Alexander the great essay Alexander the Great is one of the very few generals in history who never lost. His unbroken success is all the more amazing because the circumstances he faced varied widely and he often exposed himself recklessly in battle. Alexander won his first victory when he was just 16 against hill tribes on the borders of Macedonia. When he ascended the throne of Macedonia, located just north of Greece, the hill tribes and the Greek city of Thebes rebelled against his rule. He defeated them both and destroyed Thebes. Then, in 334 BC, he turned against the Persian Empire, crossing the Helle