Search found 152 matches

by the_accursed
Mon Dec 05, 2016 1:47 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Alexander the Great...Good or Bad King, or neither? An Essay
Replies: 81
Views: 54889

Re: Alexander the Great...Good or Bad King, or neither? An Essay

I would go for neither. He was a human, it is more than just surely. He was not bad. He was not a king. So, was Alexander a good king? He was never a king. Solomon, Marcus Aurelius, Rurik, Augustus - these are the men we remember for being kings. We do not remember Alexander for being a king. Alexa...
by the_accursed
Sat Oct 22, 2011 8:23 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Teacher Seeks Help
Replies: 31
Views: 12397

Re: Teacher Seeks Help

Yes alot depends on which aspects you teach, for me Henry is the debasement of the coinage, eternal but justified paranoia and futile French adventurism. With the excavation of Seuthopolis there ought to be plenty to sat about the hellenisation of the Odrysai which would provide a contrast to the S...
by the_accursed
Sat Jul 09, 2011 8:41 am
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

Marcus, Alexias, Spitamenes, and myself have all contributed reasons why ATG was NOT just a cheerleader. We have provided more than adequate examples relating our points...or rather, counterpoints to your original post. You, however, have done nothing but disparage ATG at every turn. I don't necess...
by the_accursed
Fri Jul 08, 2011 6:42 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

Well I would have to consider myself a 'fan' of Alexander. I've read too much on him with fascination to try to convince myself otherwise. I'm also a 'fan' of Philip. I do not believe Pothos is a 'fan site' though. I've asked so many questions here and received so many good answers that many of my ...
by the_accursed
Fri Jul 08, 2011 5:54 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

You said similar many, many posts ago. I know what it is that you refer to. Trust me: there really are only the few or the one here to whom "it has all been revealed". The rest of us actually tend to discuss and not hold grudges. I'm glad to hear it Paralus. I think I've got to add, for t...
by the_accursed
Fri Jul 08, 2011 3:19 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

No, I'm not saying that a person with below average intelligance can never make good decisions. But you appear to be saying that because he occasionally made poor decisions then he cannot be of higher than average intelligence. That is the point that I am arguing, which you seem unwilling to conced...
by the_accursed
Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:38 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

I should probably just keep some of my opinions to myself. Or stay out of certain arguments. Why? You argue a point well - even if I disagree with the point or, sometimes, the tactics - so to speak. I'm going to have to do that. I have written what I believe is a reasonably good post about the Maed...
by the_accursed
Fri Jul 08, 2011 1:26 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

You and others give Alexander credit for the Macedonian victories, and I don't. That's the difference. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that Alexander was intelligent if one thinks he was crucial to the Macedonian victories. The argument is fallacious; not to mention circular: I do not beli...
by the_accursed
Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:50 am
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

Exactly. That is the exact point I am making. According to your argument, these bad decisions show us that Alexander wasn't particularly intelligent. Now you are acknowledging that he made some good decisions, which by the same boat must credit him with intelligence. He can only be one or the other...
by the_accursed
Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:44 am
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

Again? Really? I'm reading the SAME four or five comments over and over again. Its getting his friends exiled, the Gedrosian, Prosyknesis, Cleitus, and calling himself a god. We don't call him "Alexander the Fair", or "Alexander the Reasonable", or "Alexander the Intelligen...
by the_accursed
Fri Jul 08, 2011 11:35 am
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

Yes...Alexander made some good decisions too. But how many ancient leaders that most people would recognize as "great" made as many comparably disastrous decisions as Alexander? How many leaders were able to bring their empire to the level that ATG brought his and consequently 'had' to ma...
by the_accursed
Thu Jul 07, 2011 10:28 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

But one could just as easily choose many examples that show Alexander making good decisions with 'good' consequences (I put in quotation marks because there might always be arguments as to whether the consequences were, indeed, 'good' - but 'bad' consequences don't necessarily mean that the decisio...
by the_accursed
Thu Jul 07, 2011 5:16 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

Myself I would drop the “exceptional”. It may well have been an easy choice for Philip. To me, what’s truly exceptional about it is that Philip picked the man who’d become the most influential philosopher in history. This says something about Philip’s judgement. I believe Philip was an exeptional k...
by the_accursed
Thu Jul 07, 2011 5:12 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

As I can only think of a couple of cases where a heir-presumptive was personally tutored by a philosopher of Aristotle's calibre, the other being Dionysius II by Plato, then by definition I believe it is exceptional, even if meaning outside of the common standard. But not to split hairs there, I de...
by the_accursed
Wed Jul 06, 2011 5:17 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander
Replies: 244
Views: 115580

Re: Philip II of Macedonia: Greater than Alexander

Perhaps I should have clarified what was meant by highly educated. It appears Philip took exceptional care to ensure nothing but the best for his heir. Imagine today one of our parents arranging for us the privilege of being tutored by the pre-eminent expert in their respective fields, a leading ph...