Question 1

True or false: Alexander personally killed his friend Cleitus the Black in a drunken argument.

Accepted Answer

True. In a rage after a drinking bout, Alexander killed Cleitus, a loyal general, deeply regretting it afterward.

Question 2

True or false: Alexander conquered the entire known world, including China and Rome.

Accepted Answer

False. Alexander never reached China or Rome; his empire stretched from Greece to India, leaving many regions untouched.

Question 3

True or false: Alexander's body was preserved in honey after his death to prevent decay.

Accepted Answer

False. Ancient sources say his body was preserved in wax and honey, but this is likely a myth; actual embalming methods were used.

Question 4

True or false: Alexander's horse Bucephalus was afraid of his own shadow until Alexander turned him toward the sun.

Accepted Answer

True. Plutarch records that as a boy, Alexander noticed Bucephalus shied at shadows and cleverly faced him toward the sun to calm him.

Question 5

True or false: Alexander's army included war elephants captured from the battle of Gaugamela.

Accepted Answer

False. He first encountered war elephants at the Battle of the Hydaspes against King Porus, not at Gaugamela.

Question 6

True or false: Alexander the Great never lost a single battle in his entire military career.

Accepted Answer

True. Despite numerous campaigns, Alexander was undefeated in battle, a feat unmatched by most ancient generals.

Question 7

True or false: Alexander named over 70 cities after himself, including one in Egypt.

Accepted Answer

True. He founded many cities called Alexandria, with the Egyptian one being the most famous, but others stretched to India.

Question 8

True or false: Alexander ordered the burning of Persepolis as a calculated political act, not drunken revenge.

Accepted Answer

True. Modern historians argue the fire was a deliberate signal to Persian nobles that their empire was destroyed, not just a drunken whim.

Alexander's conquests Trivia Questions