Alexander the Great Birth Anniversary: 5 Movies You Must Watch on the Great Military Leader

The creator of one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to northwestern India, Alexander the Great was born in the Greek kingdom of Macedon, sometime around July 20, 356 BC.

Considered to be one of history’s most successful military commanders, he was Aristotle’s student and after his father Phillip II’s assassination, was awarded the generalship of Greece. He used this authority to launch his father’s pan-Hellenic project to lead the Greeks in the conquest of Persia.

After overthrowing the Persian King Darius III and conquering the Achaemenid Empire, Alexander endeavored to reach the “ends of the world and the Great Outer Sea” and invaded India in 326 BC, winning an important victory over the Pauravas at the Battle of the Hydaspes.

The great military conqueror, who is known for his quests, as much as having multiple wives and an alleged affair with a man, has been studied and showcased on the silver screen multiple times. On his birth anniversary, we take a look at some movies and series that are based on the leader, which you must watch.

Alexander (2004): An epic historical drama film based on the life of the Macedonian Greek general and king Alexander the Great was directed by Oliver Stone. Starring Colin Farrell as king Alexander the Great, the film’s original screenplay was derived in part from the book Alexander the Great, published in 1973 by the University of Oxford historian Robin Lane Fox. The film also stars Angelina Jolie as Queen Olympias and Jared Leto as Hephaistion, Alexander’s alleged lover.

Alexander the Great (1956): Written, produced and directed by Robert Rossen about the life of Alexander the Great, it was released by United Artists and stars Richard Burton as Alexander along with a large ensemble cast. Italian composer Mario Nascimbene contributed the film score. It was well received by critics on release and was praised for not being boring despite its length.

Sikandar (1941): The 1941 epic Bollywood film was directed by Sohrab Modi and stared Prithviraj Kapoor as Alexander the Great. Interestingly, the release of the film coincided with World War II and the quest for Swaraj or Quit India at its peak.

In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great (1998): The mini-series, hosted by Michael Wood and directed by David Wallace retraces the journey of Alexander the Great across sixteen countries.

Alexander Senki (1999): Turns out, Alexander the Great’s life was even made into a anime movie and first released in 1999. A re-imagination of the life of Alexander the Great based on the novel of the same name by Hiroshi Aramata, the series was produced by an international crew that drew from the resources of the worldwide animation community.

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