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Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors
The definitive biography of the father and son who reshaped the ancient world
Alexander the Great's conquests staggered the world. He led his army across thousands of miles, overthrowing the greatest empires of his time and building a new one in their place. He claimed to be the son of a god, but he was actually the son of Philip II of Macedon.
Philip inherited a minor kingdom that was on the verge of dismemberment, but despite his youth and inexperience, he made Macedonia dominant throughout Greece. It was Philip who created the armies that Alexander led into war against Persia. In Philip and Alexander, classical historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows that without the work and influence of his father, Alexander could not have achieved so much. This is the groundbreaking biography of two men who together conquered the world.
Alexander the Great's conquests staggered the world. He led his army across thousands of miles, overthrowing the greatest empires of his time and building a new one in their place. He claimed to be the son of a god, but he was actually the son of Philip II of Macedon.
Philip inherited a minor kingdom that was on the verge of dismemberment, but despite his youth and inexperience, he made Macedonia dominant throughout Greece. It was Philip who created the armies that Alexander led into war against Persia. In Philip and Alexander, classical historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows that without the work and influence of his father, Alexander could not have achieved so much. This is the groundbreaking biography of two men who together conquered the world.
608 pages, Hardcover
First published September 3, 2020
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About the author
Adrian Goldsworthy
48 books1,489 followersAdrian Goldsworthy, born in 1969, is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including biographies of Julius Caesar and Augustus. He lectures widely and consults on historical documentaries for the History Channel, National Geographic, and the BBC. He lives in the UK.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews
November 4, 2023
Al final de sus días, Alejandro Magno había redibujado el mapa del mundo antiguo creando un imperio que se extendía desde el mar Adriático hasta el subcontinente indio.
Sin embargo, su éxito no fue solo fruto de su propio genio y de su gran ímpetu, sino que se cimentó en décadas de esfuerzo y guerras llevadas a cabo por su padre, Filipo II de Macedonia.
Soberbia lectura. Por fin he catado a este maestro.
La historia ha retratado al progenitor de Alejandro como un anciano de un solo ojo cuyo asesinato permitió a su hijo acceder al poder, pero él representaba algo mucho más importante. A través de décadas de luchas y una inteligente y sutil diplomacia, Filipo logró unificar su país y conquistar Grecia. A su muerte, Alejandro heredó todo en el momento perfecto para lograr una gloria aún mayor, y así convertirse en uno de los grandes personajes de todos los tiempos.
Adrian Goldsworthy, uno de los más reconocidos historiadores del periodo que ya me tocaba catar, describe con maestría cómo Filipo y Alejando transformaron un reino débil del norte de Grecia en un imperio global para, así, cambiar el curso de la historia para siempre.
He leído bastante sobre Alejandro, y aunque sé mucho de Filipo II pues siempre me ha llamado la atención pues dejó el camino hecho aún no habia leído nada substancial. Sólo cosillas por aquí y allá.
Este libro ha cumplido con creces llenando mi deseo con gran satisfacción.
Por supuesto la figura de Alejandro siempre ha eclipsado y puesto a su padre, no es para menos claro, conquistó gran parte del mundo conocido y murió a los 33 años, yo tengo 30 y él ya a mi edad lo hizo todo. Si hubiera vivido más a saber dónde hubiera llegado.
Se le conocía por ser insaciable. Y aunque Macedonia le vio crecer y no se lo puso nada fácil, no volvió mucho por ahí.
Filipo II de Macedonia fue el hombre que lo empezó todo, el que dió forma al camino que luego llego hasta limites insospechados, pero Filipo no era un tuerto borracho que no hizo nada. Él alcanzo antes que su hijo la grandeza.
El libro está dividido en tres partes, la segunda y tercera están dedicadas en total exclusividad a Alejandro. La primera parte del libro cubre la vida y la muerte de Filipo, y nos brinda suficiente información para crear una imagen de alguien que con su enorme determinación militar y diplomacia además de una perspicacia afilada cambió el destino de Macedonia para siempre.
De un reino insignificante sin importancia a una fuerza comparable a los más grandes reinos.
Y algo muy importante es que la capacidad militar de Macedonia cambió y mejoró muchísimo pues Alejandro llevó a luchar contra el Imperio Persa esa fuerza militar que fue creada desde cero por Filipo.
Todo el poder económico de Macedonia que en ese momento Alejandro pudo usar con creces para empezar fue acumulado por Filipo.
Y así varios detalles más. No es sólo Alejandro Magno. Son Filipo II y Alejandro Magno.
Extremadamente recomendable a todo amante de la historia narrado por un maestro que sabe cómo contarlo..✍️
Sin embargo, su éxito no fue solo fruto de su propio genio y de su gran ímpetu, sino que se cimentó en décadas de esfuerzo y guerras llevadas a cabo por su padre, Filipo II de Macedonia.
Soberbia lectura. Por fin he catado a este maestro.
La historia ha retratado al progenitor de Alejandro como un anciano de un solo ojo cuyo asesinato permitió a su hijo acceder al poder, pero él representaba algo mucho más importante. A través de décadas de luchas y una inteligente y sutil diplomacia, Filipo logró unificar su país y conquistar Grecia. A su muerte, Alejandro heredó todo en el momento perfecto para lograr una gloria aún mayor, y así convertirse en uno de los grandes personajes de todos los tiempos.
Adrian Goldsworthy, uno de los más reconocidos historiadores del periodo que ya me tocaba catar, describe con maestría cómo Filipo y Alejando transformaron un reino débil del norte de Grecia en un imperio global para, así, cambiar el curso de la historia para siempre.
