AMAZING events in Greek history have fulfilled Bible prophecy. Greece seemed an unlikely candidate for world power, as its people were divided into independent tribes and city-states.

But Bible prophecy recorded in the sixth century B.C.E. pointed to a dramatic change. Symbolizing Greece first as a leopard with wings and then as a he-goat with a conspicuous horn, it foretold in an unmistakable way that Greece would trample down the Medo-Persian World Power. It also disclosed that the power of a “conspicuous horn” would be broken and that four others would come up instead of it.​—Da 7:6; 8:5-8, 20-22; 11:3, 4.

Alexander the Great proved to be that “conspicuous horn.” Beginning in 334 B.C.E., he led a small but well-disciplined Greek army to one victory after another. With lightning speed he conquered Asia Minor, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and the entire Medo-Persian Empire as far as India. But in just a few years Alexander was dead, and in a relatively short time his empire was split four ways, among four of his generals.

The Grecian Empire was short-lived, but its effects were long-lasting. Before his death, Alexander had introduced Greek culture and the Greek language into all parts of his domain. Common Greek became the lingua franca of many nationalities, and this later contributed to the rapid spread of Christianity throughout the Mediterranean area.