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Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great was a king of the Greek kingdom of Macedon. Born in Pella in 356 BC, Alexander succeeded his father, Philip II, to the throne at the age of twenty. He spent most of his ruling years on an unprecedented military campaign through Asia and northeast Africa, until by the age of thirty he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from Greece to Egypt and into present-day Pakistan. He was undefeated in battle and is considered one of history's most successful commanders.
140 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1849
About the author
Jacob Abbott
1,768 books93 followersAbbott was born at Hallowell, Maine to Jacob and Betsey Abbott. He graduated from Bowdoin College in 1820; studied at Andover Theological Seminary in 1821, 1822, and 1824; was tutor in 1824-1825, and from 1825 to 1829 was professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Amherst College; was licensed to preach by the Hampshire Association in 1826; founded the Mount Vernon School for Young Ladies in Boston in 1829, and was principal of it in 1829-1833; was pastor of Eliot Congregational Church (which he founded), at Roxbury, Massachusetts in 1834-1835; and was, with his brothers, a founder, and in 1843-1851 a principal of Abbott's Institute, and in 1845-1848 of the Mount Vernon School for Boys, in New York City.
He was a prolific author, writing juvenile fiction, brief histories, biographies, religious books for the general reader, and a few works in popular science. He died in Farmington, Maine, where he had spent part of his time after 1839, and where his brother, Samuel Phillips Abbott, founded the Abbott School.
His Rollo Books, such as Rollo at Work, Rollo at Play, Rollo in Europe, etc., are the best known of his writings, having as their chief characters a representative boy and his associates. In them Abbott did for one or two generations of young American readers a service not unlike that performed earlier, in England and America, by the authors of Evenings at Home, The History of Sandford and Merton, and the The Parent's Assistant.
Fewacres in 1906, Abbott's residence at Farmington, Maine
His brothers, John S.C. Abbott and Gorham Dummer Abbott, were also authors. His sons, Benjamin Vaughan Abbott, Austin Abbott, both eminent lawyers, Lyman Abbott, and Edward Abbott, a clergyman, were also well-known authors.
He was a prolific author, writing juvenile fiction, brief histories, biographies, religious books for the general reader, and a few works in popular science. He died in Farmington, Maine, where he had spent part of his time after 1839, and where his brother, Samuel Phillips Abbott, founded the Abbott School.
His Rollo Books, such as Rollo at Work, Rollo at Play, Rollo in Europe, etc., are the best known of his writings, having as their chief characters a representative boy and his associates. In them Abbott did for one or two generations of young American readers a service not unlike that performed earlier, in England and America, by the authors of Evenings at Home, The History of Sandford and Merton, and the The Parent's Assistant.
Fewacres in 1906, Abbott's residence at Farmington, Maine
His brothers, John S.C. Abbott and Gorham Dummer Abbott, were also authors. His sons, Benjamin Vaughan Abbott, Austin Abbott, both eminent lawyers, Lyman Abbott, and Edward Abbott, a clergyman, were also well-known authors.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 153 reviews
May 23, 2017
While this isn't a page-turner, it wasn't a grind. There was a see-saw of "I knew this" and "Didn't know that" facts. I knew that Aristotle was Alexander's tutor. I didn't know that Demosthenes was a vociferous enemy of Philip of Macedon and of Alexander.
Rank and file is a familiar phrase, but it wasn't until I read "The men were arranged in lines, one behind the other, and all facing the enemy — sixteen lines and a thousand in each line, or, as it is expressed in military phrase, a thousand in rank and sixteen in file." that I attached a picture of rows and columns to those words. I had assumed rank had to do with hierarchy.
Occasionally Abbott takes an excursion which delights me:
The desert has, in some degree, the sublimity of the ocean. There is the same boundless expanse, the same vast, unbroken curve of the horizon, the same tracklessness, the same solitude. There is, in addition, a certain profound and awful stillness and repose, which imparts to it a new element of impressiveness and grandeur. Its dread and solemn silence is far more imposing and sublime than the loudest thunders of the sea.
Regarding Alexander? He was unable to survive his success due to the excesses of his lifestyle.
Rank and file is a familiar phrase, but it wasn't until I read "The men were arranged in lines, one behind the other, and all facing the enemy — sixteen lines and a thousand in each line, or, as it is expressed in military phrase, a thousand in rank and sixteen in file." that I attached a picture of rows and columns to those words. I had assumed rank had to do with hierarchy.
Occasionally Abbott takes an excursion which delights me:
The desert has, in some degree, the sublimity of the ocean. There is the same boundless expanse, the same vast, unbroken curve of the horizon, the same tracklessness, the same solitude. There is, in addition, a certain profound and awful stillness and repose, which imparts to it a new element of impressiveness and grandeur. Its dread and solemn silence is far more imposing and sublime than the loudest thunders of the sea.
Regarding Alexander? He was unable to survive his success due to the excesses of his lifestyle.
October 28, 2025
A good decent read, most I remembered, but filled in some gaps that I'd forgotten. I liked the writing and the story. 5 ⭐
August 4, 2021
During a holiday in Greece I have visited ancient Stageira, Phillipi and seen the Lion in Amphipolis among other things. As central Macedonia interested me originally because of apostle Paul, Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great came as second, so there and then I started to look for something about their reign.
This book was free for Kindle and had decent reviews so the choice was not hard to make and I can tell that it was a good one. It provided enough information (objective I presume), it's not fiction yet the stile is easy to understand. Maybe it was written for younger reader, as in chapter VIII the author explains in details about camels anatomy and role in the dessert life:
"The camel is the only beast of burden which can be employed upon the deserts. There is a peculiarity in the anatomical structure of this animal by which he can take in, at one time, a supply of water for many days. He is formed, in fact, for the desert. In his native state he lives in the oases and in the valleys. He eats the herbage which grows among the rocks and hills that alternate with the great sandy plains in all these countries. In passing from one of his scanty pasturages to another, he has long journeys to make across the sands, where, though he can find food here and there, there is no water. Providence has formed him with a structure adapted to this exigency, and by means of it he becomes extremely useful to man."
It didn't bother me very much, because, not being an expert in history (and not very passionate about it either) simple style and pure facts with little bit of background were enjoyable seaside read and great addition to impressions those places left on me.
This book was free for Kindle and had decent reviews so the choice was not hard to make and I can tell that it was a good one. It provided enough information (objective I presume), it's not fiction yet the stile is easy to understand. Maybe it was written for younger reader, as in chapter VIII the author explains in details about camels anatomy and role in the dessert life:
"The camel is the only beast of burden which can be employed upon the deserts. There is a peculiarity in the anatomical structure of this animal by which he can take in, at one time, a supply of water for many days. He is formed, in fact, for the desert. In his native state he lives in the oases and in the valleys. He eats the herbage which grows among the rocks and hills that alternate with the great sandy plains in all these countries. In passing from one of his scanty pasturages to another, he has long journeys to make across the sands, where, though he can find food here and there, there is no water. Providence has formed him with a structure adapted to this exigency, and by means of it he becomes extremely useful to man."
It didn't bother me very much, because, not being an expert in history (and not very passionate about it either) simple style and pure facts with little bit of background were enjoyable seaside read and great addition to impressions those places left on me.
