It's 334 BC. Alexander the Great, the young king of Macedonia, has just crossed the Hellespont — the narrow strait between Europe and Asia — with a massive army. His goal: to crush the Persian Empire. One of the first major cities on his route is Ephesus, one of the most magnificent cities in the ancient world.
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Crowns & Conquests·1/7·1′
The place
Ephesus Ancient City
The Most Elegant No in History
The conqueror who freed Ephesus and offered to rebuild its wonder
Hellenistic Period (334 BC)Ephesus Ancient City
Moral of the Story
“The most effective diplomacy transforms a refusal into a compliment — wisdom can deflect even absolute power.”
Characters
A
Alexander the GreatE
Ephesian civic leadersA
Artemis (goddess)H
Herostratus (referenced)Source
Strabo, Geography XIV; Plutarch, Life of Alexander