Even Alexander the Great may have mourned like anyone else. Ancient traditions preserve the story of Peritas, the dog said to have accompanied Alexander during his campaigns. Some accounts describe Peritas as a powerful hunting or war dog, often linked to the Molossian breed of Epirus, prized in the ancient world for strength and courage. Later writers claimed the animal once defended Alexander in danger, though versions differ on where and how it happened. What made the tale famous was what came next. After Peritas died, Alexander was said to have founded or renamed a city in the dog’s memory, called Peritas. The location is usually placed in the Punjab region of modern Pakistan or nearby areas reached after the Battle of the Hydaspes in 326 BC. Historians debate the certainty of the account. Like many stories about Alexander, legend and history often overlap. Yet the tradition appears in ancient literature and persisted for centuries because it felt believable. Powerful rulers often commemorated generals, gods, and victories. Honoring an animal companion was rarer, which made the story memorable. Whether every detail is exact or not, the legend offers a striking contrast. The man who built an empire from Greece to India may also have wanted one city to remember a dog. #History #ancienthistory #dogs #alexanderthegreat - @empire.anthem