Alexander the Great (song)

"Alexander the Great" is a song by the English heavy metal band Iron Maiden. It was written by Steve Harris and appears on the band's 1986 album Somewhere in Time. It tells the story of the Macedonian general and king Alexander the Great and his eleven-year conquest of Asia.

The song begins with a reenacted passage from Alexander's father, Philip of Macedon, spoken by Nicko McBrain:


 * "My son, ask for thyself another Kingdom,
 * for that which I leave is too small for thee".

"Alexander the Great" is an unusual rock song in the level of historical detail it contains in its lyrics. Among the events specifically mentioned are:


 * Alexander's arrival in Asia in 334 BC
 * The fall of the Scythians by the river Jaxartes
 * Alexander's cutting the Gordian Knot
 * The founding of the city Alexandria in Egypt
 * The Battle of Arbela, where Alexander defeated King Darius III
 * Alexander's entrance to Babylon, Susa and Persepolis.

The song begins in the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia:


 * Near to the east
 * In a part of ancient Greece
 * In an ancient land called Macedonia
 * Was born a son
 * To Philip of Macedon
 * The legend his name was Alexander

The song says "he spread Hellenism far and wide" and that Alexander "paved the way for Christianity", true statements  considering that Hellenistic and Christian periods followed the Classic one. The song concludes stating that Alexander's army refused to follow him into India (although in fact, part of his army eventually did follow him), and with his death from fever in Babylon. Although Alexander did suffer from high fever at the time of his death, whether that or another factor was the causa mortis is unknown and open to debate.

The song has been covered live at least once by the all-female tribute band The Iron Maidens.

Iron Maiden have never played this song live.