Alexander: Destiny and Myth

by Claude Mossé, Paul Cartledge (Foreword), Janet Lloyd (Translator)

Few figures from history have aroused as much admiration as Alexander the Great, the Macedonian king who, between 334 and 323 B.C., conquered the immense Persian Empire, led his army as far as India, and transformed the known world. Even in antiquity, he was an almost mythical hero, and over the centuries he has been remembered as the paragon of martial brilliance. But for the historian, Alexander presents both a tantalizing subject and a formidable challenge. For all his achievements, there is very little direct evidence of his existence―a few inscriptions, some coins and portraits, and allusions to him in speeches of the day―and the oldest surviving accounts of his life were written three or more centuries after his death. In Destiny and Myth , distinguished historian Claude Mossé rigorously and imaginatively draws on a vast array of sources to create an indelible portrait of Alexander as conqueror, man, and legend. Carefully navigating between fact and fable, Mossé offers a compelling new assessment of Alexander and his legacy in five concise sections. From his ascension to the throne of Macedon in 336 B.C. in the wake of his father's assassination to his stunning conquest of Darius III's Persian empire, his Indian campaign, and his premature death at age 32, Mossé first reconstructs the major stages of Alexander's reign. She next explores the perception of Alexander―as a ruler and even a god―among the diverse peoples he governed, paying special attention to the cities he founded. Mossé then turns to the elusive question of Alexander's character, offering provocative insights on this millennia-old debate. The book's final two parts concern Alexander's legacy, both immediate―the fate of his empire and the limits of his accomplishments, particularly his attempt to Hellenize the east―and far reaching―the idea of Alexander as a mythical hero from antiquity to the present by way of ancient, medieval, early modern, and twentieth-century words and images. At once sweeping, succinct, and spellbinding, Destiny and Myth is a strikingly fresh account of the man who continues to intrigue and excite the historical imagination twenty-five hundred years after his death.

Genres: History, Biography, Ancient History, Greece

256 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2001

About the author

Mossé was born the daughter of a wine merchant in Paris. She is the sister of Eliane Mossé , researcher in macroeconomics, and Arlette Mosse , clinical nutritionist. In the winter of 1941, during World War II and aged 16, she first read a text on liberty and democracy by Demosthenes; since then, she has dedicated her life to Greek history, never having married or having any children.

Her favourite historical subject is 4th century BCE Athens. Mossé belongs to the same school of historical thought with Jean-Pierre Vernant and Pierre Vidal-Naquet. She is professor emeritus at the University of Paris VIII. Her works have been translated into many languages including English, German, Spanish, Italian and modern Greek.

Reviews

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recensione sul blog Alessandro III di Macedonia- Alessandro Magno & Ellenismo

[Lua · Rating 5 out of 5]

De las pocas novelas históricas que me han conseguido encantar. Claude Mossé, es una gran escritora e historiadora.

[Read me two times · Rating 3 out of 5]

Onestamente mi aspettavo di più.

[John Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating, especially around reception of Alexander in Jewish tradition and later changing views of the conquerer through to present day

[R · Rating 3 out of 5]

More than a biography this books aims at explain what made Alexander such a compelling character throughout history, but more importantly how his actions helped to change the world.
The book starts with a very brief overview of how Alexander reached the crown of Macedonia and then moves to enumerate his expansionist ventures. In this section there isn't much detail on fights, pillage or similar activities. The goal of this section is reinforced in the coming chapters where there's a more deep analysis of the actions and its consequences. The second half of the book focus more on how the figure of Alexander has been perceived in the following decades and why has he become such an ambiguous character.
Although. somewhat confusing at times, its an interesting book that provides a fascinating insight to the role of Alexander in shaping the world

[Poli · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I like the most about this book is it's attempt to expose the multiple layers of Alexander's Character. Also think that the author did good explaining the politics in the region before Alexander got to power and even what happened after his death with his companions fighting for power.
What I don't like is the several "We'll be back to that later" (or something like that)and
the consequent " As was mentioned earlier" the author uses throughout the book. In my opinion is annoying to have the narrative constantly interrupted with something which will be properly mentioned later.