pothos.org

Yes, I've seen the new Manfredi book. It's about Thermopylae but, to be honest, I would lay odds on it being as nothing compared with "Gates of Fire", the Steven Pressfield book. "Gates of Fire" is very much a 'boy's own' book, but it is extremely good. Manfredi can whistle...Mar...

Hi Nick,I assume that Bosworth definitely covers it in his commentary on Arrian. The problem is that it's *so* expensive (very niche, I suppose) that I've never got hold of it. I'm not aware of anywhere else that he mentions it. What about the notes to the Penguin translation? There might be somethi...

Well, they are both Italians. Maybe the biggest problem we have with Manfredi is the translation (although the general dumbing down of the characters, the downright un-historicity etc. play a part! )All the bestMarcus

Let's face it, though, the filmmakers will probably not court the Greek government at all. However, I would expect that they will use some experts in order to get things right - they might disregard what the experts say, but they will at least consult them.Olympus won't quake - it will explode! All ...

Funnily enough, it brought to my mind the 'funeral games' after Alexander's death. Baz Luhrmann as Perdiccas, Scorsese as Antigonus and Stone as Ptolemy, perhaps?As for Di Caprio - please, all the gods of Olympus, NO!

In TIME Magazine, 5 August 2002:Maybe 'Gladiator' got Hollywood jazzed on the ancient world or maybe the inspiration is the surprise success of 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding'. Either way, half the directors in town are set on making a mavie about the storied hero of the big fat Macedonian empire, ALEXAN...

Hey Nick,I don't think there was any disrespect in that post. A total lack of relevance to anything, perhaps...All the bestMarcus

Hi Susan,The big problem is that, as you say, there is absolutely no evidence of Celtic blood - and no reason why any should have come from Olympias, as the Molossians weren't Celtic.Still, judging from the number of different opinions about his physical traits, I suppose this one is no more or less...

Hi Jillian,For a start, Cleopatra (if you mean Attalus' niece, which I assume you do) wasn't Philip's second wife, but his seventh (or something like that). Olympias, Alexander's mother, was his third, after all.As to when she was born, no-one knows, but she was probably only about 16 when Philip ma...

Tre,Well said...All the bestMarcus

Anyway, Antipater was never king of Macedon. It was only in 306, after Alexander IV was declared to be dead, that the various generals started to call themselves kings.All the bestMarcus

Chris,"Or perhaps an unknown, with no baggage"Calling to mind the episode when Alexander had all the baggage burned, no doubt? But more seriously, I agree with you - it would be best if we didn't have a 'star' playing Alexander.All the bestMarcus

I assume that that message wasn't meant for me, as it is totally irrelevant to the question I asked.All the bestMarcus

Er... I never said that Arrhidaios was the last king. I pointed out that he appears to be missing from the list and wondered whether there was a reason for that.And PLEASE stop using capitals.All the bestMarcus

Hi Tre,I knew about Myrtale, but didn't know she had another name as well. Please look that one up when you're within reach of your books!All the bestMarcus