a name
given to
Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C.),
king of Macedonia (an ancient kingdom in southern Europe, corresponding to
northern present-
day Greece, southwest
Bulgaria, and the
Republic of Macedonia). The name came from the two
ram horns that he wore as a headdress. The
horns were a
symbol of the
god of
life, Ammon, who had a human figure with the
horns of a
ram sprouting from his head. At the age of 20, after
having proved his prowess as a
leader in battle,
Alexander was placed on the throne by the
commanders of his army. He then went on to conquer most of what was then considered the civilized
world. At the height of his
power, he controlled the lands extending from Greece to
India.