There's an old story about Alexander the Great.

Well actually there are a lot of old stories about Alexander the Great.

Well actually there are so many weird old stories about Alexander the Great that there

is a complete mythological biography of Alexander spanning from his birth to his death.

This fake history of Alexander the Great's life is often referred to as the Alexander

Romance.

Originally composed sometime in the third century AD that's roughly 500 years after Alexander's

death.

The Alexander Romance cobbles together real history, oral traditions and classic heroes

journey mythology to create a pretty rip in yarn.

Aside from detailing Alexander's very real conquests and military achievements, the Romance

also has Alexander fighting monsters traveling to magical countries and performing impossible

feats.

For instance, there's the story of how Alexander and his men were led into the foreboding

land of darkness.

In this country it was always night and no stars or moon shan in the sky.

It was so dark in fact that Alexander's men could not see their hands in front of

their faces.

In order to keep from tripping the men were forced to crawl on their hands and knees through

the dark land.

But as they crawled they felt these strange stones under their palms.

The curious soldiers decided to collect these mysterious stones and they tucked them into

...