7. Alexander the Great had already set up his own colony and named a city after himself by the time he hit 16
When King Phillip II of Macedon died in 336BC, his son Alexander inherited the throne. The new ruler was just 20. However, by that age, he had already proven himself ambitious, as well as a wily political operator and a skilled military commander. In fact, Alexander was already well on the way to becoming ‘great’ by the time he turned 16. Without a doubt, he was one of the most remarkable teenagers in human history.
Born in Pella, the ancient capital of Macedonia, in 356BC, Alexander enjoyed the finest education imaginable. He was tutored by the philosopher Aristotle and also schooled in the art of war by his father’s finest generals. At the age of 16, his classical education was over. Alexander was deemed ready to take control of his father’s kingdom. While Philip II waged war against Byzantion, his son was left in charge to rule at home. Far from keeping things steady, however, the teenager ruler took a more-proactive approach. He crushed a Thracian uprising and then conquered their territory. He colonized it with Greece and even established a new city which he called, appropriately enough, Alexandropolis.
When Phillip returned home and took a new wife, Alexander’s status as heir came under threat. He left Macedon with his mother for a few months. However, he skillfully negotiated his way back and, within six months, he was back where he belonged. So, when Philip was assassinated at a family wedding, Alexander was ready to assume control. He stepped up to the throne aged just 20 and the rest is history. He would go on to conquer almost all of the known world, establishing dozens of new cities, revolutionizing warfare and spreading Greek culture throughout large parts of Asia.
