The Most Vituperative Account Ever Written?

[Nicator]

Hello all,I just finished reading Victor Davis Hanson's "The Wars of the Ancient Greeks". It makes Green look like a fawning lamb in comparison. In his book, he pulls out all the stops to denegrate ATG. Wherever there is a myth of Alexander's brutality...he mentions it, and seems also to manufacture evidence of wrongdoing and attrocities when the sources aren't accomodating. There is much useful information in the book, but even that seems somewhat suspect after reading his account of Alexander. He destroys his credibility by slanting the accounts of Alexander to the point of outright lies. The shocking thing to me is that John Keegan put his name on this book as the "General Editor". later Nicator

[maciek]

Just from curiosity where this guy Victor Davis Hanson live or where he was born? Sometimes people raise in hate to some well known figures in history because their family or nationality have some prejudices.Maciek M

[Nicator]

According to the Acknowledgements section, he hails from California State University.Selma, California...wherever that is?In his book he mentions that Philip bound 3,000 defeated troops and tossed them overboard to drown. This could be true, but I've never read anything like it.

[maciek]

Well if he doesn't use the notes with the sources of information it is more like the alternative history... Especially if he wants to make some new view of this part of history he should show his bases. Well if not it is more like novel then history research. Maciek M

[agesilaos]

The incident mentioned occured during the Sacred War the victims being Phocians, they had seized the Temple of Delphi and were thus the Ancient equivalent of heretics and were punished accordingly. This is in Justin and Diodoros I think and the battle he captured them in was the battle of Crocus-Feild

[davej]

Victor Davis Hanson is a well respected retired university profesor from Fresno University. He has written some brilliant stuff, Th western way of war, the hoplite experience the soul of battle and the agrarian routes of greek farmer are all good. The book you are discussing is not one of his best. He compares ATG to Hilter at one stage really giving him a good spray. Unfortunatly VDH almost never foot notes so we have no idea what sources he is using for specific arguements. There is a bibliography but no real specifics. He writes for the National on line review these days and has some rather right wing ideas which he gladly shares. He often draws modern and ancient parralels in his articles which is interesting.I have read three of his books and would rate him very highly and very poorly often in the same book. But for all Alexanderphiles he is the enemy, he hates ATG.

[Nicator]

I haven't read all those other books, but I have to agree with you on your interpretation. Everything he wrote on the warfare of the ancient Greeks was interesting and useful. Then he gets to Philip and Alexander? His objectivity disappears, and the hosing begins. He compares him to Hitler twice, calls him "crazed, mostly unbalanced, megalomaniac, on and on he goes. Both good and bad in the same book. A well respected university professor should know better. I returned the book today along with Hammond and Fuller. I can't wait to check them out again because they are both so excellent. I will probably use them and Green almost exclusively for the remainder of the poem. later Nicator

[Tre]

Hanson takes much of his views from Badian, who as a product of the time of Hitler was often comparing Alexander to said individual and I have seen such comments made on this very forum, but they do not stand up to careful dissection. One should always be mindful of the modern view as opposed to the ancient view and attempting to judge people by modern standards which didn't apply to them while applying modern morality accordingly.This does not however, exclude Alexander from criticism of his actions when they are done so in the proper context of his time, it's just that you'll rarely come across this type of material.Regards,Tre