September 6, 2026
Pretty much everything you want to know about Alexander is covered here.
September 6, 2021
Yeah maybe not so great. And by that I'm referring to the "Great" Alexander.
"Alexander earned well the name and reputation of THE GREAT . He was truly great in all those powers and capacities which can elevate one man above his fellows. We can not help applauding the extraordinary energy of his genius, though we condemn the selfish and cruel ends to which his life was devoted. He was simply a robber, but yet a robber on so vast a scale, that mankind, in contemplating his career, have generally lost sight of the wickedness of his crimes in their admiration of the enormous magnitude of the scale on which they were perpetrated."
"Alexander earned well the name and reputation of THE GREAT . He was truly great in all those powers and capacities which can elevate one man above his fellows. We can not help applauding the extraordinary energy of his genius, though we condemn the selfish and cruel ends to which his life was devoted. He was simply a robber, but yet a robber on so vast a scale, that mankind, in contemplating his career, have generally lost sight of the wickedness of his crimes in their admiration of the enormous magnitude of the scale on which they were perpetrated."
October 19, 2012
This was very interesting. I had no idea that Alexander was such an unpleasant person on top of being the conqueror of just about the whole known world. The only decent people, as far as I could tell, were the old general he had murdered on what appears to be an utterly ridiculous pretext, and Darius-king-of-Persia's mother.
As I listened to the LibriVox version, I have no way of knowing if the book contained much in the way of references or notes, but I very much doubt the accuracy of some of the material. What is the likelihood that the dialogue mentioned was actually recorded (accurately or otherwise) and safely transmitted? I also found the tone a little patronising. There were, however, many interesting asides (such as the fact that the word 'meander' was originally the name of a river that did precisely that).
As I listened to the LibriVox version, I have no way of knowing if the book contained much in the way of references or notes, but I very much doubt the accuracy of some of the material. What is the likelihood that the dialogue mentioned was actually recorded (accurately or otherwise) and safely transmitted? I also found the tone a little patronising. There were, however, many interesting asides (such as the fact that the word 'meander' was originally the name of a river that did precisely that).
Read
August 2, 2019it was very interesting
February 12, 2022
crazy to see how high a man can rise then fall
February 28, 2022
It was a very fun and great journey to see how far Alexander went with conquering the world. Excellent biography.
April 12, 2021
Though I didn’t know a lot about this man in the past – Alexander always seemed to be a very special character to me. That’s why I picked the book which was first published in 1849!!
Churchill said, “History is written by the victors” – true indeed. Therefore, narrating the stories from such an ancient period is very less likely to be accurate. But still – I was looking for the fragments… or the tiny fractions about the great king.
Multiple times, writer Jacob Abott acknowledged the natural tendency of the historians to fabricate. But while reading, it felt like he put aside his judgements & allowed the readers to decide it. So eventually ‘Alexander the Great’ seemed to be a proper non-fiction. But the exploit and ardor of Alexander’s life was so magnificent that it wasn’t anything less like an adventure!!
Being a true successor of King Philip II, Alexander began his journey as king when he was only 20. He possessed some extra-ordinary qualities which soon elevated him as a fierce, unstoppable military commander. The characterization of Alexander, a tremendous blend of generosity & brutality intrigued me well. Though Alexander lived a relatively short life than most other historical characters, he lived every moment to his fullest.
Alexander’s legendary conquests were more focused in the book than his personal life. Moreover, he was neither depicted as a hero nor a villain. Instead, he was highlighted as a charismatic leader full of energy, power and enthusiasm. I literally don’t have the slightest idea about what was going through the mind of the great Alexander. He had an unquenchable thirst for power, possession which had turned him into the most successful commander – perhaps the madman of his time.
The great rivalry with the Persian king Darius signified some major traits of Alexander’s character. In fact, it was like a destiny Alexander chose to pursue, to complete his father’s quest, to rule over the massive Persian Kingdom. From his life, it’s evident that Alexander gradually grew up through his odysseys.
Half of the world kneeled before him in his time, but still – the greatest achievement of his life is the city of Alexandria.
Alexander was definitely a king the world will always remember. And overall, the writer did a great job to present a brief picture of his life. This book will definitely provide some food-for-thoughts for the readers as well.
Churchill said, “History is written by the victors” – true indeed. Therefore, narrating the stories from such an ancient period is very less likely to be accurate. But still – I was looking for the fragments… or the tiny fractions about the great king.
Multiple times, writer Jacob Abott acknowledged the natural tendency of the historians to fabricate. But while reading, it felt like he put aside his judgements & allowed the readers to decide it. So eventually ‘Alexander the Great’ seemed to be a proper non-fiction. But the exploit and ardor of Alexander’s life was so magnificent that it wasn’t anything less like an adventure!!
Being a true successor of King Philip II, Alexander began his journey as king when he was only 20. He possessed some extra-ordinary qualities which soon elevated him as a fierce, unstoppable military commander. The characterization of Alexander, a tremendous blend of generosity & brutality intrigued me well. Though Alexander lived a relatively short life than most other historical characters, he lived every moment to his fullest.
Alexander’s legendary conquests were more focused in the book than his personal life. Moreover, he was neither depicted as a hero nor a villain. Instead, he was highlighted as a charismatic leader full of energy, power and enthusiasm. I literally don’t have the slightest idea about what was going through the mind of the great Alexander. He had an unquenchable thirst for power, possession which had turned him into the most successful commander – perhaps the madman of his time.
The great rivalry with the Persian king Darius signified some major traits of Alexander’s character. In fact, it was like a destiny Alexander chose to pursue, to complete his father’s quest, to rule over the massive Persian Kingdom. From his life, it’s evident that Alexander gradually grew up through his odysseys.
Half of the world kneeled before him in his time, but still – the greatest achievement of his life is the city of Alexandria.
It is the only monument of his greatness which remains. Everything else which he accomplished perished when he died. How much better would it have been for the happiness of mankind, as well as for his own true fame and glory, if doing good had been the rule of his life instead of the exception.
Alexander was definitely a king the world will always remember. And overall, the writer did a great job to present a brief picture of his life. This book will definitely provide some food-for-thoughts for the readers as well.
June 26, 2025
Alexander the Great -
I'm sure everyone has heard of Alexander the Great and some of his many conquests and undertakings, but I did not know much about him until delving into ancient philosophy. Upon discovering that the famous philosopher Aristotle was his teacher and mentor from a young age made me highly interested in how Aristotle's influence and teachings effected Alexander's reign.
The first half of the book informs the reader of Alexander's upbringing, showcasing a strong aptitude for everything he put his hands on even from a young age. The book then leads into his father, King Phillip II, dying and allowing Alexander to take over the kingdom of Macedonia. I was proud to see that Alexander followed in the wise footsteps of his teacher and was rather moral (as much as a conqueror of lands can be) in his undertakings and conquests. Even going so far as sparing many lives of those who opposed him, even the family of his greatest enemy, Darius.
Although Alexander started out 'great', he quickly fell down the rabbit hole that many leaders do. His thirst for conquest, lust, wine, and many other vices overtook him and caused him strong paranoia and unhappiness. This led to the leader dying of excess at just 32 years old, spiraling nations into years of civil war and dispute.
