Download or read book Dividing the Spoils written by Robin Waterfield and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2012-10-11 with total page 314 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A gripping account of one of the great forgotten wars of history, revealing how Alexander the Great's vast empire was torn asunder in the years after his death

Download or read book After Alexander written by John Tidmarsh
 & Sydney University Press and published by Sydney University Press. This book was released on 2024-05-01 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: After Alexander: The Hellenistic and Early Roman Periods at Pella in Jordan details the excavation of Hellenistic and Early Roman period horizons carried out at Pella in Jordan by the University of Sydney since 1979. It deals with both the stratigraphy of the Hellenistic and Early Roman levels at Pella, and catalogues the pottery recovered from them. Short summaries of relevant work by the College of Wooster are also included. After a brief introduction to the site and history of excavations, a detailed description of the Hellenistic and Early Roman levels on the main mound of Khirbet Fahl, on nearby Tell Husn, and in select hinterland locations, then follows. The heart of the study centres on a detailed catalogue of the corpus of some 900 individual Hellenistic-Early Roman pottery fragments, accompanied by outline drawings for each fragment, and a smaller number of images of the more important pieces. Discussion of the relevance and importance of the material remains to the history and archaeology of the Hellenistic and Early Roman periods at Pella and more broadly to Jordan and the southern Levant concludes the study.

Download or read book Antipater s Dynasty written by John D. Grainger and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2019-02-28 with total page 315 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A compelling review of Antipater and his family . . . A gripping story of a real game of thrones” from the author of the Seleukid Empire trilogy (Firetrench). Antipater was a key figure in the rise of Macedon under Philip II and instrumental in the succession of Alexander III (the Great). Alexander entrusted Antipater with ruling Macedon in his long absence and he defeated the Spartans in 331 BC. After Alexander’s death he crushed a Greek uprising and became regent of the co-kings, Alexander’s mentally impaired half-brother (Philip III Arrhideus) and infant son (Alexander IV). He brokered a settlement between the contending Successors but died in 319 BC, having first appointed Polyperchon to succeed as regent in preference to his own sons. Antipater’s eldest son Cassander later became regent of Macedon but eventually had Alexander IV killed and made himself king. Three of his sons in turn briefly succeeded him but could not retain the throne. Antipater’s female heirs are shown to be just as important, both as pawns and surprisingly independent players in this Macedonian game of thrones. The saga ends with the failed bid by Nikaia, the widow of Antipater’s great grandson Alexander of Corinth, to become independent ruler of Macedon. “A great book by a great author on one of the most important of the Diadochi.” —A Wargamers Needful Things

Download or read book The Perdiccas Years 323 320 BC written by Tristan Hughes and published by Pen and Sword Military. This book was released on 2022-03-18 with total page 545 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This ancient military history examines how the Macedonian empire descended into a maelstrom of violent rivalry after the death of Alexander. When Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC, he left behind one of the largest empires the world had seen, stretching from Greece to the Punjab. Surrounding the king’s deathbed were his highest subordinates: some of the greatest military minds of antiquity, each with their own insatiable ambitions for power. Since Alexander died leaving no clear successor, these former brothers-in-arms quickly became fierce foes as they vied for dominance. What followed was an extraordinary time for military campaigns. Powerful warlords and warrior queens attempted to assert their authority throughout the length and breadth of Alexander the Great’s former empire; from Afghanistan to Athens, from Africa to Asia, powerful armies decided matters by the spear. In this volume, historian Tristan Hughes looks at the initial years of the conflict and several major campaigns that immediately seized the kingdom.

Download or read book Antigonus the One Eyed written by Jeff Champion and published by Pen and Sword. This book was released on 2014-09-11 with total page 251 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plutarch described Antigonus the One Eyed (382-301 BC) 'as 'the oldest and greatest of Alexander's successors,' Antigonus loyally served both Philip II and Alexander the Great as they converted his native Macedonia into an empire stretching from India to Greece. After Alexander's death, Antigonus, then governor of the obscure province of Phrygia, seemed one of the least likely of his commanders to seize the dead king's inheritance. Yet within eight years of the king's passing, through a combination of military skill and political shrewdness, he had conquered the Asian portion of the empire.?His success caused those who controlled the European and Egyptian parts of the empire to unite against him. For another fourteen years he would wage war against a coalition of the other Successors, Ptolemy, Lysimachus, Seleucus and Cassander. In 301 he would meet defeat and death in the Battle of Ipsus. The ancient writers saw Antigonus' life as a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris and vaulting ambition. Despite his apparent defeat, his descendants would continue to rule as kings and create a dynasty that would rule Macedonia for over a century. Jeff Champion narrates the career of this titanic figure with the focus squarely on the military aspects.

