Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age

by Peter Green

Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Greece

234 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2008

About the author

There is more than one author by this name in the database.

Peter Morris Green was a British classical scholar and novelist noted for his works on the Greco-Persian Wars, Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age of ancient history, generally regarded as spanning the era from the death of Alexander in 323 BC up to either the date of the Battle of Actium or the death of Augustus in 14 AD.

Reviews

[Elentarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a concise, whirl-wind overview of what has become known as the Hellenistic Age, the years 336 to 30 BCE, from the days of Philip and Alexander of Macedon to the death of Cleopatra and the final triumph of Caesar’s heir, Augustus. Green manages to deal with important themes such political continuance and government, issues with succession (this makes Game of Thrones look like a toddlers' play session), issues of cultural inheritance and spread, as well as perspectives on art and science (the Ancient Greek scholars seem to have preferred abstract concepts to applied sciences (unless prodded to produce war machines); and while fiddling around with primitive steam "engines" and pistons, never got around to an industrial revolution because the slaves wouldn't have anything to do all day!!!). Green has a way of writing - the pithy observation or turn of phrase - which made this book fairly entertaining to read, even while being rather dense. The book also includes a number of maps, genealogies, a timeline, and a section of books for further reading. This is probably not a good introductory text to the subject, but it is helpful for further study and an entertaining reminder of what is known about the 300 years between Alexander the Great and the Roman Empire.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dry. Overall, a book I wish I had not purchased. If you are a student of that era, quite probably a resource that comprehensively describes the changes. If you are not, don't expect this to be particularly illuminating.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not one for the uninitiated. Names whizz in and out with eye watering speed, a hundred years of history breeze past in a few pages or even sentences.

Personally, it was a nice refresher on the successor period, surely one of history's most fascinating periods of time.

Green's occasional points of analysis, that slavery was maintained to preserve class status and therefore prevented innovation, that cultural mores reflected the changing nature of politics, are interesting and perhaps worthy of further reading.

[Josh Swinscoe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book, i wish I could have dedicated more time to just sitting and reading it faster. It does a good job on showing us the setting up of the Hellenistic age with Alexander the great, and then it takes us through it right until the Roman conquests. Delving into all the info, and subjects of the period. I would definitely recommend this.

Its maps and genealogies also are a massive help

5/5

[Shane Kiely · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very Informative in terms of historical fact & good insights into the culture of the Hellenistic era as a whole though not as engaging in narrative terms as Green's Alexander of Macedon which is to be expected in something that is providing an account/analysing a much more diverse subject.

[Jay Keenan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best abridged summary of Alexander's successors and the territory shifts