I think this book does a great job at outlining the rise and fall of Alexander the Great and how power can negatively impact even the strongest of conquerors. Although many aspects in this book are likely exaggerated, I found it to be a short and clear summary of the story of Alexander the Great.
I'm sure everyone has heard of Alexander the Great and some of his many conquests and undertakings, but I did not know much about him until delving into ancient philosophy. Upon discovering that the famous philosopher Aristotle was his teacher and mentor from a young age made me highly interested in how Aristotle's influence and teachings effected Alexander's reign.
The first half of the book informs the reader of Alexander's upbringing, showcasing a strong aptitude for everything he put his hands on even from a young age. The book then leads into his father, King Phillip II, dying and allowing Alexander to take over the kingdom of Macedonia. I was proud to see that Alexander followed in the wise footsteps of his teacher and was rather moral (as much as a conqueror of lands can be) in his undertakings and conquests. Even going so far as sparing many lives of those who opposed him, even the family of his greatest enemy, Darius.
Although Alexander started out 'great', he quickly fell down the rabbit hole that many leaders do. His thirst for conquest, lust, wine, and many other vices overtook him and caused him strong paranoia and unhappiness. This led to the leader dying of excess at just 32 years old, spiraling nations into years of civil war and dispute.
I think this book does a great job at outlining the rise and fall of Alexander the Great and how power can negatively impact even the strongest of conquerors. Although many aspects in this book are likely exaggerated, I found it to be a short and clear summary of the story of Alexander the Great.
July 1, 2022
Alexander the Great truly did great things. He conquered the world, acquired treasures, defeated Persia, learned under Aristotle, and built an empire. Yet despite some of the greatest achievements any man has accomplished, especially by the age of 32, he wasn't satisfied. He drank too much wine, had many mistresses, glories in himself, and even called himself the son of a god. But these too didn't satisfy him. It goes to show that you literally can have all the riches you want, all the power you want, all the world you want, all the fame and glory you want, and anything else that can satisfy you, yet you won't be satisfied in these vain worldy things. True meaning is found in living a life for Jesus Christ.
October 29, 2023
Well written, interesting read. Sad to be reminded so often that “Alexander was one of the worlds most successful murderers” but who can blame the author for that. Alexander’s death has me examining humanity
August 15, 2024
**Audiobook** Fortunately I don’t need to have the words to review the book. I’m still shocked by the tales and adventures of AtG. Just read it. Super enjoyable and engaging.
February 24, 2025
I enjoyed this book a lot.
February 24, 2026
A good starting point to understand this great Greek warrior. I am looking for something comprehensive to understand him
March 3, 2014
I would say that this is the best book that I have read up to date in this year. The author was quite successful in bringing about the chronological events of Alexander, right from his birth to his death, in very simple English, that could be understood by people who yearn to learn about history, across the world.
Alexander (B.C., 356-336), son of King Philip of Macedonia, the northern province of the then Grecian territory, has been a prodigal son right from his childhood. He was under the able tutorship of Aristotle until the age of sixteen, but soon took keen interest in accompanying his father, in wars. His inborn traits of leadership, camaraderie, nobleness, organizing skills, ferociousness, and great thirst to conquer the world has made him one of the greatest warriors of ancient history, which is narrated in every history book of the world with great awe.
He was highly successful in conquering each and every nation in his voyage towards the East of Macedonia, with an army as small as just 50,000. His empire consisted of almost all kingdoms of Thebes, Thessaly, Athens, Sparta, entire Persia, Egypt, Gaza, Tyre, Afghanistan and some parts of northern India. All this, just within the age of 32 years. In his great voyage of ruthless conquests, he plundered each and every kingdom which opposed him but treated all those who surrendered with great nobility and kindness. His main target of capturing his great rival King Darius of Persia could be achieved but he repents later for being responsible for the fall of such a great kingdom. He, over a period of time, when he reached the age of around 28 years, yielded to worldly pleasures like wealth, wine and women which led to his downfall in character and great qualities, for which he was adored, worldwide. At one stage, after conquering Egypt, he even went to the extent of declaring himself as the descendant of God Jupiter and wished to be called as Son of God.
He ultimately loses all his friends and those who accompanied/assisted/protected him throughout his great voyage due to his vices. At one point even his great army refused to go with him further, as they lost confidence in his leadership and nobleness. This morally degraded Alexander to a great extent and he one night, put himself to intense alcohol consumption, after which he falls terribly ill, and dies due to multiple organ failure, and mostly confidence to live further. His vast kingdom broke into pieces of independent kingdoms after his death, only to remember him as the greatest and cruelest thief of the world.
Positives: A great book of knowledge of Alexander’s history, beautifully written, describing each and every phase of his life in minutest of detail. The reader would not like to put off the book until he finishes it at one go. The adventures of young Alexander and his speeches are very enticing to know. One gets to know about many ancient places, towns, cities and terms of history, which are regarded as the marks of great civilizations, wars and kings in those days. A great learning experience to young and old as to how the fire in one’s belly to achieve something can get him to the target with careful and able planning, organizing, directing and controlling ones emotions, skills, environment and resources available to him or her. At the same time, Alexander’s deplorable end teaches one, as to how arrogance and power, can bring him down in no time, however great he could be! A must read by every young person and get inspired by the magnificent traits of Alexander the Great.
Negatives: The author suddenly ended Alexander’s voyage with the death of King Darius. His further adventures beyond Persia into India were not described. There seemed to be equal interesting and fascinating facts to be revealed in the Indian subcontinent. That would have justified his complete voyage in a single stretch.
My rating is 4.75 out of 5
Alexander (B.C., 356-336), son of King Philip of Macedonia, the northern province of the then Grecian territory, has been a prodigal son right from his childhood. He was under the able tutorship of Aristotle until the age of sixteen, but soon took keen interest in accompanying his father, in wars. His inborn traits of leadership, camaraderie, nobleness, organizing skills, ferociousness, and great thirst to conquer the world has made him one of the greatest warriors of ancient history, which is narrated in every history book of the world with great awe.
He was highly successful in conquering each and every nation in his voyage towards the East of Macedonia, with an army as small as just 50,000. His empire consisted of almost all kingdoms of Thebes, Thessaly, Athens, Sparta, entire Persia, Egypt, Gaza, Tyre, Afghanistan and some parts of northern India. All this, just within the age of 32 years. In his great voyage of ruthless conquests, he plundered each and every kingdom which opposed him but treated all those who surrendered with great nobility and kindness. His main target of capturing his great rival King Darius of Persia could be achieved but he repents later for being responsible for the fall of such a great kingdom. He, over a period of time, when he reached the age of around 28 years, yielded to worldly pleasures like wealth, wine and women which led to his downfall in character and great qualities, for which he was adored, worldwide. At one stage, after conquering Egypt, he even went to the extent of declaring himself as the descendant of God Jupiter and wished to be called as Son of God.
