reign conducting a lengthy military campaign throughout Asia and Egypt, and by the age of 30, he had created one of the largest empires in history, stretching from Greece to northwestern India. He was undefeated in battle and is widely considered to be one of history's greatest and most successful military commanders.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

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