Discovering Alexander

[Fingy]

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.

[Paralus]

That would be some thirty-five years back. It was not a "particular interest" though, more his father and the "end of the city states" that he wrought on the field at Chaeronea. I skipped Alexander in high school

Alexander did not greatly excercise my curiosity: what came after and before did. Alexander seemed this decade long interregnum between more interesting things. I re-read my Thucydides (yes the copy I had from school days) which led to re-reading Xenophon's Hellenica which then led onto Arrian's Anabasis. That led me to Bosworth's Conquest back in the early nineties and then I re-read Herodotus which led to Green's Greco-Persian Wars and Alexander of Macedon (as well as a re-discivery of his Armada from Athens bought second hand).

I still feel that events prior and after (certainly) hold more interest.

[marcus]

When did you first discover (or take a particular interest in) Alexander?

I was only really vaguely aware of Alexander until around 1981-2, when I first read Renault's "Nature of Alexander". I quickly went on to read her Alexander trilogy ... then got RLF's "Alexander the Great". When I went to university I majored in Philip and Alexander in my final year (this was late 1980s, by then), and rather took a break when I started working, until around 1995 when I suddenly perked up and re-visited my earlier interest.

ATB

[Paralus]

Must replace my Hellenica. I noticed the other day that pages have gone missing: the binding is, after all this time, giving way. The pages also look "unbleached". Same could be said of the Thucydides except, for some reason, the binding is still going strong.

Same can't be said of its owner...

[rocktupac]

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 Alexander during my first year in college. I was in an entry-level survey course about Western civilization with around 130 other freshmen. Though Alexander was only discussed for around 50 minutes, he left a lasting impression. I still remember jotting down character traits or interesting feats of Alexander that really stood out for me in the upper left-hand corner of my notebook. What perhaps made this impression possible was the professor teaching the course. He was so passionate about history and full of this great energy I could help but be interested (not that Alexander isn't interested by himself). I was an architectural engineering major at the time, but I soon changed my degree plan to history, mostly thanks to Alexander.

[Fiona]

Hello Fingy, I am pretty much like you in that it was the Oliver Stone film for me, but before it came out. When the idea was first getting round on the Internet round about 2003, when there was still talk of three different movies, and who'd get there first (remember, we could have had Leonardo di Caprio!) it prompted me to start reading about Alexander, a thing I had always meant to get round to. Started with some websites, and found out about Hephaistion, and I was even more interested. Then read RLF's book, like you, and by the time I'd read the bit about the siege of Tyre I was completely hooked.
"In early January, a month of rough seas, Alexander was proposing to assault an island city and its remaining fleet when he had no ships of his own".
I loved him - loved that "I can do anything" attitude, which is even more awesome when you actually do it.
Moved on at once to Arrian, Plutarch and Curtius Rufus, so that by the time the film actually came out I'd done a fair bit of reading and had the story in my head - just as well, or I'd probably have got very confused. It doesn't take much.
Loved the film, though - sure, there were things I'd have liked different, but it was Oliver Stone's vision and he gave us what he saw. I thought it was a film about what Alexander was like, not about what he did. And I thought Colin Farrell was brilliant and brought my hero to life. But I mustn't start going on about the film. I only mentioned it because for me its existence was the starting point. I've kept on reading ever since, and if you're at a similar stage, Fingy, why don't you join in the book club thread, you'd be very welcome you know.
Fiona

[agesilaos]

I was aware of Alexander from about five years old, having read the not entirely accurate Ladybird book and a letraset decal picture of 'The siege of Tyre' which I saved my pocket money to buy. But I have to confess that I have only really got down to studying him properly since joining this site, at uni in the early eighties he just was not obscure enough to pique my interest, Pheidon of Argos or Lysimachos were more to my taste. Pity, really I might have done better than a Desmond if I had been interested in the coursework!

[athenas owl]

Honestly? Reign the Conqueror, an anime from a decade or so ago.

p://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inbbdH3qdpQ

Yeah, that tall lanky guy with the long black air is Alexander. I got very curious about the real Alexander and here I am...my studies were in the Medieval period of NW Europe, especially the early part (I still adore Old English and It's Closest Relatives). And closer to home, paleo-Indians of the Pacific Northwest and the peopling of the Western Hemisphere...Alexander and his period were something I glided past in my general studies courses.

I read RLF's book and I was off...though Alexander personally still seems very elusive, the period and peoples before to after are fascinating. It's also, from a historiography standpoint, very interesting to see how different schools of thought(political, social, etc.) impact their views on Alexander. It's also a very exciting time in terms of archaeology and the other disciplines.

[marcus]

I was aware of Alexander from about five years old, having read the not entirely accurate Ladybird book and a letraset decal picture of 'The siege of Tyre' which I saved my pocket money to buy. But I have to confess that I have only really got down to studying him properly since joining this site, at uni in the early eighties he just was not obscure enough to pique my interest, Pheidon of Argos or Lysimachos were more to my taste. Pity, really I might have done better than a Desmond if I had been interested in the coursework!

I never had the Ladybird book when I was young. The first time I read it was when I was learning Arabic, and we translated the Arabic version of the book!

Having said that, I managed to secure a copy through the Amazon market place a couple of years ago - I love it!

Never got the Letraset, though - boy, how I would have loved to have had that!

ATB

[agesilaos]

It was a large scale one featuring the Tyrian attack on the mole, I doubt any exist anymore but there might be a picture on the web somewhere. Voici http://www.seven-wonders.co.uk/alexander.html

I've never owned the Ladybird book but it was in the school (Infants) library and less popular than the dinosaur books; though the accuracy levels were similar! It was '300 Spartans' and the futile gesture of Thermopylae, that fired my imagination. Still haven't got over supporting lost causes, English Rugby, for instance

[Paralus]

Still haven't got over supporting lost causes, English Rugby, for instance

Indeed.

[derek]

I’m another one whose introduction to Alexander was through a childhood collection of Ladybird books. The pictures of climbing the Sogdian Rock and crossing the Gedrosian Desert stuck in my brain into adulthood, even if I’d virtually forgotten the stories behind them and Alexander was just another name in history. But I grew up to become a wannabe author with permanent writer’s block, and then one day I bought a new computer game, “The Great Battles of Alexander.” Playing it and it dawned on me, no need for a plot or inspiration – Alexander was a story that wrote itself. 360,000 words later – I was right.

A couple of years back, my christmas present from my brother was an original copy of the 1960’s Alexander Ladybird book that he’d found on a website. Just as good as I remembered it!

Derek

[marcus]

... then one day I bought a new computer game, “The Great Battles of Alexander.”

Ha ha! I used to have the "Great Battles of Alexander" as well - until I upgraded my PC and it wouldn't install.

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).

ATB

[rocktupac]

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!

[jan]

Thanks, Athenaes Owl, for the Reign:Conqueror tip. I had not seen it until now and have been watching it religiously. Let me say this to anyone who decides to watch it for the first time as I did ...as an example if it is series number 7, do 7/1,7/2,7/3 in order to keep the sequence...It is the most fun, most interesting,and most inventive piece I have seen about Alexander. I think I am up to 9 now but have to wait for another day to continue...

As to discovering Alexander, this anime has made me realize that the LEGEND of Alexander is mostly what we know, and as inventions go, so does his story grow and grow...but this one at least is interesting and imaginative...I like it so far...

A friend told me something that tipped me off to Alexander, and once I read a book by Weigall, I was interested...then Stone decided to make his movie which gave Alexander more bad publicity than he already had...nobody I know likes the movie...very bad publicity for ATG but so it goes..

I like Reign:Conqueror better than any movie so far...much better!