He ultimately loses all his friends and those who accompanied/assisted/protected him throughout his great voyage due to his vices. At one point even his great army refused to go with him further, as they lost confidence in his leadership and nobleness. This morally degraded Alexander to a great extent and he one night, put himself to intense alcohol consumption, after which he falls terribly ill, and dies due to multiple organ failure, and mostly confidence to live further. His vast kingdom broke into pieces of independent kingdoms after his death, only to remember him as the greatest and cruelest thief of the world.
Positives: A great book of knowledge of Alexander’s history, beautifully written, describing each and every phase of his life in minutest of detail. The reader would not like to put off the book until he finishes it at one go. The adventures of young Alexander and his speeches are very enticing to know. One gets to know about many ancient places, towns, cities and terms of history, which are regarded as the marks of great civilizations, wars and kings in those days. A great learning experience to young and old as to how the fire in one’s belly to achieve something can get him to the target with careful and able planning, organizing, directing and controlling ones emotions, skills, environment and resources available to him or her. At the same time, Alexander’s deplorable end teaches one, as to how arrogance and power, can bring him down in no time, however great he could be! A must read by every young person and get inspired by the magnificent traits of Alexander the Great.
Negatives: The author suddenly ended Alexander’s voyage with the death of King Darius. His further adventures beyond Persia into India were not described. There seemed to be equal interesting and fascinating facts to be revealed in the Indian subcontinent. That would have justified his complete voyage in a single stretch.
My rating is 4.75 out of 5
May 23, 2020
Though it is a highly factual account of Alexander's life and achievements, the thing I most enjoyed about this book was the exploration of his character and how and why it changed the way it did. At the start of the book, Alexander is said to possess a certain combination of mental and personal attractions, which, in every age, gives to those who exhibit it a mysterious and almost unbounded ascendancy over all within their influence. He was full of ardour, energy and enthusiasm, whilst retaining a gentle modesty and altogether noble character, had the energy and and military skill characteristic of the Romans and the Greeks, and formed strong bonds with his friends due to his open, generous and genuine personality.
When his father Philip was assassinated, Alexander inherited the throne of Macedon at just 20 years of age. Instead of appointing his young and energetic friends to senior posts of power, he kept his father's officers, notably Antipater and Parmenio, demonstrating his desire to continue in his father's footsteps and not abuse his new power. After he had subdued the entirety of Greece to his rule, he lead the conquest of Persia.
In previous things I've read about Alexander, he is portrayed as a hero before and throughout his conquests, but what I found interesting about this book was that the writer draws attention to Alexander's growing arrogance, cruelty and hubris. He lost his modesty, sense of justice and restraint. He encouraged and indulged in excess of everything, and the superficial bonds he formed through these excesses were not worth the good friendships which deteriorated due to them. Older officers, including Parmenio, lost their faith in Alexander and became increasingly distant and alienated from him. Alexander was intoxicated by his fame and power. He imagined plots against his life and when a genuine one was discovered, Parmenio and his son Philotas were convicted and killed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was detailed and informative, but also a rare insight into Alexander's personality.
When his father Philip was assassinated, Alexander inherited the throne of Macedon at just 20 years of age. Instead of appointing his young and energetic friends to senior posts of power, he kept his father's officers, notably Antipater and Parmenio, demonstrating his desire to continue in his father's footsteps and not abuse his new power. After he had subdued the entirety of Greece to his rule, he lead the conquest of Persia.
In previous things I've read about Alexander, he is portrayed as a hero before and throughout his conquests, but what I found interesting about this book was that the writer draws attention to Alexander's growing arrogance, cruelty and hubris. He lost his modesty, sense of justice and restraint. He encouraged and indulged in excess of everything, and the superficial bonds he formed through these excesses were not worth the good friendships which deteriorated due to them. Older officers, including Parmenio, lost their faith in Alexander and became increasingly distant and alienated from him. Alexander was intoxicated by his fame and power. He imagined plots against his life and when a genuine one was discovered, Parmenio and his son Philotas were convicted and killed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was detailed and informative, but also a rare insight into Alexander's personality.
Read
March 31, 2026Aristotle had a beautiful copy of Homer's poems prepared expressly for Alexander, taking great pains to have it transcribed with perfect correctness, and in the most elegant manner. Alexander carried this copy with him in all his campaigns. Some years afterward, when he was obtaining conquests over the Persians, he took, among the spoils of one of his victories, a very beautiful and costly casket, which King Darius had used for his jewelry or for some other rich treasures. Alexander determined to make use of this box as a depository for his beautiful copy of Homer, and he always carried it with him, thus protected, in all his subsequent campaigns.
Then, too, Alexander, so far as he became personally known, made a very favorable impression upon every one. His manly and athletic form, his frank and open manners, his spirit, his generosity, and a certain air of confidence, independence, and conscious superiority, which were combined, as they always are in the case of true greatness, with an unaffected and unassuming modesty—these and other traits, which were obvious to all who saw him, in the person and [Pg 53]character of Alexander, made every one his friend. Common men take pleasure in yielding to the influence and ascendency of one whose spirit they see and feel stands on a higher eminence and wields higher powers than their own. They like a leader. It is true, they must feel confident of his superiority; but when this superiority stands out so clearly and distinctly marked, combined, too, with all the graces and attractions of youth and manly beauty, as it was in the case of Alexander, the minds of men are brought very easily and rapidly under its sway.
Great generals, like other great men, have often the credit of many exploits which they never perform. It is the special business of poets and historians to magnify and embellish the actions of the great, and this art was understood as well in ancient days as it is now.
It was the custom in those days for the mass of the common soldiers to be greatly influenced by what they called omens, that is, signs and tokens which they observed in the flight or the [Pg 116]actions of birds, and other similar appearances. In one case, the fleet, which had come along the sea, accompanying the march of the army on land, was pent up in a harbor by a stronger Persian fleet outside. One of the vessels of the Macedonian fleet was aground. An eagle lighted upon the mast, and stood perched there for a long time, looking toward the sea. Parmenio said that, as the eagle looked toward the sea, it indicated that victory lay in that quarter, and he recommended that they should arm their ships and push boldly out to attack the Persians. But Alexander maintained that, as the eagle alighted on a ship which was aground, it indicated that they were to look for their success on the shore. The omens could thus almost always be interpreted any way, and sagacious generals only sought in them the means of confirming the courage and confidence of their soldiers, in respect to the plans which they adopted under the influence of other considerations altogether. Alexander knew very well that he was not a sailor, and had no desire to embark in contests from which, however they might end, he would himself personally obtain no glory.
Alexander replied by a letter, expressed in brief but very decided language. He said that the Persians had, under the ancestors of Darius, crossed the Hellespont, invaded Greece, laid waste the country, and destroyed cities and towns, and had thus done them incalculable injury; and that Darius himself had been plotting against his (Alexander's) life, and offering rewards to any one who would kill him. "I am [Pg 145]acting, then," continued Alexander, "only on the defensive. The gods, who always favor the right, have given me the victory. I am now monarch of a large part of Asia, and your sovereign king. If you will admit this, and come to me as my subject, I will restore to you your mother, your wife, and your child, without any ransom. And, at any rate, whatever you decide in respect to these proposals, if you wish to communicate with me on any subject hereafter, I shall pay no attention to what you send unless you address it to me as your king."
