Iron Maiden Alexander The Great

Lyrics-music: Steve Harris

"My son ask for thyself another

Kingdom, for that which I leave

is too small for thee"

(King Philip of Macedonia - 339 B.C.)

 

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

 

At the age of nineteen

He became the Macedon King

And he swore to free all of Asia Minor

By the Aegian Sea

In 334 B.C.

He utterly beat the armies of Persia

 

[Chorus:]

Alexander the Great

His name struck fear into hearts of men

Alexander the Great

Became a legend 'mongst mortal men

 

King Darius the third

Defeated fled Persia

The Scythians fell by the river Jaxartes

Then Egypt fell to the Macedon King as well

And he founded the city called Alexandria

 

By the Tigris river

He met King Darius again

And crushed him again in the battle of Arbela

Entering Babylon

And Susa, treasures he found

Took Persepolis the capital of Persia

 

[Chorus:]

Alexander the Great

His name struck fear into hearts of men

Alexander the Great

Became a God amongst mortal men

 

A Phrygian King had bound a chariot yoke

And Alexander cut the 'Gordian knot'

And legend said that who untied the knot

He would become the master of Asia

 

Hellenism he spread far and wide

The Macedonian learned mind

Their culture was a western way of life

He paved the way for Christianity

 

Marching on, marching on

The battle weary marching side by side

Alexander's army line by line

They wouldn't follow him to India

Tired of the combat, pain and the glory

 

Alexander the Great

His name struck fear into hearts of men

Alexander the Great

He died of fever in Babylon