Books about Alexander for schools

Recommend, or otherwise, books on Alexander (fiction or non-fiction). Promote your novel here!

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marcus
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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

Post by marcus »

spitamenes wrote:Marcus,
I believe the reason behind books 2,3 and 7 might be because 2 includes the battle of Issus, 3 includes the battle of Gaugamela, and 3... well, I would guess Alexanders death. Wouldn't it be best though to save Arrian foraftera basic introduction if they are to start with chapter 2? Or is that probably the plan? Because chapter 2 just jumps right into places and people whom the students haven't been introduced to yet.
Partly, although the specification covers everything from Thebes to Alexander's death, and includes everything in between - Cleitus, etc.

What I assume it means is that the exam board won't be asking source-based questions on anything covered in the other books, so although the students are required to know what happened, they aren't required to know the source material for it. Which makes sense.

What the AQA specification says they need to know includes:
 the major events of Alexander’s career and their significance (including Alexander’s accession to the Macedonian throne, appointment as Hegemon and strategos autokrator of the League of Corinth, campaigns on Lower Danube and against Illyrians, destruction of Thebes and arrangements for Greece, arrival in Asia Minor, battle of River Granicus, settlement of Asia Minor, stay at Gordium, battle of Issus, submission of Phoenician cities, sieges of Tyre and Gaza, occupation of Egypt, foundation of Alexandria, expedition to oracle of Ammon, battle of Gaugamela, occupation of Babylon, Susa and Persepolis, campaigns of 330 to 327 BC, ‘conspiracy’ of Philotas, murder of Cleitus, conspiracy of the Pages, battle of the River Hydaspes, mutiny at the River Hyphasis, march through the Gedrosian Desert, voyage of Nearchus, journey to Pasargadae and Susa, mass marriages, Exiles decree, mutiny at Opis, death of Hephaestion, return to Babylon and death)
 Alexander’s aims (including personal, political, military, economic, exploratory and cultural considerations)
 Alexander’s achievements as monarch, military commander (including his strengths and weaknesses in strategy, tactics, military organisation, leadership in battle, his relationship with his officers and men and treatment of opponents) and administrator (including arrangements for administering his various conquests, adoption of Persian practices and dress, foundation of cities)
 Alexander’s attitude towards the gods (including his own divine parentage and divinity) and mythological and historical precedents (including Achilles, Perseus, Herakles, Dionysus, Philip II and Cyrus the Great)
 Alexander’s relationship with the mainland Greeks
 the aims, methods, sources and judgements of Arrian and Plutarch and problems in their use as evidence.

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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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Marcus - thank you for looking at the specification - yes, AQA is the one. There isn't much in the way of past papers since this topic has only recently been an option. There is a specimen paper on the public AQA site (it is topic 4B) and just one past paper from June 2010 which is accessible via the secure key materials on e-aqa - perhaps you have access to this? The thing to do would really be to look at the mark schemes (also on the site) and try to get some feel for what the examiner is reading - but because I'm a newcomer to this topic I'm finding this hard to do! Perhaps you might have better luck.

I also need to decide what to set my students to read over the summer in preparation for this course. I'm minded to get them to start with Plutarch - because I want them to get going with the sources as soon as possible (this year's lot found them quite hard going) - and Arrian is rather dry especially to someone coming new to the topic, as well as there being the big gap of 3 books in the middle. I wonder whether Plutarch plus Mary Renault would be the ideal summer reading - this would be a start on the sources as well as something more fun and inspiring which will hopefully get them in the mood for tackling Alexander's story seriously in the autumn.
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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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catharine wrote:Marcus - thank you for looking at the specification - yes, AQA is the one. There isn't much in the way of past papers since this topic has only recently been an option. There is a specimen paper on the public AQA site (it is topic 4B) and just one past paper from June 2010 which is accessible via the secure key materials on e-aqa - perhaps you have access to this? The thing to do would really be to look at the mark schemes (also on the site) and try to get some feel for what the examiner is reading - but because I'm a newcomer to this topic I'm finding this hard to do! Perhaps you might have better luck.

I also need to decide what to set my students to read over the summer in preparation for this course. I'm minded to get them to start with Plutarch - because I want them to get going with the sources as soon as possible (this year's lot found them quite hard going) - and Arrian is rather dry especially to someone coming new to the topic, as well as there being the big gap of 3 books in the middle. I wonder whether Plutarch plus Mary Renault would be the ideal summer reading - this would be a start on the sources as well as something more fun and inspiring which will hopefully get them in the mood for tackling Alexander's story seriously in the autumn.
Hi Catharine,

Yes, I'd certainly say that they could read Plutarch over the Summer - they might like to make a start on Arrian as well, but I agree that they'd get more into it with Plutarch.