Alexander spread his own military cloak over the dead body. He immediately made arrangements for having the body embalmed, and then sent it to Susa, for Sysigambis, in a very costly coffin, and with a procession of royal magnificence. He sent it to her that she might have the satisfaction of seeing it deposited in the tombs of the Persian kings. What a present! The killer of a son sending the dead body, in a splendid coffin, to the mother, as a token of respectful regard!
Alexander retorted and Clitus, rising from his seat, and losing now all self-command, reproached him with severe and bitter words.
"Here is the hand," said he, extending his arm, "that saved your life at the battle of the Granicus, and the fate of Parmenio shows what sort of gratitude and what rewards faithful servants are to expect at your hands." Alexander, burning with rage, commanded Clitus to leave the table. Clitus obeyed, saying, as he moved away, "He is right not to bear freeborn men at his table who can only tell him the truth. He is right. It is fitting for him to pass his life among barbarians and slaves, who will be proud to pay their adoration to his Persian girdle and his splendid robe."
Alexander earned well the name and reputation of THE GREAT. He was truly great in all those powers and capacities which can elevate one man above his fellows. We can not help applauding the extraordinary energy of his genius, though we condemn the selfish and cruel ends to which his life was devoted. He was simply a robber, but yet a robber on so vast a scale, that mankind, in contemplating his career, have generally lost sight of the wickedness of his crimes in their admiration of the enormous magnitude of the scale on which they were perpetrated.
Then, too, Alexander, so far as he became personally known, made a very favorable impression upon every one. His manly and athletic form, his frank and open manners, his spirit, his generosity, and a certain air of confidence, independence, and conscious superiority, which were combined, as they always are in the case of true greatness, with an unaffected and unassuming modesty—these and other traits, which were obvious to all who saw him, in the person and [Pg 53]character of Alexander, made every one his friend. Common men take pleasure in yielding to the influence and ascendency of one whose spirit they see and feel stands on a higher eminence and wields higher powers than their own. They like a leader. It is true, they must feel confident of his superiority; but when this superiority stands out so clearly and distinctly marked, combined, too, with all the graces and attractions of youth and manly beauty, as it was in the case of Alexander, the minds of men are brought very easily and rapidly under its sway.
Great generals, like other great men, have often the credit of many exploits which they never perform. It is the special business of poets and historians to magnify and embellish the actions of the great, and this art was understood as well in ancient days as it is now.
It was the custom in those days for the mass of the common soldiers to be greatly influenced by what they called omens, that is, signs and tokens which they observed in the flight or the [Pg 116]actions of birds, and other similar appearances. In one case, the fleet, which had come along the sea, accompanying the march of the army on land, was pent up in a harbor by a stronger Persian fleet outside. One of the vessels of the Macedonian fleet was aground. An eagle lighted upon the mast, and stood perched there for a long time, looking toward the sea. Parmenio said that, as the eagle looked toward the sea, it indicated that victory lay in that quarter, and he recommended that they should arm their ships and push boldly out to attack the Persians. But Alexander maintained that, as the eagle alighted on a ship which was aground, it indicated that they were to look for their success on the shore. The omens could thus almost always be interpreted any way, and sagacious generals only sought in them the means of confirming the courage and confidence of their soldiers, in respect to the plans which they adopted under the influence of other considerations altogether. Alexander knew very well that he was not a sailor, and had no desire to embark in contests from which, however they might end, he would himself personally obtain no glory.
Alexander replied by a letter, expressed in brief but very decided language. He said that the Persians had, under the ancestors of Darius, crossed the Hellespont, invaded Greece, laid waste the country, and destroyed cities and towns, and had thus done them incalculable injury; and that Darius himself had been plotting against his (Alexander's) life, and offering rewards to any one who would kill him. "I am [Pg 145]acting, then," continued Alexander, "only on the defensive. The gods, who always favor the right, have given me the victory. I am now monarch of a large part of Asia, and your sovereign king. If you will admit this, and come to me as my subject, I will restore to you your mother, your wife, and your child, without any ransom. And, at any rate, whatever you decide in respect to these proposals, if you wish to communicate with me on any subject hereafter, I shall pay no attention to what you send unless you address it to me as your king."
Alexander spread his own military cloak over the dead body. He immediately made arrangements for having the body embalmed, and then sent it to Susa, for Sysigambis, in a very costly coffin, and with a procession of royal magnificence. He sent it to her that she might have the satisfaction of seeing it deposited in the tombs of the Persian kings. What a present! The killer of a son sending the dead body, in a splendid coffin, to the mother, as a token of respectful regard!
Alexander retorted and Clitus, rising from his seat, and losing now all self-command, reproached him with severe and bitter words.
"Here is the hand," said he, extending his arm, "that saved your life at the battle of the Granicus, and the fate of Parmenio shows what sort of gratitude and what rewards faithful servants are to expect at your hands." Alexander, burning with rage, commanded Clitus to leave the table. Clitus obeyed, saying, as he moved away, "He is right not to bear freeborn men at his table who can only tell him the truth. He is right. It is fitting for him to pass his life among barbarians and slaves, who will be proud to pay their adoration to his Persian girdle and his splendid robe."
Alexander earned well the name and reputation of THE GREAT. He was truly great in all those powers and capacities which can elevate one man above his fellows. We can not help applauding the extraordinary energy of his genius, though we condemn the selfish and cruel ends to which his life was devoted. He was simply a robber, but yet a robber on so vast a scale, that mankind, in contemplating his career, have generally lost sight of the wickedness of his crimes in their admiration of the enormous magnitude of the scale on which they were perpetrated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 9, 2021
The version of Jacob Abbot’s book that I read is part of the Gutenberg Project which prints material which no longer is under copyright. The book was originally published in 1902 long before much archaeological study had been done in Egypt or Macedonia.
As a result Abbot relied largely on ancient accounts of Alexander’s life. Some of them were written by authors from Greek states which had vehemently been opposed to both Alexander and his father, Philip.
Unlike today’s historians Abbot uses his own culture and morals to make pronouncements about Alexander. Today’s historians have more advanced knowledge of Macedonian culture and morals than Abbot had. Abbot even compares Alexander withGeorge Washington,to Alexander’s detriment.
The book is, I believe, especially suitable for young readers and those with no knowledge of history. For older, more knowledgeable readers, it makes one aware of how much has changed in learning since 1902.
As a result Abbot relied largely on ancient accounts of Alexander’s life. Some of them were written by authors from Greek states which had vehemently been opposed to both Alexander and his father, Philip.
Unlike today’s historians Abbot uses his own culture and morals to make pronouncements about Alexander. Today’s historians have more advanced knowledge of Macedonian culture and morals than Abbot had. Abbot even compares Alexander withGeorge Washington,to Alexander’s detriment.
The book is, I believe, especially suitable for young readers and those with no knowledge of history. For older, more knowledgeable readers, it makes one aware of how much has changed in learning since 1902.
June 26, 2011
This is a very general history of Alexander the Great that gives a big-picture view of his life. It was originally written for young people, so it is fairly simplified and contains quite a few educational excursions (Greek mythology, how oases are formed, how camels survive in the desert, etc.). However, it is well-written, exciting, and energetic. I'm planning on reading Paul Cartledge's book on Alexander the Great soon, and wanted a general overview of Alexander's life in a narrative format before I wade into the historiography of it all. This is just the sort of book I was looking for, and it would serve well as a introduction to Alexander for both younger and older readers.
