Alexander was born on 21 July 356 BC, Pella, Kingdom of Macedon as the son of King Philip II and his wife Olympias. Several legends exist surrounding Alexander's birth including one where allegedly the god Zeus was his father. His father, Philip II was not home when he was born, preparing a siege on Potidea on the peninsula of Chalcidice. The same day, Philip II received news that his general Parmenion had defeated the Illyrian and Paeonian armies, and that his horses had won at the Olympic Games. In his early years Alexander was raised by a nurse, Lanike, sister of Alexander's future general Cleitus. Later in his childhood he was tutored by Leonidas, a relative of his mother. Alexander was raised in the manner of noble Macedonian youths, learning to read, play the lyre, ride, fight and hu