| "Alexander the Great" | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Song by Iron Maiden | |||||
| Album | Somewhere in Time | ||||
| Released | 29 September 1986 | ||||
| Recorded | 1986 | ||||
| Genre | Heavy metal, progressive metal | ||||
| Length | 8:37 | ||||
| Label | EMI (UK) Capitol (original US) Sanctuary/Columbia (US reissue) | ||||
| Writer | Steve Harris | ||||
| Composer | Steve Harris | ||||
| Producer | Martin Birch | ||||
| Somewhere in Time track listing | |||||
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"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:
- "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 crushed King Darius III
- Alexander's entrance to Babylon, Susa and Persepolis.
Additionally, the song correctly states that Ancient Macedonia was a part of Ancient Greece :
- 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 also claims that "he spread Hellenism far and wide" and besides that Alexander "paved the way for Christianity", true statements considering that Hellenistic and Christian periods followed the Classic one. The song concludes stating, somewhat incorrectly, that Alexander's army refused to follow him into India (in fact, part of his army did follow him to India), and with his death from fever in Babylon - although Alexander did suffer from fever at the time of his death, the causa mortis itself is, to this day, still unknown and open to debate. This song was never played on Iron Maiden's show (never played live) for unknown reasons (apparently the song is too long to play it live and they didn't want to cut part of it).
