Alexander The Great was king of Macedon (Macedonia). He was born in 356 BC at Pella and died in 323 BC.
Following the assassination of his father, Philip, in 336 BC Alexander ascended the throne determined to carry out the expedition that his father had been preparing against the Persians. Before he could, however, he had to chastise the barbarian tribes on the frontiers of Macedon, as well as quell a rising in Greece in which he took and destroyed Thebes, killing 6000 of the inhabitants and imprisoning 30,000. Leaving Antipater confirmed as commander-inc-chief of the Greek forces in the general assembly of the Greeks, he crossed over the Hellespont into Asia in 334 BC with 30,000 foot and 5000 horse soldiers.
His first encounter with the Persian forces (assisted by Greek mercenaries) was at the small river Granicus, where he gained a complete victory. Most of the cities of Asia Minor surrendered to him, and Alexander restored democracy in all the Greek cities. Marching onwards he conquered Lycia, Ionia, Caria, Pamphylia and Cappadocia. In 333 BC he defeated the Persian emperor Darius and his army of 500,000 men near Issus. Heading south, Alexander conquered the Mediterranean cities, including Tyre following a seven month siege, and then Palestine and Egypt, founding the city Alexandria as he did so.
Returning, Alexander was met by Darius and a new immense army which Alexander defeated at Gaugamela in 331 BC, taking Babylon and Susa and afterwards the Persian capital Persepolis. He later decided to unite the nations of Macedon and Persia, married the eldest daughter of Darius and rewarded those of his men who married Persian women. Following his sudden death in 323 BC his empire was divided among his chief generals, and became the scene of continual wars. Research Alexander The Great
Apollonius of Tyana, in Cappadocia, was a Pythagorean philosopher. He was born in the beginning of the Christian era, early adopted the Pythagorean doctrines, abstaining from animal food and maintaining a rigid silence for five years. He travelled extensively in Asia, professed to be endowed with miraculous powers, such as prophecy and the raising of the dead, and was on this account set up by some as a rival to Christ. His ascetic life, wise discourses, and wonderful deeds obtained for him almost universal reverence, and temples, altars, and statues were erected to him. He died at Ephesus about the end of the first century. A narrative of his strange career, containing many fables, with, perhaps, a kernel of truth, was written by Philostratus about a century later. Research Apollonius of Tyana
Ceasar Germanicus was a distinguished Roman. The son of NeroClaudiusDrusus and the younger Antonia, a niece of Augustus, he was born in 15 BC and died in 19 AD. He was adopted by Tiberius, his paternal uncle, and married Agrippina, the granddaughter of Augustus. When Augustus died, in 14 AD, Germanicus was invited by the rebellious legions on the Rhine to assume the sovereignty, but refused, and quelled the revolt. He then crossed the Rhine, surprised and defeated the Marsi with great slaughter. Next year a campaign against the Catti and the Germans, led by Arminius, resulted in a series of victories. The following year he again made his way into Germany, defeated the Cherusci twice, and made an incursion into the country of the Marsi. Tiberius now became jealous of the glory of Germanicus, called him home under pretence of granting him a triumph, then, to get rid of him, sent him into the East to compose the disturbances in Armenia and Cappadocia. This he performed in 18 AD, visited Egypt the following year, and died on his return to Syria under some suspicion of having been poisoned by Cn. Piso, the governor of Syria. Research Caesar Germanicus
Gregory of Nazianzus (Gregorius Nazianzenus) was a father of the Greek Church. He was born between 318 and 329 near Nazianzus, in Cappadocia and died in 389 or 390. He studied at Athens, and in 355 and 356 taught rhetoric in that city. He afterwards retired for some time with Basil to the Desert of Pontus. He began to preach in 362, and between 365 and 374 was associated with his father in the bishopric of Nazianzus. He went to Constantinople about 378 or 379 to oppose the Arians, and was appointed bishop of that see by Theodosius in 380, but in the following year retired to his former charge of Nazianzus. His works consist of letters, sermons, and poetry. His eloquence is nearly on a level with that of Basil and Chrysostorn. His festival is on the 9th of May. Research Gregory of Nazianzus
Gregory of Nyssa was a father of the Greek Church. He was born about 332 at Sebaste, Pontus and died about 398. The brother of St Basil, by his brother's influence he was made Bishop of Nyssa, in Cappadocia. Having opposed the Arians, he was banished at their instigation by Valens from 375 to 378. He took a prominent part in the Councils of Constantinople from 381 to 394. His festival is on the 9th of March. His works consist of dogmatic treatises, Scripture commentaries, sermons, letters, etc. Research Gregory of Nyssa
Heraclius was a Roman emperor of the East. he was born in about 575 at Cappadocia and died in 641. The son of Heraclius, exarch of Africa, at the head of a fleet from Carthage, in 610, he assisted in dethroning Phocas, the murderer and successor of the Emperor Mauritius, and himself ascended the throne. In a succession of splendid victories he crushed the Persians under Chosroes; but the energy of his earlier years seems to have worn itself out, and he made no effort to check the victorious progress of Mohammed. Before his deathSyria, Palestine, Mesopotamia, and Egypt had fallen under the dominion of the caliphs. He was succeeded by his son, Constantine III. Research Heraclius
St Basil (called the Basil the Great) was one of the Greek fathers. He was was born in 329 and died in 379. In 370 he was made Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. He was distinguished by his efforts for the regulation of clerical discipline, and above all, his endeavours for the promotion of monastic life. The Greek Church honours him as one of its most illustrious saints, and celebrates his festival on January the 1st. The vows of obedience, chastity, and poverty framed by St Basil are essentially the rules of all the orders of Christendom, although he is particularly the father of the eastern, as St Benedict is the patriarch of the western orders. Research St Basil
St George is the tutelary Saint of England, Portugal and Aragon, and was the patron Saint of chivalry in Europe in medieval times. His origin is obscure, but some writers claim he was a native of Cappadocia and rebuked Diocletian for his persecution of Christians. By this story he was arrested, tortured and executed at Nicomedia in 303. He was canonized in 494 or 496 by Pope Gelasius. The tradition of St George with a Dragon dates from the 6th century. In 1222 the Council of Oxford declared that his day, April the 23rd should be observed as a national holiday in England, and in 1350 he was made the patron of the Order of The Garter by Edward III. Research St George
Abbreviations
Research Alexander The Great