February 3, 2018
This is old school history.
Reading this book you will learn what students of history learned about Alexander the Great for thousands of year.
Here you won't find a lot of critical opinions, long story short this is story why Aco the Great is so great.
Fun, kinda educational, nothing special.
Grade 3++
Reading this book you will learn what students of history learned about Alexander the Great for thousands of year.
Here you won't find a lot of critical opinions, long story short this is story why Aco the Great is so great.
Fun, kinda educational, nothing special.
Grade 3++
April 24, 2012
Listened to this on librivox. General and story like treatment of the history. Learned some things about Romans and Greeks.
In the end Alexander became what he sought to conquer ( Persian way of life).
A good skim of the highlights of his life and times. I enjoyed it
In the end Alexander became what he sought to conquer ( Persian way of life).
A good skim of the highlights of his life and times. I enjoyed it
January 16, 2016
Alexander was a great man in everything but his character which deteriorated in the later part of his years. He even died a common death. The book exposes the reader to the historical facts of Alexander's life in an interesting way and the ones that were more of a legend were inconspicuously stated
September 5, 2016
A nice book to know about Alexander and his adventures. The author has presented a fair picture of the legend with his straights and weaknesses.
January 20, 2020
Always wanted to know more about Alexander. Now I do. The book was OK.
August 6, 2023
- Alexander was born the heir to the throne of one of the Grecian kingdoms. He was born before Christianity or Islam came into existence. He was born in 356 BC. Hellenism was the polytheistic Ancient Greek religion that he followed.
- Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning, assassination, and a number of infectious diseases. He only had a career of 12 years.
- Philip II of Macedon was the father of Alexander. Macedon was the northern part of Greece.
- His native country was on the confines of Europe and Asia. Now Europe and Asia were, in those days, as now, marked and distinguished by the two vast mases of social and civilized life, widely dissimilar from each other. The Asiatic side was occupied by the Persians, the Medes, and the Assyrians. The European side by Greek and Romans. They were separated from each other by the Hellespont, the Aegan Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
- The ancient Persians were originally an ancient Iranian people.
- Medes: One of the Iranian peoples who overran the plateau and settled in the area known to ancient sources as Media, corresponding to the modern area of Tehran, Hamadan, Isfahan, and southern Azerbaijan.
- The Assyrians are a people who have lived in the Middle East since ancient times and today can be found all over the world. They are well known for their vast ancient empire; ancient cities, such as Nimrud and Nineveh; and their fierce invasions, including into the Kingdom of Judah and Egypt.
- The two were so different that it is difficult to compare them. On the Asiatic side there was wealth, luxury and splendor; on the European, energy, genius and force.
- Homer: was an ancient Greek poet who wrote siege of troy.
- In the latter part of his course of education he was placed under the charge of Aristotle.
- Bucephalus: (c355-326 BC) is among the most famous horses in history, and it was said that this he could not be tamed. The young Alexander the Great, of course, tamed him – and went on to ride his beloved equine companion for many years and into many battles.
- Alexander promptly founded a city, Bucephela, in the honor of his horse. It lay on the west bank of the Hydaspes River (modern day Jhelum in Pakistan).
- Alexander was called Sikander in Persian and Middle Eastern languages and the same name came in Urdu.
- Sparta: The inhabitants of this city were famed for their courage, hardihood, and physical strength, and for the energy with which they devoted themselves to the wok of war. They were nearly all soldiers.
- Sparta was a city-state located in the southeastern Peloponnese region of ancient Greece. Sparta grew to rival the size of the city-states Athens and Thebes by subjugating its neighboring region of Messenia.
- Kratos kills the last spartan in The Palace of Fates.
- Macedonia> Thebes> Sparta> Troy {Turkey} (first landing in Asia) (the Trojan war)> Tyre {coast of Lebanon}> Palestine to Jerusalem> Gaza, Alexandria {Egypt}> Tyre> Babylon {Iraq, Bagdad}> Indian Empire.
- In Greek mythology, Achilles or Achilleus was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors.
- The Trojan War: According to the ancient Greek epic poet Homer, the Trojan War was caused by Paris, son of the Trojan king, and Helen, wife of the Greek king Menelaus, when they went off together to Troy. To get her back, Menelaus sought help from his brother Agamemnon, who assembled a Greek army to defeat Troy.
- The Battle of Gaugamela, in which Alexander the Great defeated Darius III of Persia in 331 BC, took place approximately 100km (62 mi) west of Erbil, Iraq. After the battle, Darius managed to flee to the city.
- Alexander penetrated into India as far as the banks of the Indus, and not content with this, he was preparing to cross the Indus and go on to the Ganges. His army, however, resisted this design. They were alarmed at the stories which they heard of the Indian armies, with elephants bearing castles upon their back and soldiers, armed with strange and unheard-of weapons. These rumors and the natural desires of the soldiers not to go away any further from their native land produced almost a mutiny in the army.
- Allegedly Alexander is a descendant of Achilles or Hercules, depending on who is asked, but neither is actually proven to have existed besides the myths known well today. Most likely, he is no more related to them, if they were real people, than the average Greek was.
Neptune: God of sea and carried a trident.
Neptune and Poseiden are the same gods with similar roles and mythologies. However, Neptune is a roman deity while Poseidon is Greek.
- Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BC. His death at age 32 followed a 2-week febrile illness. Speculated causes of death have included poisoning, assassination, and a number of infectious diseases. He only had a career of 12 years.
- Philip II of Macedon was the father of Alexander. Macedon was the northern part of Greece.
- His native country was on the confines of Europe and Asia. Now Europe and Asia were, in those days, as now, marked and distinguished by the two vast mases of social and civilized life, widely dissimilar from each other. The Asiatic side was occupied by the Persians, the Medes, and the Assyrians. The European side by Greek and Romans. They were separated from each other by the Hellespont, the Aegan Sea, and the Mediterranean Sea.
- The ancient Persians were originally an ancient Iranian people.
- Medes: One of the Iranian peoples who overran the plateau and settled in the area known to ancient sources as Media, corresponding to the modern area of Tehran, Hamadan, Isfahan, and southern Azerbaijan.
- The Assyrians are a people who have lived in the Middle East since ancient times and today can be found all over the world. They are well known for their vast ancient empire; ancient cities, such as Nimrud and Nineveh; and their fierce invasions, including into the Kingdom of Judah and Egypt.
- The two were so different that it is difficult to compare them. On the Asiatic side there was wealth, luxury and splendor; on the European, energy, genius and force.
- Homer: was an ancient Greek poet who wrote siege of troy.
- In the latter part of his course of education he was placed under the charge of Aristotle.
- Bucephalus: (c355-326 BC) is among the most famous horses in history, and it was said that this he could not be tamed. The young Alexander the Great, of course, tamed him – and went on to ride his beloved equine companion for many years and into many battles.
- Alexander promptly founded a city, Bucephela, in the honor of his horse. It lay on the west bank of the Hydaspes River (modern day Jhelum in Pakistan).
