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Has anybody read J D Grainger's recently released book entitled 'Alexander the Great Failure' (a nice play on words if nothing else!)? I'm trying to decide whether to make it a post Xmas purchase. It seems to be a critical look at Alexander as a 'Macedonian King' e.g. didn't he do a bad job dying wi...

I certainly don't think that putting Alexander in charge of the Cavalry could be termed 'mollycodling him', but I do think it would have given him the best position to respond to the changing battlefield position, which would also have served him well in the eyes of the Macedonians as Phillip's 'hei...

Hi all, Just to look at this issue from a different perspective for a moment- If we all accept that Phillip fought on foot at the battle, which would have placed him in significant danger if things went badly, would a 'prudent' and 'pragmatic' man like him have also placed his son & heir in the ...

I have to agree with Kenny. It is difficult to trust any of the 'quotes' attributed to Alexander directly given that the only surviving written records of him are dated to centuries after his death. It would be a bit like trusting a tabloid newspapers 'quote' from a celebrity today. I fear that much...

I was musing recently about the oft mentioned tactic used by the phalanx of the raised sarissa ( generally of the middle/rear ranks) to deflect arrows, and wondered if anyone had ever done any research or calculations to determine exactly how effective this use of sarissa would be in battle? Did it ...

Hi Jan,I watched the region 1 Director's Cut the other day and I didn't notice much difference between the nude scenes on that and those on the theatrical release? But it has been a while since I saw it at the cinema.Did you feel the theatrical version was more moderate in this regard? I thought tha...

Hi Kenny,It's interesting to note that Alexander began to utilise units of Dahae Horse Archers during his later campaigns. The Dahae and Scythians would have operated in a fashion very similar to Genghis Khan's forces as nomad tactics changed very little from their time to his.Alexander knew a good ...

And they don't get any cheaper!Kit.

Kate,I've got the Fildes/Fletcher book and I must admit I do enjoy picking it up every now and again for a quick read. It's not revolutionary or pushing the boundaries of Alexander scholarship but it is an enjoyable 'coffee table' type book with a good selection of illustrations. It follows a chrono...

Hi Marcus,I meant to watch it, but got distracted by the Arsenal vs Tottenham match! Curse Football. I hope it is repeated sooner rather than later. I couldn't find anything on the BBC website to suggest a quick repeat showing?I'd probably agree with the experts, although with Hannibal as a clear br...

Well, of course, according to the legend of 'Invincibility' no city Alexander besieged successfully resisted him!?I suppose with Halicarnassus it depends on interpretation; he had largely taken the city and had the remaining enemy forces besieged in the citadel. He left a force behind to continue th...

Hi Amyntoros,I was just in the process of replying to your post when my power pack expired! Got a new one now, so here goes...Plutarch, referring to Alexander, mentions in his prelude to Gaugamela that-"His sword, which was a gift from the King of Citium, was a marvel of lightness and tempering...

It does have a certain seductive logic, but I can't help but feel the conclusion is too simplistic. Economic dominance does not necessarily translate into cultural dominance. The Greeks had maintained a distinctive culture from the Persians for two centuries by the time of Alexander. Indeed, it coul...

Yes, the whole concept of greatness is subjective. It would depend on what criteria you use to judge Alexander by. I do not wholly agree that it has to come down to ethical considerations, although they are often used in the 'con' arguments.You could judge Alexander against Military, Economic, Cultu...

Although the policies of Marcus Aurelius, if allowed to continue, may well have accelerated the imperial 'overstretch' and hastened the collapse of the empire. Maybe Commodus' more pragmatic approach (ironically) preserved Roman civilization and gave it a stay of execution?Also, who said that furthe...