If it's summer reading to get all the background, etc, then Renault would be fine, although it won't really be sufficient for the whole course. I'm still looking at the specification - and yes, I did look at the mark scheme on the site - to consider other books (for you if not for the students!). At first look it does seem to me that they created the specification with Bosworth's Conquest and Empire in mind, I have to say! But I will keep considering it.

How I wish we offered Class Civ at our school! I would so love to teach this! Out of interest, which of the other options are you teaching? (What school are you at, by the way?)

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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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I'm at Haberdashers' Aske's school for girls, in Elstree - we're lucky enough to be able to offer Latin, Greek and Class Civ. The other A2 option they do is Tragedy. For AS they study the Iliad and the Life and Times of Cicero - and they used to take the Roman Epic (ie Aeneid) option for A2, but I argued for a historical topic to follow up on their history studies (Cicero). Alexander is a huge topic for them to get their heads round in a year, and as for remembering which of Arrian and Plutarch said what, I find that pretty hard myself! Utterly fascinating, though. My group for next year is a lovely group of 7 who are really keen and most want to take classical subjects at university (two or three are going for Arch & Anth).
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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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catharine wrote:I'm at Haberdashers' Aske's school for girls, in Elstree - we're lucky enough to be able to offer Latin, Greek and Class Civ. The other A2 option they do is Tragedy. For AS they study the Iliad and the Life and Times of Cicero - and they used to take the Roman Epic (ie Aeneid) option for A2, but I argued for a historical topic to follow up on their history studies (Cicero). Alexander is a huge topic for them to get their heads round in a year, and as for remembering which of Arrian and Plutarch said what, I find that pretty hard myself! Utterly fascinating, though. My group for next year is a lovely group of 7 who are really keen and most want to take classical subjects at university (two or three are going for Arch & Anth).
You're so lucky! That's the difference between Haberdashers' and my Leicestershire comprehensive, though (sigh!). Good AS topics - I would have been surprised if you hadn't done Iliad, I suppose, and the Cicero one is great as it encompasses such a rich period of Roman history.

Yes, I think there is a lot to take in for the Alexander unit, but I'm sure they'll find it worth it. I don't think it should be too hard to get the differences between Plutarch and Arrian eventually, but to start with, yes, maybe.

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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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Lucky young ladies! Far cry from what the 45+ students in my history class had to swallow down when I was in school. :shock: Plutarch does sound great as a read for the summer, definately before Arrian so they have an idea what's going on, I'm still not completly sure about the logic behind Arrian2,3 and 7 though. It is as Marcus stated,.. odd. The line between Arrian and Plutarch will become clearer with each read. To the point of being able to tell from one or two lines who is who.
Marcus, do you think Quintus might have a place in this situation? Or would Arrian, Plutarch,and Quintus be a bit overwhelming? The reason why I believe it might be useful is because of how quickly they could get through the chapter involving Alexander. I'm not a teacher though,(that explains the bad spelling, punctuation, and grammer. :D)but Iam a military guy, and that is where my love for this topic stems from.(along with a far fetched family legend stating our ancient Macedonian heritage, :roll: ).
Catharine, if time allows, please keep us updated on how things go with your class. I'm very interested to see how things work for you.
All the best.
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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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spitamenes wrote:Lucky young ladies! Far cry from what the 45+ students in my history class had to swallow down when I was in school. :shock: Plutarch does sound great as a read for the summer, definately before Arrian so they have an idea what's going on, I'm still not completly sure about the logic behind Arrian2,3 and 7 though. It is as Marcus stated,.. odd. The line between Arrian and Plutarch will become clearer with each read. To the point of being able to tell from one or two lines who is who.
As I say, they would only ask source-based questions on events in those three books. The two such questions on the exam board's website are about Issus and Egypt, which are therefore covered in those books of Arrian.

It's the same when they do Homer or Virgil. They are given certain books to study, but they are expected to know the full story of Iliad, Odyssey or Aeneid. But with the amount of time they have to study, asking them to study more of the texts would be near impossible.
spitamenes wrote:Marcus, do you think Quintus might have a place in this situation? Or would Arrian, Plutarch,and Quintus be a bit overwhelming? The reason why I believe it might be useful is because of how quickly they could get through the chapter involving Alexander.
Do you mean Diodorus? Anyway, again, it's to do with time and A-Level expectations. Doing Arrian and Plutarch allows students to compare two texts, one a history and one a biography. To introduce another text would be complicated and time-consuming. Obviously we would always recommend that someone reads all the sources ... but A-Level is different.
spitamenes wrote:Catharine, if time allows, please keep us updated on how things go with your class. I'm very interested to see how things work for you.
Seconded! :D

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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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I certainly will.