- Alexander was called Sikander in Persian and Middle Eastern languages and the same name came in Urdu.
- Sparta: The inhabitants of this city were famed for their courage, hardihood, and physical strength, and for the energy with which they devoted themselves to the wok of war. They were nearly all soldiers.
- Sparta was a city-state located in the southeastern Peloponnese region of ancient Greece. Sparta grew to rival the size of the city-states Athens and Thebes by subjugating its neighboring region of Messenia.
- Kratos kills the last spartan in The Palace of Fates.
- Macedonia> Thebes> Sparta> Troy {Turkey} (first landing in Asia) (the Trojan war)> Tyre {coast of Lebanon}> Palestine to Jerusalem> Gaza, Alexandria {Egypt}> Tyre> Babylon {Iraq, Bagdad}> Indian Empire.
- In Greek mythology, Achilles or Achilleus was a hero of the Trojan War, the greatest of all the Greek warriors.
- The Trojan War: According to the ancient Greek epic poet Homer, the Trojan War was caused by Paris, son of the Trojan king, and Helen, wife of the Greek king Menelaus, when they went off together to Troy. To get her back, Menelaus sought help from his brother Agamemnon, who assembled a Greek army to defeat Troy.
- The Battle of Gaugamela, in which Alexander the Great defeated Darius III of Persia in 331 BC, took place approximately 100km (62 mi) west of Erbil, Iraq. After the battle, Darius managed to flee to the city.
- Alexander penetrated into India as far as the banks of the Indus, and not content with this, he was preparing to cross the Indus and go on to the Ganges. His army, however, resisted this design. They were alarmed at the stories which they heard of the Indian armies, with elephants bearing castles upon their back and soldiers, armed with strange and unheard-of weapons. These rumors and the natural desires of the soldiers not to go away any further from their native land produced almost a mutiny in the army.
- Allegedly Alexander is a descendant of Achilles or Hercules, depending on who is asked, but neither is actually proven to have existed besides the myths known well today. Most likely, he is no more related to them, if they were real people, than the average Greek was.
Neptune: God of sea and carried a trident.
Neptune and Poseiden are the same gods with similar roles and mythologies. However, Neptune is a roman deity while Poseidon is Greek.
July 1, 2017
Alexander earned well the name and reputation of the Great.
One cannot help applauding the extraordinary energy of his genius, though at times it feels like one shall condemn the selfish and cruel ends to which his life was devoted.
For me, i would consider him a robber. Robber on so vast a scale, that mankind, in contemplating his career, have generally lost sight of the wickedness of his crimes in their admiration of the enormous magnitude of the scale on which they were perpetrated.
I was mainly focussing on the plans he put forward along with his generals to rule the world. Gradually, my thoughts provoked me to change my intention with which i started. In the last few chapters, i was more into finding the reasons behind his diminish.
Glad, that i was able to find the reason. It was the change in Alexander's character which let to the destruction of his vast empire.
Upon the death of Darius, his character changed. He lost his simplicity, temperance, moderation, and the sense of justice which characterised his early years.
He adopted the luxurious manners of persians.
This caused mortification and chagrin to the officers of his army. Many of the generals were older to himself and better able to resist these temptations to luxury, effeminacy and vice.
On the other hand, many of the younger officer followed Alexander's example, and became as vain, as irregular, and as fond of vicious indulgence as he.
Many of his general where dealt with iron fist and were executed by Alexander because of the fear that they were planning to depose him.
It was the Indus river post which Alexander's army resisted moving any further and proposed a plan to return back to Macedon.
Alexander had to agree. On his way back, Alexander married Statira, the oldest daughter of persian king Darius and encouraged similar marriages between Macedonian officers and persian maidens.
While returning to Babylon, his friend Hephaestion dies by disease produced by dissipation and vice.
In Babylon, Alexander drank until his faculties and his strength failed and he sank down to floor.
A violent fever intervened and he dies.
When he was about to die, he did not announced his successor. Probably, he never wished to have a well-settled government in the countries he conquered, to encourage order and peace, and industry among them and introduce system and regularity in human affairs, so as to leave the world in a better condition than he found it.
Alexander's last wish was that his body should be taken to the temple of Jupiter Ammon, in the Egyptian oasis where he had been pronounced the son of god.
A very large and elaborately constructed carriage was built to convey the boy. Carriage was covered in gold.
From Babylon to the eastern frontiers of Egypt, a distance of thousand miles was perhaps as grand a plan of interment as was ever formed. It was something like a parallel in the removal of Napoleon's body from St. Helena to Paris.
The body, never reached its intended destination. Ptolemy, forced for some reason that the body should be interred in the city of Alexandria.
A great monument was erected over the sport where Alexander's body was deposited. The monument remained standing for fifteen hundred years, but all vestiges of it have now disappeared.
One cannot help applauding the extraordinary energy of his genius, though at times it feels like one shall condemn the selfish and cruel ends to which his life was devoted.
For me, i would consider him a robber. Robber on so vast a scale, that mankind, in contemplating his career, have generally lost sight of the wickedness of his crimes in their admiration of the enormous magnitude of the scale on which they were perpetrated.
I was mainly focussing on the plans he put forward along with his generals to rule the world. Gradually, my thoughts provoked me to change my intention with which i started. In the last few chapters, i was more into finding the reasons behind his diminish.
Glad, that i was able to find the reason. It was the change in Alexander's character which let to the destruction of his vast empire.
Upon the death of Darius, his character changed. He lost his simplicity, temperance, moderation, and the sense of justice which characterised his early years.
He adopted the luxurious manners of persians.
This caused mortification and chagrin to the officers of his army. Many of the generals were older to himself and better able to resist these temptations to luxury, effeminacy and vice.
On the other hand, many of the younger officer followed Alexander's example, and became as vain, as irregular, and as fond of vicious indulgence as he.
Many of his general where dealt with iron fist and were executed by Alexander because of the fear that they were planning to depose him.
It was the Indus river post which Alexander's army resisted moving any further and proposed a plan to return back to Macedon.
Alexander had to agree. On his way back, Alexander married Statira, the oldest daughter of persian king Darius and encouraged similar marriages between Macedonian officers and persian maidens.
While returning to Babylon, his friend Hephaestion dies by disease produced by dissipation and vice.
In Babylon, Alexander drank until his faculties and his strength failed and he sank down to floor.
A violent fever intervened and he dies.
When he was about to die, he did not announced his successor. Probably, he never wished to have a well-settled government in the countries he conquered, to encourage order and peace, and industry among them and introduce system and regularity in human affairs, so as to leave the world in a better condition than he found it.
Alexander's last wish was that his body should be taken to the temple of Jupiter Ammon, in the Egyptian oasis where he had been pronounced the son of god.
A very large and elaborately constructed carriage was built to convey the boy. Carriage was covered in gold.
From Babylon to the eastern frontiers of Egypt, a distance of thousand miles was perhaps as grand a plan of interment as was ever formed. It was something like a parallel in the removal of Napoleon's body from St. Helena to Paris.
The body, never reached its intended destination. Ptolemy, forced for some reason that the body should be interred in the city of Alexandria.
