Alexander of Macedon was only 22 when he led his army into the Persian Empire, a superpower whose shadow hung over all Greece and ten years later he died, having conquered much of the known world, including parts of India. He was one of the greatest of all military commanders, but his genius was many sided and he was as great an administrator and political visionary as he was a soldier. Alexander was also a bridge between East and West, reconciling his followers to alien cultures and in turn bringing Hellenistic civilisation to Asia. His empire broke up quickly after his early death, but Rome built later on his legacy. The New Horizons series is anonymous, but the books are informative and well illustrated.