Download or read book The Wars of Alexander s Successors 323 281 BC written by Bob Bennett and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2013-01-19 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This history of Ancient Greek warfare vividly chronicles the struggle for control of the Macedonian Empire, a fateful time of change in the Ancient World. As the story goes, Alexander the Great decreed from his deathbed that his vast Macedonian Empire should go “to the strongest". What followed was an epic struggle between generals and governors for control of the territories. Most of these successors—known as the Diadochi—were consummate tacticians who learned the art of war from Alexander himself, or from his father, Philip. Few died a peaceful death and the last survivors were still leading their armies against each other well into their seventies. These conflicts reshaped the ancient world from the Balkans to India. In two volumes, The Wars of Alexander’s Successors presents this critical period of ancient warfare with all its colorful characters, epic battles, treachery and subterfuge. This first volume introduces the key personalities, including Antigonos ”Monopthalmus" (the One-Eyed) and his son 'Demetrius 'Poliorcetes' (the Besieger), Seleucus 'Nicator' ('the Victorious') and Ptolemy ”Soter" ("the Saviour"). It also gives a narrative of the causes and course of these wars from the death of Alexander to the Battle of Corupedium in 281 BC, when the last two original Diadochi faced each other one final time.

Download or read book Ghost on the Throne written by James Romm and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2012-11-13 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When Alexander the Great died at the age of thirty-two, his empire stretched from the Adriatic Sea in the west all the way to modern-day India in the east. In an unusual compromise, his two heirs—a mentally damaged half brother, Philip III, and an infant son, Alexander IV, born after his death—were jointly granted the kingship. But six of Alexander’s Macedonian generals, spurred by their own thirst for power and the legend that Alexander bequeathed his rule “to the strongest,” fought to gain supremacy. Perhaps their most fascinating and conniving adversary was Alexander’s former Greek secretary, Eumenes, now a general himself, who would be the determining factor in the precarious fortunes of the royal family. James Romm, professor of classics at Bard College, brings to life the cutthroat competition and the struggle for control of the Greek world’s greatest empire.

Download or read book Alexander s Heirs written by Edward M. Anson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2014-04-24 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alexander’s Heirs offers a narrative account of the approximately forty years following the death of Alexander the Great, during which his generals vied for control of his vast empire, and through their conflicts and politics ultimately created the Hellenistic Age. Offers an account of the power struggles between Alexander’s rival generals in the forty year period following his death Discusses how Alexander’s vast empire ultimately became the Hellenistic World Makes full use of primary and secondary sources Accessible to a broad audience of students, university scholars, and the educated general reader Explores important scholarly debates on the Diadochi

Download or read book Demetrius the Besieger written by Pat Wheatley and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2020-04-23 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Demetrius the Besieger offers the first historical and historiographical biography of Demetrius Poliorcetes (336-282 BC) to be published in English. Also known as 'The Besieger of Cities', Demetrius is the most fascinating and high profile of the Successors to Alexander the Great, an outstanding, yet enigmatic figure famous for his siege warfare and his legendary womanising: this volume charts the many triumphs and disasters during his career and hispivotal role in the formation of the so-called 'Hellenistic' age.

Download or read book The Legacy of Alexander written by A. B. Bosworth and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2002 with total page 322 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study examines the colourful and turbulent period after the death of Alexander the Great and the extraordinary people who created the Successor monarchies. It explains how and why Alexander's empire was split up and investigates the fate of the Macedonian army of conquest.