A great monument was erected over the sport where Alexander's body was deposited. The monument remained standing for fifteen hundred years, but all vestiges of it have now disappeared.
June 4, 2025
Listened as an audiobook... so I didn't realize until the end that this book was over a century old! Which kind of explains a lot.
I had initially picked this book because I wanted to learn more about Alexander the Great, and this audiobook was only 5 hours. I figured it would be a light, quick read that went over the main points of his life, which I could then look into more on my own. And, it was that. It covers Alexander's life and main campaigns, and I appreciated that it included the legends about Alexander, such as the taming of his horse Beaucephalus and the "untying" of the Gordian Knot. However, it did leave much to be desired.
Before I realized this book's age, I struggled to figure out who exactly this book was for. I figured anyone picking up a book about Alexander has to have at least a little knowledge about Greek history or culture, but the author approached some things as though they were completely new concepts. For example, he goes into great detail to explain the ENTIRE plot of the Iliad... just to follow it up by saying that Alexander really liked it (he didn't even go deeply into Alexander envisioning himself as a new Achilles, although it was mentioned.) I figured that most people would already be familiar with that, and if not, it wasn't really necessary to give every plot point, but I let it pass. Then the author went into in-depth descriptions of a battering ram (what it is and what it is for) as well as camels, and how they are good for crossing deserts. Who that is reading this book would not know what a camel or a battering ram is?
Battle descriptions often left a lot to be desired too.. and since I wanted specifically to know how Alexander was as a general, this was somewhat disappointing. He would completely avoid giving ANY details for Alexander's battles against the Persians, but he went into GREAT detail about his siege of Tyre. So, I guess I got the brief overview that I wanted.
The author also will pontificate for long periods on Alexander's great and virtuous personality.... and then flipflop to say Alexander was honestly awful sometimes. It was quite jarring. At the very end, he also was clearly implying that Alexander's final failures in running his empire and his eventual death were due to failings of character, especially of excesses of drink, partying, and women. Was that true? I don't know; with this author, it is hard to determine what is opinion and what is fact when it comes to Alexander's character.
So, while it was a good overview, I definitely found it lacking in some areas. I think I would suggest this as light reading, or to a high school student (or middle school with a high reading level). I'll be looking for other texts that get more into specifics and have more historical resources.
I had initially picked this book because I wanted to learn more about Alexander the Great, and this audiobook was only 5 hours. I figured it would be a light, quick read that went over the main points of his life, which I could then look into more on my own. And, it was that. It covers Alexander's life and main campaigns, and I appreciated that it included the legends about Alexander, such as the taming of his horse Beaucephalus and the "untying" of the Gordian Knot. However, it did leave much to be desired.
Before I realized this book's age, I struggled to figure out who exactly this book was for. I figured anyone picking up a book about Alexander has to have at least a little knowledge about Greek history or culture, but the author approached some things as though they were completely new concepts. For example, he goes into great detail to explain the ENTIRE plot of the Iliad... just to follow it up by saying that Alexander really liked it (he didn't even go deeply into Alexander envisioning himself as a new Achilles, although it was mentioned.) I figured that most people would already be familiar with that, and if not, it wasn't really necessary to give every plot point, but I let it pass. Then the author went into in-depth descriptions of a battering ram (what it is and what it is for) as well as camels, and how they are good for crossing deserts. Who that is reading this book would not know what a camel or a battering ram is?
Battle descriptions often left a lot to be desired too.. and since I wanted specifically to know how Alexander was as a general, this was somewhat disappointing. He would completely avoid giving ANY details for Alexander's battles against the Persians, but he went into GREAT detail about his siege of Tyre. So, I guess I got the brief overview that I wanted.
The author also will pontificate for long periods on Alexander's great and virtuous personality.... and then flipflop to say Alexander was honestly awful sometimes. It was quite jarring. At the very end, he also was clearly implying that Alexander's final failures in running his empire and his eventual death were due to failings of character, especially of excesses of drink, partying, and women. Was that true? I don't know; with this author, it is hard to determine what is opinion and what is fact when it comes to Alexander's character.
So, while it was a good overview, I definitely found it lacking in some areas. I think I would suggest this as light reading, or to a high school student (or middle school with a high reading level). I'll be looking for other texts that get more into specifics and have more historical resources.
February 7, 2025
It was a good book. The only thing that was missing was that it was short. I know I’m pushing my luck by craving something that’s nearly impossible or hard enough to do. I know that he lived a long time ago and there aren’t many references or anything’s related to the great man. Maybe many of the sources that are out there about Alexander are only myth and lie that’s why it’s hard to distinguish what is true and what is not true.
Anyhow Mr Jacob has put his heart on this book and made it possible for reader and for that I’m forever thankful to him.
What I learned from this book that, sometimes life punishes you with things you hate or dislike. Fore example Alexander came from warrior clan and had discipline, courage, leadership. But when he encountered Persian and saw how lavishly they lived, they threw big banquets. He hated or looked down on them for being lazy, drinking wine and messing around with woman.
But guess the twist!!
You guessed it right, after a while living there, he let himself loose and begins drinking and adapt do Persian costumes and culture. Furthermore, he neglects his discipline and attends Persian banquets.
When his loyal general Cletius criticizes him for distancing himself from his Macedonian roots and adapting to Persian costumes. He becomes enraged and kills him on the spot.
He becomes more paranoia day by day, because of heavy drinking and therefore becomes suspicious of those around him. Which in turn led him to his downfall.
Unfortunately due to heavy drinking( some historians theory suggests poisoning, malaria, typhoid) he dies at the age of 32, a young man with so much potential, tarnishing his past glorious and legacy.
What I learned that great leaders have visions and take risks. They aspire people around them. You want to be with such people because they enhance your potential and your ability to believe in yourself and surpass your limits.
He was a genius and an educated, intelligent and great strategist. Having studied under Aristotle, he learned about philosophy and science, which helped him to become such a powerful leader.
Anyhow Mr Jacob has put his heart on this book and made it possible for reader and for that I’m forever thankful to him.
What I learned from this book that, sometimes life punishes you with things you hate or dislike. Fore example Alexander came from warrior clan and had discipline, courage, leadership. But when he encountered Persian and saw how lavishly they lived, they threw big banquets. He hated or looked down on them for being lazy, drinking wine and messing around with woman.
But guess the twist!!
You guessed it right, after a while living there, he let himself loose and begins drinking and adapt do Persian costumes and culture. Furthermore, he neglects his discipline and attends Persian banquets.
When his loyal general Cletius criticizes him for distancing himself from his Macedonian roots and adapting to Persian costumes. He becomes enraged and kills him on the spot.
He becomes more paranoia day by day, because of heavy drinking and therefore becomes suspicious of those around him. Which in turn led him to his downfall.
Unfortunately due to heavy drinking( some historians theory suggests poisoning, malaria, typhoid) he dies at the age of 32, a young man with so much potential, tarnishing his past glorious and legacy.
What I learned that great leaders have visions and take risks. They aspire people around them. You want to be with such people because they enhance your potential and your ability to believe in yourself and surpass your limits.
He was a genius and an educated, intelligent and great strategist. Having studied under Aristotle, he learned about philosophy and science, which helped him to become such a powerful leader.
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