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the little fellow is wearing an elephant headress and he does look remarkably like Alexander to me. :) He does, doesn't he? Although I supose he could be a Selucid. This is another possible, although less likely, Alexander, also from the British Museum (in the King's Library if anyone wants to go a...

Just thought I would share this image. It's an Etruscan terracotta head from the British Museum c300-250 BC. It is not labelled as Alexander, but it certainly looks like it has been influenced by his image, even if it isn't meant to be him. DSCI0997---Copy.jpg The quality of the photo isn't very goo...

Philip of Macedon by Nicholas Hammond. Although scholarly, I found it engaging and easy to read although I think a reader might need to know something about the background to start with, so if you are looking for an introduction it might not be the best book.

Agree completely that it is difficult to believe that Alexander's death was anything but natural causes, because if it was a coup, nobody appears to have been ready to take over but rather they were thrown into complete confusion, and if he was murdered for purely personal reasons, it is also diffic...

Funny how there's always an excuse for every atrocity Alexander ever committed. Somehow, nothing was never really his fault. I think it would be nice if, for once, people would give some thought to Alexander's victims, and commemorate them, rather than their glamorous killer. The men who never retu...

True. A robber, too, and a murderer. An alcoholic. An incompetent administrator and a failed empire builder. Not to mention a delusional madman. Undoubtedly far more than a simple conqueror. Apologies to Paralus, I misquoted By our standards, maybe not his. Robber = spoils of war Murderer = Cleitus...

Thank you, Ruthaki. Any idea what date that unidentified tomb is? Or what date they are likely to have re-interred Olympias?

Would Roxane even have spoken Persian, or did the Sogdians have a different language? Darius's daughters were taught Greek while they remained at Susa, so it is likely Roxane was taught Greek, probably by Barsine who, although Persian, was the widow of two Greeks.

Is this of interest to anybody? A friend recently gave me a copy of an article in Hesperia 1949 in which Charles Edson argues for the identification of Pydna with the modern village of Makriyialos (5 kilometres north-east of Kitros which I believe is the modern identification of Pydna). He discusses...

Frustrating, yes! I'm glad you didn't find my comments offensive - I wasn't sure if JR's views were considered sacred. I never did understand the 'eminence grise' - it sounds like Hephaestion was some grey, mysterious, Machiavellian cardinal. Now there would be a novel! I shall go and begin reading ...

Dear Fiona, Thank you very much for this review. You certainly make it seem a very vibrant and interesting read, and the book is next on my list to read. I have so far only read Jeanne Reames chapter - which a found a rather negative view of Hephaestion, a re-working of her doctoral thesis and not r...

I've deleted this post.

A couple of points: 1. Robin Lane Fox says that couriers on the Royal Road could reach Sardis from Susa in 7 days (it took 90 days on foot, presumably less on horseback or chariot (if used)). So I think you might be looking at 2-3 weeks for letters to reach Alexander or Antipater, not months. 2. The...

I've just finished reading Dr Jeanne Reames chapter 'The Cult of Hephaestion' in 'Responses to Oliver Stone's Alexander' in which she suggests that as part of Alexander's 'recorganisation' on his return from India, Hephaestion was appointed chiliarch at the weddings at Susa (March 324). She also imp...

Would you mind posting a review of 'Responses' when you've read it please? I didn't know if it would be worth getting.