Alexander the Great Book Reviews

Pierre Briant’s From Cyrus to Alexander: A History of the Persian Empire is widely considered the definitive modern history of the Persian Empire. The book covers its origins under Cyrus the Great through its conquest by Alexander the Great...

Alexander the Great's profound impact on Roman culture is undeniable, particularly when considering the fusion of Greco-Oriental influences during the Hellenistic era, which permeated Rome and, subsequently, Western Europe. His conquests...

Philip II of Macedonia, by Ian Worthington, is a biography of Philip II, king of ancient Macedon from 360 to 336 BCE and father of Alexander the Great. Even though the figure of Philip is often obscured by the glory of his son, the book highlights...

Unlike most histories of ancient Greece, Philip Matyszak's book primarily focuses on Greek history which occurred outside of the Greek mainland. His story begins by describing Greek ideas, individuals, and politics before Alexander the Great...

The day Alexander the Great died, his empire began to fall apart. With no clear succession plan and only an infant son's tenuous claim to Alexander's legacy, his generals were no longer united by common devotion to their leader. And so, their...

Iran tends to appear in Western media today only for negative press: conflicts in the Middle East always include speculation of Iran's involvement for or against the aggressor du jour. It is easy to forget that the people living in the lands...

J. E. Lendon in his book, Soldiers and Ghosts: A History of Battle in Classical Antiquity, uses Greek and Roman culture to explain fundamental changes in the conduct of war. Lendon persuasively argues that competition and an obsession with...

Contrary to popular belief, military history does not begin in Greece. In his book, The Origins of War, Arther Ferrill traces the development of war from prehistoric times until the time of Alexander. Ferrill begins his work in an unconventional...