Alexander the Great in His World
Blackwell Ancient Lives
1. Auflage November 2006
304 Seiten, Softcover
Wiley & Sons Ltd
Alexander the Great is one of the most celebrated figures of
antiquity. In this book, Carol G. Thomas places this powerful
figure within the context of his time, place, culture, and ancestry
in order to discover what influences shaped his life and
career.
The book begins with an exploration of the Macedonia that
conditioned the lives of its inhabitants. It also traces such
influences on Alexander's life as his royal Argead ancestry,
his father, Philip II, and his mother, Olympias. The author
examines Alexander's engagement with Greek culture,
especially his relationship with Aristotle, and contemplates how
other societal factors - especially the highly militarized
Macedonian kingdom and the nature of Macedonia's relationship
with neighboring states - contributed to his
achievement.
What was the significance of these influences on the man who
succeeded in conquering most of the known world from the Adriatic
Sea to the Indus River? The author focuses on this question in
exploring ancient landscapes and resurrecting key figures from
antiquity in order to penetrate the motivation, goals, and inner
being of Alexander the Great.
List of Maps viii
Preface ix
Introduction 1
1 Basic Facts, Generally Uncontested, of Alexander's Life 9
2 Being Macedonian 22
3 Being an Argead 55
4 Being a Neighbor of Greece 98
5 Surviving by Might 132
6 Meeting the Distant Threat 159
7 Reconstructing Alexander 191
Bibliography 224
Index 237
a different Alexander - each one the product of the writer's time
and cultural conditioning. This book places Alexander squarely in
the only meaningful context, his own geographical and mental
world." Waldemar Heckel, University of
Calgary
"Would serve well as one of several works offered to an
undergraduate class ... The work is well written and clearly
presented."
Bryn Mawr Classical Review
"Will provide a basic introduction to her subject which some
teachers and students may find helpful." Journal of Classics
Teaching
"An engaging and persuasive book, which offers a new
perspective ... .It will maintain the interest of specialists
... yet remain accessible to the general reader."
Canadian Journal of History
