Search found 759 matches

by Efstathios
Fri Jun 17, 2005 8:44 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

Re: My thoughts about the sources - continued

And that leads us back to the sources.I will agree with Jan. But how reliable are the sources anyway?Surely the most reliable would be that of Ptolemy and Aristovoulos who were much closer to Alexander both chronologically and literaly.Cleitarhus was in the same era and has been in Babylon when Alex...
by Efstathios
Fri Jun 17, 2005 12:13 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

Re: My thoughts about the sources - continued

"Like Amyntoros said - you don't own Alexander - no-one does." Very true.That is why we must be more careful when we are trying to "translate" some of his actions and behaviours. And as Ploutarch said in his "Symposium of the seven sages": Ancient greek: "'+ç +¦+»+...
by Efstathios
Fri Jun 17, 2005 8:12 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

Re: My thoughts about the sources - continued

But i didnt say i own the truth.I am searching for the truth.Even if it is a vain research it is what keeps many people going on.The search of the truth and the love of knowledge.Whatever that is. I used Alexander's sexuality as an example for the sources because it has always been one of the most d...
by Efstathios
Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:50 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

Re: My thoughts about the sources - continued

...Continuation from previous post: These things frustrate me.And the source of them are books like those mentioned in previous posts.That's is the reason for the polemic that is going on. It is nice that people have ideas and express them to books but they must take rensponsibility for what they wr...
by Efstathios
Thu Jun 16, 2005 7:22 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

Re: My thoughts about the sources - continued

All these (about the different points of view in books) are good ,when they dont cross the line of "authenticity" and reality. When you are writing a book about a figure like Alexander you cannot cross the line of historical reality.It's the same as i would write a book about the battle of...
by Efstathios
Thu Jun 16, 2005 11:50 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

Re: My thoughts about the sources

Yes of course we cannot disregard any of these writers.I do not disregard Curtius in it's whole but i am very sceptical to many things that he writes. Well the same goes for the other writers too.Arrian gives us nice descriptions of the military aspects and events but he does not go into details abo...
by Efstathios
Thu Jun 16, 2005 8:55 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

Re: My thoughts about the sources

I agree ,but dont forget that Curtius was a senator.And the senate was the "center" of this moral decay.But of course we can never know if Curtius had gave in into the way of life of roman aristocracy. We also know that probably one of his main sources was Cleitarhus. Cleitarhus was in Bab...
by Efstathios
Wed Jun 15, 2005 9:33 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

Re: My thoughts about the sources

...continuing from the previous post: Curtius was a roman.We all know the size of the moral and ethical decay in the roman empire (roman orgies e.t.c).Curtius was surely affected by the mores of his country and era (which were different of those of Plutarh and Arrian's) and this had a severe impact ...
by Efstathios
Wed Jun 15, 2005 9:18 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: My thoughts about the sources
Replies: 28
Views: 8916

My thoughts about the sources

Ok, i want to start a discussion about the authenticity and reliability of the sources. For example when we study the sources we must have in mind the backrounds of the writers and what sources did they also use. Arrian lived in the second century a.d. He used Ptolemy and Aristovoulos as his sources...