pothos.org

You've read a lot, Ed - but you don't mention the ancient sources. Have you read those? It's amazing how many different perceptions there are of him. One for each student of Alexander, as someone much cleverer than I am, once said very much better. Fiona I've skipped around 'The History of Alexande...

Paralus wrote:
There would be no Judaism as we know it minus Cyrus the Great.

Hi Paralus,

My knowledge of Cyrus the Great is limited. He's definitely on my list for further research. What kind of an effect did he have on Judaism?

Thanks,

Ed

Semiramis wrote:
alexkhan2000,

Why not?

Sure we can imagine it. But I have a hard time imagining how the Persian soldiers would have executed Jesus and Tehran now being the center of Christianity.

alexkhan hi. Indeed, at its height under GK's grandson Kublai Khan, the Mongol empire was around 5 times the size of Alexander's. Yes, but with vast deserts and unpopulated areas, and areas with nomadic tribes. Alexander was just not interested in these areas. Thus when he fought the skythians and ...

In various history books and on the web, there are conflicting accounts or heated debates about who the "greatest" conqueror or military commander/general was. Based on my readings of the more military-based books by Theodore Dodge, J.F.C. Fuller, Peter G. Tsouras, Donald Engels, and Warry...

Now there, to be honest, I think you go too far. Christianity as the pillar of Western civilisation - OK, I can buy that. But it would have spread from Rome out through Europe, with or without Alexander. The Roman Empire gave it the chance to spread, but what gave the Roman Empire its chance, what ...

Ed, I think your posts would make even Alexander blush. :lol: Yeah, perhaps. But I've read 'em all from Alexander bashers (or with at least a negative slant) like Ernst Badian, Ian Worthington, Peter Green, and A.B. Bosworth to Alexander worshippers like W.W. Tarn, Mary Renault, N.G.L. Hammond, and...

What a good summary. Thank you, I enjoyed reading that. As you say, it's the combination, isn't it? The greatest military leader, the visonary ahead of his time, the hero with his mind fixed on his goals, and the human being. I loved your bit about his highs and his lows - very well said, indeed! I...

Yes, it is no more than guesswork when we think what anyone might have done had they not died. I honestly think it was beneficial that Alexander died when he did. There is only so much one human can do in his lifetime. Maybe Alexander had done too much. Peter Woodward once said that Alexander was w...

I think it's a combination of so many factors. He was arguably the greatest military commander, general, and warrior ever. He set the standard for the ultimate soldier - courageous, daring, brilliant, cool in the heat of the battle, cunning, determined, and physically perfect. But as the old saying ...

I myself have mixed feelings about whether the body/tomb should be found and what it'd mean. It's an interesting thought. As jan posted, I don't think it'll be found either and it'd be fine with me if it's never found. Part of Alexander's appeal is the mystery and the myths that surround him and his...

Wondering what might have been is a futile exercise although fun to contemplate. It's like wondering what other great symphonies would Mozart have composed if he didn't die at the age of 35. What other great movies would James Dean have acted in? What would Jimi Hendrix have done had he lived? Bruce...