Download or read book Alexander the Great written by Waldemar Heckel and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-09-19 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Alexander the Great: A New History combines traditional scholarship with contemporary research to offer an innovative treatment of one of history's most famous figures. Written by leading experts in the field Looks at a wide range of diverse topics including Alexander's religious views, his entourage during his campaign East, his sexuality, the influence of his legacy, and his representations in art and cinema Discusses Alexander's influence, from his impact on his contemporaries to his portrayals in recent Hollywood films A highly informed and enjoyable resource for students and interested general readers

Download or read book The Diadochi written by Charles River Charles River Editors and published by Createspace Independent Publishing Platform. This book was released on 2018-09-18 with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Includes pictures *Includes ancient accounts *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading In 323 BCE, Alexander the Great was on top of the world. Never a man to sit on his hands or rest upon his laurels, Alexander began planning his future campaigns, which may have included attempts to subdue the Arabian Peninsula or make another incursion into India. But fate had other plans for the young Macedonian king. One night, while feasting with his admiral Nearchus, he drank too much and took to bed with a fever. At first, it seemed like the fever was merely a consequence of his excess, and there was not much concern for his health, but when a week had elapsed and there was still no sign of his getting better, his friends and generals began to grow concerned. The fever grew, consuming him to the point that he could barely speak. After two weeks, on June 11, 323 B.C., Alexander the Great, King of Macedon, Hegemon of the League of Corinth, King of Kings, died. On his deathbed, some historians claim that when he was pressed to name a successor, Alexander muttered that his empire should go "to the strongest." Other sources claim that he passed his signet ring to his general Perdiccas, thereby naming him successor, but whatever his choices were or may have been, they were ignored. Alexander's generals, all of them with the loyalty of their own corps at their backs, would tear each other apart in a vicious internal struggle that lasted almost half a century before four factions emerged victorious: Macedonia, the Seleucid Empire in the east, the Kingdom of Pergamon in Asia Minor, and the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. During the course of these wars, Alexander's only heir, the posthumously born Alexander IV, was murdered, extinguishing his bloodline for ever. Although it was an incredibly important period in world history, it is sometimes as confusing as it is frustrating for historians because the allegiances of the generals changed constantly and historical sources are often biased in some regards and utterly lacking in others. Although none of these men were able to replicate Alexander the Great's territorial success, a few carved out sizable empires and were able to establish long-lasting political dynasties. Ptolemy I brought Egypt back to a central position of power in the region, and Seleucus I built a strong empire on the ruins of ancient Babylonia, but other generals, such as Perdiccas, were killed early on in the fighting and slipped into relative obscurity. Some of the Macedonian generals had a significant impact on the region during their lifetimes, but they left no heirs to carry on their political memories. The general Lysimachus won control of Thrace and established a fairly important kingdom in that land, but when he died his successors all turned on and killed each other, effectively ending any potential dynasty. Similarly, Cassander was a Macedonian general who was involved in the Diadochi Wars, and for a time it looked like he was going to be the biggest winner among the Macedonians. Cassander became the king of Macedon, had direct influence over most of southern Greece, and was courted by the other kings and generals in their conflicts against each other. The Diadochi: The History of Alexander the Great's Successors and the Wars that Divided His Empire chronicles how Alexander's legendary conquests shaped the next several centuries, and how the successor generals carved out various empires. Along with pictures depicting important people, places, and events, you will learn about the Diadochi like never before.

Download or read book Alexander the Great Failure written by John D Grainger and published by A&C Black. This book was released on 2009-08-11 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this authoritative book John Grainger explores the foundations of Alexander's empire and why it did not survive after his untimely death in 323 BC.

Download or read book Philip II and Alexander the Great written by Elizabeth Carney and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-06-24 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The careers of Philip II and his son Alexander the Great (III) were interlocked in innumerable ways: Philip II centralized ancient Macedonia, created an army of unprecedented skill and flexibility, came to dominate the Greek peninsula, and planned the invasion of the Persian Empire with a combined Graeco-Macedonian force, but it was Alexander who actually led the invading forces, defeated the great Persian Empire, took his army to the borders of modern India, and created a monarchy and empire that, despite its fragmentation, shaped the political, cultural, and religious world of the Hellenistic era. Alexander drove the engine his father had built, but had he not done so, Philip's achievements might have proved as ephemeral as had those of so many earlier Macedonian rulers. On the other hand, some scholars believe that Alexander played a role, direct or indirect, in the murder of his father, so that he could lead the expedition to Asia that his father had organized. In short, it is difficult to understand or assess one without considering the other. This collection of previously unpublished articles looks at the careers and impact of father and son together. Some of the articles consider only one of the Macedonian rulers although most deal with both, and with the relationship, actual or imagined, between the two. The volume will contain articles on military and political history but also articles that look at the self-generated public images of Philip and Alexander, the counter images created by their enemies, and a number that look at how later periods understood them, concluding with the Hollywood depiction of the relationship. Despite the plethora of collected works that deal with Philip and Alexander, this volume promises to make a genuine contribution to the field by focusing specifically on their relationship to one another.

