pothos.org

There are two main reasons why we don't have the original sources. First, it was fashionable in the ancient world (as it has been throughout history) to write epitomes and digests of other writers - to show one's literary skills, as much as anything. Hence, for example, we have Justin's epitome of T...

The Macedonians of Alexander's time almost certainly did *not* speak a Slavic language, but a dialect of Greek. It was distinct enough from what the rest of the Greeks spoke (as far as we know, and we know nothing about the language for certain) for the Macedonians to be considered "not Greek&q...

I hadn't thought about the Jove / Jehovah (or even Yaweh) connection. I was about to make a point about Indo-European linguistics, but then remembered that Hebrew is a Semitic language... but there might be something in it. Then you started to go on about Einstein and Prometheus... and I reckon the ...

Thanks for that, Sikander. Very interesting - an area I know (or knew) nothing about and, if I'm honest, hadn't spent any time thinking about before.
All the best
Marcus

John, This is obviously a reference to Ammon, though, isn't it? I'm not sure (and I'm *really* not sure - not just tactfully disagreeing with you) how far we can see a synthesis with Jehovah who appeared to Moses in Egypt. It's an interesting question, whether the geographical location of mythical (...

Not sure I agree about 'dependence on close friends' as a weakness - as far as I can see none of Alexander's generals let him down. I don't know what my choices for his weaknesses would be (I need to think a lot harder for a lot longer), but I would probably include an inability to gain acceptance o...

Oh, right, so it is in Afghanistan! <g>
All the best
Marcus

This is a difficult one to answer, I think. I don't have access to the relevant books at the moment (the problem with having to work!), but I seem to recall that it wasn't an 'interpretation' as such - ie. Zeus Ammon was *not* 'perceived' to be Olympian Zeus. I know this isn't much help, because I c...

There's a very good section on Philip's death in the Information section, which you might find useful to read. At the end of the day, there was so much propaganda, after Alexander's death as much as before, that it is extremely hard to come to a firm conclusion about the assassination. For my own pa...

Ah! It's a while since I read Lane Fox, so I don't remember that specifically. But if it's Khodjend (or Leninabad) in what is now Tajikistan, then that is accepted to be the site of Alexanderia Eschate. It is, of course, on my list of "places that I'd love to visit but have too great an interes...

Linda, >>even Craterus's friends had to ask why the King needed Hephaestion's love. This was perhaps to protect Hephaestion's political status, (see Pausinas) or perhaps not to upset group dynamics in the command hierarchy.<< This is an interesting point, which perhaps ought to move to a different t...

I think you have a good point when you say that none of the sources is clear about Alexander's guilt in the killing of Kleitos. It is another of those situations that makes discussion difficult because of modern morals - in our eyes, *nothing* (hopefully) justifies killing a man - whether it is perc...

Couldn't agree with you more, Tre!
All the best
Marcus

Thanks Nick.
It just goes to show that, if you bother to look, all the information you might want is there. I confess I didn't look, but time is money, y'know... <g>
Marcus

Thanks Nick.
It just goes to show that, if you bother to look, all the information you might want is there. I confess I didn't look, but time is money, y'know... <g>
Marcus