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Hephaistion was burned on a pyre of supreme extravagance and his ashes deposited in an urn which presumably rested in the tomb: Alexander's embalmed body was stolen and taken to Alexadria by Ptolemy Lagou (Soter) so it never rested in Hephaistion's tomb.

Certainly Alexander suffered many wounds but the life-threatening ones you can list on the fingers of one hand; the catapult bolts at Tyre and Gaza, and the Mallian arrow; the convulsion after his swim and the dysentry in Scythia are not really wounds but certainly life-threatening. He was lucky to ...

The titles of the books would suffice, the only Briant I know is the author of 'Antigone le Borgne' Which betrays the poverty of my Achaemenidism, thanks.

I have heard of him I think Murder in Macedonia with a Jewish slave-girl sleuth? There is a good web-site which reviews Alexander fiction, BeyondRenault or something like that and a very pleasant American professeuse of Classics tears it to shreds.Anyway I don't even believe all I read in Arrian!

Whilst I am familiar with the Greek practice is there anyone out there who can enlighten me as to the Persian way of investigating and trying a case? Especially in the abscence of the Great King.

These Tocharians must be synonymous with the Saka most sources say extinguished the Greek prescence in Bactria c135BC.The kingdom was established by Diodotos c250BC when he revolted from Antiochos II and despite 're-conquest' by Antiochos III the Great soon fell out of Seleukid control following his...

The Persian Empire was the only place worth conquering and Alexander left Greece owing money according to Plutarch and therefore needing a rich prize. He had little choice but to continue his father's policies as he had sworn so to do on his acclamation (Cleitarchos) which may not otherwise have pro...

I agree that there is nothing unfeasable about Olympias wishing Philip dead but it was the stories of her garlanding and kissing the killer's corpse to which I was referring: she may have hated Philip but the Macedonians loved him and such actions cannot have happened at that time, it would have und...

The drinking contest is in Plutarch Alex. 70 i and he goes on to pooh-pooh the Cup of Herkules story at the end of chapter 75.

Having read al the replies to this can I just say that everyone seems to be missing the fact that the Ostrogoths , Germans invaded Greece and controlled Macedonia for two centuries, so how modern Greeks look is not very relevant, what is is that Plutarch , Alex 4.1 describes him physically, he does ...

Having read al the replies to this can I just say that everyone seems to be missing the fact that the Ostrogoths , Germans invaded Greece and controlled Macedonia for two centuries, so how modern Greeks look is not very relevant, what is is that Plutarch , Alex 4.1 describes him physically, he does ...

I think the Philip stuff is in the national archaeological museum in Thessalonike, I went there on a Monday when it was shut so I can't be sure.When going to Greece openig times etc need to be checked but allow two hours before they open , that's how long I waited at Dion! My big mistake was trying ...

Alexander was a Macedonian, which means he was hellenised but not fully Greek, though it would be a mistake to think that means anything racial, it is a cultural distinction. As for his appearance he had a ruddy complexion and pale skin, which sounds a bit red-headed to me somewhat Scottish ie celti...

I think Kassander's main problem is that his history was written by his enemies. Hieronymos of Kardia was an Antigonid protege and the enemies of Antigonos/Demetrios can expect rough treatment. Acase in point is Kassander's lifelong ally Lysimachos, the only alliance that was never broken during the...

Having read Luc's interesting link concerning the bones found at Vergina it occurred to me that a similar confusion may have arisen concerning the stories of olympias' treatment of Philip's killer; did the sources conflate her actions towards Philip III Arhidaeos' killer with the assassination of Ph...