Download or read book Alexander the Great written by Philip Freeman and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-10-18 with total page 418 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the first authoritative biography of Alexander the Great written for a general audience in a generation, classicist and historian Philip Freeman tells the remarkable life of the great conqueror. The celebrated Macedonian king has been one of the most enduring figures in history. He was a general of such skill and renown that for two thousand years other great leaders studied his strategy and tactics, from Hannibal to Napoleon, with countless more in between. He flashed across the sky of history like a comet, glowing brightly and burning out quickly: crowned at age nineteen, dead by thirty-two. He established the greatest empire of the ancient world; Greek coins and statues are found as far east as Afghanistan. Our interest in him has never faded. Alexander was born into the royal family of Macedonia, the kingdom that would soon rule over Greece. Tutored as a boy by Aristotle, Alexander had an inquisitive mind that would serve him well when he faced formidable obstacles during his military campaigns. Shortly after taking command of the army, he launched an invasion of the Persian empire, and continued his conquests as far south as the deserts of Egypt and as far east as the mountains of present-day Pakistan and the plains of India. Alexander spent nearly all his adult life away from his homeland, and he and his men helped spread the Greek language throughout western Asia, where it would become the lingua franca of the ancient world. Within a short time after Alexander’s death in Baghdad, his empire began to fracture. Best known among his successors are the Ptolemies of Egypt, whose empire lasted until Cleopatra. In his lively and authoritative biography of Alexander, classical scholar and historian Philip Freeman describes Alexander’s astonishing achievements and provides insight into the mercurial character of the great conqueror. Alexander could be petty and magnanimous, cruel and merciful, impulsive and farsighted. Above all, he was ferociously, intensely competitive and could not tolerate losing—which he rarely did. As Freeman explains, without Alexander, the influence of Greece on the ancient world would surely not have been as great as it was, even if his motivation was not to spread Greek culture for beneficial purposes but instead to unify his empire. Only a handful of people have influenced history as Alexander did, which is why he continues to fascinate us.

Download or read book Who s Who in the Age of Alexander and His Successors written by Waldemar Heckel and published by Casemate Publishers. This book was released on 2021-06-30 with total page 938 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A unique compilation of more than one thousand concise biographies of those involved in the campaigns of Alexander the Great, and the struggle for power after his death. From leading commanders in Alexander’s army to the nobles of the Persian Empire, and the many other individuals he encountered throughout his life and reign, these complete and balanced biographies are drawn from the literary and epigraphic sources of the age. First published in 2006, this version has been expanded and substantially revised to widen the human and political landscape in which Alexander moved. The only work of its kind, this is an essential guide to a fascinating and pivotal historical era, and to one of history’s most successful military commanders.

Download or read book The Library Books 16 20 written by Diodorus Siculus and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-07-04 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Starting with the most meagre resources, Philip made his kingdom the greatest power in Europe The Greek historian Diodorus of Sicily is one of our most valuable sources from ancient times. His history, in forty volumes, was intended to range from mythological times to 60 BCE, and fifteen of The Library's forty books survive. This new translation by Robin Waterfield of books 16-20 covers a vital period in European history. Book 16 is devoted to Philip, and without it the career of this great king would be far more obscure to us. Book 17 is the earliest surviving account by over a hundred years of the world-changing eastern conquests of Alexander the Great, Philip's son. Books 18-20 constitute virtually our sole source of information on the twenty turbulent years following Alexander's death and on the violent path followed by Agathocles of Syracuse. There are fascinating snippets of history from elsewhere too - from Republican Rome, the Cimmerian Bosporus, and elsewhere. Despite his obvious importance, Diodorus is a neglected historian. This is the first English translation of any of these books in over fifty years. The introduction places Diodorus in his context in first-century-BCE Rome, describes and discusses the kind of history he was intending to write, and assesses his strengths and weaknesses as a historian. With extensive explanatory notes on this gripping and sensational period of history, the book serves as a unique resource for historians and students.