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Alexanthros, I don't usually get involved in these discussions as they tend to get carried away, as has this one in the hours since I ready your posting this morning. However… I know Persian Boy is a bit more racy, but I've only read Fire from Heaven and never noticed any agenda. You're right that M...

Alexanthros,

If Mary Renault offended you, then I suggest you stay away from my version.

Derek

Alexanthros, Valerio Manfredi wrote a trilogy about Alexander, which is probably as well known as Mary Renault's novels. The first is called Child of a Dream, and covers Alexander's childhood. If you have a special interest in his youth, then you should read Plutarch's Life of Alexander. That's wher...

The Lion of Macedonia by John Mcleod is a full-length novel about Alexander's childhood and teenage years. It's self-published so you won't find it in bookstores, but Amazon lists it. I wrote it so it's not for me to judge whether it's any good or not, but it's certainly complete. I don't think ther...

All, I saw this on the BBC website this morning: Alexander's Gulf outpost uncovered Alexander the Great's awe-inspiring conquest of Asia is drawing archaeologists to a desert island off the shores of Iraq. Greek government experts are going to Failaka - a Gulf outpost of Alexander's army, now govern...

Scott,

Good luck with the book and I hope it's successful. I always think Memnon's one of those underrated characters. If he hadn't died when he did, history could have been very different.

Again, good luck.

Derek

Can't say I agree with the statement that Alexander was generous. Yes, we know he rewarded his senior officers with material wealth, because Plutarch says he complained they were getting soft from so much fine living. And yes, he continually gave enemy satraps their titles and privileges back, but w...

They found a swimming pool when excavating the palace at Pella, so I'd say it's quite probable that Alexander learned to swim while growing up there. And the descriptions of his various incidents in water point to him having had some sort of swimming ability, even if it was no more than enough of a ...

Read this on the BBC website this morning: Some of Afghanistan's greatest historical treasures are on their way home after spending almost a decade at a museum in Switzerland. Among them is a foundation stone laid by Alexander the Great. The pieces were donated to the museum to prevent them being de...

Errmmm, as I said, no mention of Persians in India, except the 30,000 in Diodorus. What comes of having the American Idol auditions on in the background when you're trying to concentrate!

Derek

Amyntoros, I'm reading the Indian campaign in Arrian, Curtius and Diodorus, with the odd foray into Plutarch, Justin and Strabo, so have pretty well covered it. I've reached Alexander reaching the sea, so he's about to turn and leave India, and there's been no mention of Persian troops whatsoever. P...

I'm reading about India at the moment and the numbers just don't add up. Alexander was forever splitting his forces and he'd go on an expedition with say, the Agrianes, 1,000 men, the hypaspists, 3,000, two taxeis of the phalanx, 3,000 men, half the companions, 1,000, the mounted archers, 1,000 and ...

My home pc is old and slow and the internet connection even slower, so I avoid going insane by using my pc at work when I want to log on to the internet. So I come in Monday morning, and there's been a blazing row on Pothos all weekend that's already been deleted! Blaady typical. Something interesti...

I liked the film and intended getting the DVD, but never got around to it. Then the director's cut came out and I thought, that's lucky. But I never got around to getting that one either and now the full, with everything included, version is coming out, so I'm thinking, that's lucky. And this time I...

Amyntoros, You're probably right. Alexander knew upsetting the gods could cause a disaster, so he probably took no chances when sacrificing. I'll change what I said to: I expect he frequently sacrificed animals when on campaign, but not so much as we tend to think when he wasn't, (in a palace, in ca...