Editing Callisthenes (section)

== Campaign with Alexander the Great ==
Around 334 BCE, Callisthenes was invited to accompany Alexander the Great in his Asiatic expedition. There were many factors as to why Callisthenes chose to accompany Alexander. First, being that he had already established a relationship with Alexander during their time as students of Aristotle and as a historian and antiquarian might have appreciated a chance at traveling. Another potential reason is that Callisthenes’ birthplace of Olynthus was destroyed by Phillip II of Macedon, and such might have been looking to better himself in the eyes of Alexander and thus Phillip II’s court, in order to aid in its reconstruction.<ref name=":2" />
[[File:MacedonEmpire.jpg|thumb|A map of Alexander the Great's empire at its largest extent c.323 BCE including details of key roads, location, and battles.]]
During this expedition, Callisthenes was tasked with being the official historian for the campaign. While he occupied this role, he compiled his narrative on the events that transpired during the campaign. Much of the work is dedicated to praising Alexander and upholding his authority as the king and his army penetrated further into Asia. While much of his time during the campaign was spent working on his account of the expedition. But, Callisthenes was also sent on scientific expeditions, to places such as Kush or [[Babylon]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bosworth |first=A. B. |date=1970 |title=Aristotle and Callisthenes |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/4435151 |journal=Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte |volume=19 |issue=4 |pages=410 |jstor=4435151 |issn=0018-2311}}</ref> Callisthenes had an affinity for the natural sciences and is known to have written several scientific works, including astronomical diaries and his own theories for the source of the [[Nile|Nile River]]. Although these theories later received pushback from Alexander the Great.<ref name=":2" />