By Quintus I suppose you have in mind Q. Curtius Rufus? I can see he might be a good balance to Arrian and Plutarch since he comes from a different tradition of Alexander history. But as Marcus says, we unfortunately don't have time to read a huge amount (and at 17 to 18 they usually won't do it anyway, although this year I did have one wonderful pupil who really got the bug and read lots off her own bat, including Mary Renault). This is why I'd like to focus on one good modern history in addion to A and P.
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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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Yes I did mean to say Diodorus. I have been sifting through my books and Quintus was on my table as I was typing! :D oops.
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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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spitamenes wrote:Yes I did mean to say Diodorus. I have been sifting through my books and Quintus was on my table as I was typing! :D oops.
It was only your comment about them getting through it quickly that made me sure it was Diodorus you meant.

I expect, also, that introducing a Vulgate author would be more complicated than a simple comparison between History and Biography. There are also lots of lacunae in Curtius (as, indeed, in Diodorus) that would make it difficult to use either as a source at A-Level - at least Arrian gives them the whole story from Alexander's accession!

Catharine is so right about the reluctance of teenagers to read what they're supposed to read! One always hopes that at A-Level they would be more motivated. Then again, when I was doing my A-Level history we were issued with a copy of E.V.Thompson's "History of the English Working Class" (I think that's what it was) and I doubt I ever even opened the book! (Then again, it was around 900 pages and very, very boring, whereas Arrian isn't.) :D

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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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Is A~level just another term for high school level?
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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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spitamenes wrote:Is A~level just another term for high school level?
Sorry! I think so - depending on what "high school level" is ... A-Level is taken by 17-18 year-old students as their final exams before leaving school. It's actually divided into two parts - AS-Level is taken when they are 17; then they progress to A2, taken at 18. Usually they take 4 or more subjects at AS Level, and then drop one (or more) to concentrate on 3 subjects for A2. Then they go on to University - and university places are offered on the basis of A-Level results.

Of course, some students leave school at 16, after they have taken their GCSE exams ...

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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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marcus wrote:
spitamenes wrote:Is A~level just another term for high school level?
Sorry! I think so - depending on what "high school level" is ... A-Level is taken by 17-18 year-old students as their final exams before leaving school [...] Of course, some students leave school at 16, after they have taken their GCSE exams ...

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Ahh yes: the SC and the HSC. the former is the basis for ATAR: something that used to be called matriculation and then a lot of other acronyms before this current one.

There are days I'm awfully glad that I no longer teach.
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Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.

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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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Paralus wrote:
marcus wrote:
spitamenes wrote:Is A~level just another term for high school level?
Sorry! I think so - depending on what "high school level" is ... A-Level is taken by 17-18 year-old students as their final exams before leaving school [...] Of course, some students leave school at 16, after they have taken their GCSE exams ...

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Ahh yes: the SC and the HSC. the former is the basis for ATAR: something that used to be called matriculation and then a lot of other acronyms before this current one.

There are days I'm awfully glad that I no longer teach.
That isn't the half of it! At least they are quite grown up by the time they get to doing their A-Levels. I'm currently sitting with a group of 13 year olds who are unable to keep themselves focused long enough to write an assessment about Hitler's rise to power - we've only spent 5 weeks of lessons on it, and some of them are acting as if we haven't studied it at all. At least it gives me a chance to do something important, such as catching up with Pothos and my emails.

Still, better go - I need to collect in 25 pieces of drivel before the bell goes ... :D

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Re: Books about Alexander for schools

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You're beginning to sound like the Salaminia Marcus. Having added a Grad Dip Ed to her BAppSc (after all these years) she now complains of chemistry long forgotten (by herself) and students with the recollection of Alzheimers sufferers!

Just registered for Glasgow by the way. Diodorus here I come. Must stop over in London for a few days. Pity the city wants to rent dog kennels for 180-250 AUD per day - many sans air-con in August (yes, I know, as a "colonial" the "heat" shouldn't worry). The reviews on TripAdvisor are nearly all awful!
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Wicked men, you sin against your fathers, who conquered the whole world under Philip and Alexander.

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