pothos.org

SKY, you beat me to it! I was going to post that link just now :D This is the research I have been doing with Dr. Aldrete. Just about a week ago Rossella contacted us about doing an article for Discovery News. I can't believe it was written so quickly! Here again is the link to the "UWGB Linoth...

It does indeed seem a better fit and is, in my opinion, what is meant. It strikes me as odd that some suggest that hoplites – in their technical sense – are “lighter armed”. Whilst one concedes that clambering up mountain tracks (the Persian gates for example) or chasing about with the cavalry on s...

Happy Holidays everyone!

marcus wrote: The one to go for now is "Rome: Total War" and the Alexander expansion pack. Fantastic! (Although I have some issues with the relative strength of some of the units).

As do I, marcus. As do I... Overall it is a great game. Very fun!

The usual take is the phalanx was simply a passive animal that presented sarisae for the enemy to be driven upon. This is an outdated view that is still represented in Stone’s film: “while you pin them on your sarisas my brave Parmenion”. The sources relate a rather more active role for the sarisa-...

When did you first discover (or take a particular interest in) Alexander? Was it a book, a film, a teacher? My introduction was Oliver Stone's film. I enjoyed it so much that I read Robin Lane Fox's book immediately after. Now I have at least 15 books on my shelf regarding Alexander. I first met Ale...

Way to stick to your guns, Marcus!

Admittedly, it wasn't my intent to count how they were used in battle, only the total number of times their name came up. But I like your enthusiasm!

That lack comes about largely due to the fact there are few passages in the sources describing the phalanx actually at work and, more so, just how it worked. One has to deduce from implications in the material just what is going on and how. Diodorus – amongst others – is replete with phalanxes (Mac...

What I find interesting, however, is that, if I recall correctly, the Agrianians are only actually mentioned by name on about three occasions - even though, as you say, we think of them as being used so often in the campaign. They must have been, highly valued as they clearly were, yet not actually...

Then the Getae come down to the Danube, but defeating them was apparently ‘gratuitous terrorism’. Hmm. I see what he means – crossing the Danube was probably a straw-stuffed tent too far – but if you send an army to Alexander, of course he’s going to fight it. Still, they weren’t to know that, so i...

I have not read Rahe's or Manti's articles. I have read Hammond's piece but it focuses on the creation of the Macedonian phalanx and its early uses more than anything else (as the title suggests). I am puzzled by that lack of analysis this has received. Thank you for the input.

Are there any really good (or not so good) treatments of the role of the sarissa-phalanx of the Macedonians? I'm interested in books, articles, etc. that may attempt to explain what the actual role of the sarissa-phalanx was - and explained in detail with references. I'm not sure if I have ever come...

Thank you very much Athenas Owl and Paralus! It is a little different than how Lane Fox put it (he is somewhat poetic with his language, in my opinion), but it solves the problem for me nonetheless.

Maybe someone can help me. I'm looking for the source of an anecdote in Robin Lane Fox's book Alexander the Great . On page 498 in the book, the story goes: "Within five years of Alexander's death his Asian Successors gathered near Persia as if to discuss their differences; they could not be br...

'Back-story for the rise of the Macedonian kingdom' is good - nice phrase! And very true - and I forgot to say, while fuming about ringlets, that I did like the sections on Philip's relations with Sparta, Athens and Thebes, those were very useful for pin-pointing exactly where we are, and even bett...