He leído bastante sobre Alejandro, y aunque sé mucho de Filipo II pues siempre me ha llamado la atención pues dejó el camino hecho aún no habia leído nada substancial. Sólo cosillas por aquí y allá.
Este libro ha cumplido con creces llenando mi deseo con gran satisfacción.
Por supuesto la figura de Alejandro siempre ha eclipsado y puesto a su padre, no es para menos claro, conquistó gran parte del mundo conocido y murió a los 33 años, yo tengo 30 y él ya a mi edad lo hizo todo. Si hubiera vivido más a saber dónde hubiera llegado.
Se le conocía por ser insaciable. Y aunque Macedonia le vio crecer y no se lo puso nada fácil, no volvió mucho por ahí.
Filipo II de Macedonia fue el hombre que lo empezó todo, el que dió forma al camino que luego llego hasta limites insospechados, pero Filipo no era un tuerto borracho que no hizo nada. Él alcanzo antes que su hijo la grandeza.
El libro está dividido en tres partes, la segunda y tercera están dedicadas en total exclusividad a Alejandro. La primera parte del libro cubre la vida y la muerte de Filipo, y nos brinda suficiente información para crear una imagen de alguien que con su enorme determinación militar y diplomacia además de una perspicacia afilada cambió el destino de Macedonia para siempre.
De un reino insignificante sin importancia a una fuerza comparable a los más grandes reinos.
Y algo muy importante es que la capacidad militar de Macedonia cambió y mejoró muchísimo pues Alejandro llevó a luchar contra el Imperio Persa esa fuerza militar que fue creada desde cero por Filipo.
Todo el poder económico de Macedonia que en ese momento Alejandro pudo usar con creces para empezar fue acumulado por Filipo.
Y así varios detalles más. No es sólo Alejandro Magno. Son Filipo II y Alejandro Magno.
Extremadamente recomendable a todo amante de la historia narrado por un maestro que sabe cómo contarlo..✍️
November 8, 2022
I’ve read quite a bit about Alexander the Great, but almost nothing about his father, Philip II. This book filled in the gaps for me, but Alexander is still the fascinating one in this duo. He conquered much of the known world by the time he died at 33. Since that required one military action after another, this book is very heavily into military history. Alexander was really insatiable. There was always another place to conquer, regardless of the hardships he and his army had to endure. Alexander spent almost no time in Macedonia. I would have liked to have learned more about who was running things while he was away, but that was not the focus of this book. Anyway, things seem to have run smoothly with Alexander sending huge amounts of plundered loot back home.
Unfortunately, I’m not really interested in military history, so I got a little bored with the battles. However, the author did a good job tying together the stories written by various chroniclers of Alexander’s exploits, explaining their presumed biases and identifying possible exaggerations. The book was very well written and had the feel of a novel. At the beginning of the book there are maps and a chronology. The book also has an extensive bibliography and end notes. 4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Unfortunately, I’m not really interested in military history, so I got a little bored with the battles. However, the author did a good job tying together the stories written by various chroniclers of Alexander’s exploits, explaining their presumed biases and identifying possible exaggerations. The book was very well written and had the feel of a novel. At the beginning of the book there are maps and a chronology. The book also has an extensive bibliography and end notes. 4.5 stars
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
March 23, 2021
Philip saved a weak Macedonia from dismemberment or at the very least domination by external powers, then built up and expanded his kingdom and its power until he in turn dominated not simply his neighbours, but most of Greece. Thus he created the circumstances that allowed Alexander to hurl himself at the Persian Empire and vanquish it. Without Philip there could have been no Alexander, atleast not one who conquered so much so quickly, but in a way Philip had done to augment his revenue.
Philip II of Macedonia has been shown as an old, one eyed, limping drunkard and womaniser in movies and TV series I have seen depicting the life of Alexander the Great, a man conveniently done away with to pave the way for Alexander to showcase his military prowess and greatness. What got me excited about this book was the fact that I would finally get to read about Philip and the book did not disappoint. The book is divided into three parts and although parts 2 and 3 are solely dedicated to Alexander, part 1 that covers Philip's life and death gives us enough information we need to create a picture of a man who with his personal determination, a gift of diplomacy & acute political and military acumen singlehandedly changed Macedonia's fortunes, transforming it from an unimportant, barbarous kingdom into a force to reckon with both military and wealth wise. The military prowess of Macedonia that Alexander unleashed against the Persian Empire was created from scratch by Philip II. The wealth of Macedonia that Alexander had at his disposal was accumulated by Philip II. The campaign against Persia that Alexander fought and won was planned by Philip II. Philip II, in short, provided the means and tools which allowed Alexander to showcase his own strength, ingenuity and ambitions as a ruler & conqueror.
Alexander achieved immense fame. Philip made that achievement possible and his own career was remarkable in its own right. Between them they changed Macedonia, changed Greece, and changed the history of the wider world.
And in the end as the author puts it: 'Neither was unambiguously a good man to say the very least, but the title "the great", if understood as important and not necessarily good, is one that both deserve.'
This was one excellent book and I am glad I read it. It really changed my perspective about Philip II.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Perseus Books/ Basic Books and the author for the e-Arc of the book.
Philip II of Macedonia has been shown as an old, one eyed, limping drunkard and womaniser in movies and TV series I have seen depicting the life of Alexander the Great, a man conveniently done away with to pave the way for Alexander to showcase his military prowess and greatness. What got me excited about this book was the fact that I would finally get to read about Philip and the book did not disappoint. The book is divided into three parts and although parts 2 and 3 are solely dedicated to Alexander, part 1 that covers Philip's life and death gives us enough information we need to create a picture of a man who with his personal determination, a gift of diplomacy & acute political and military acumen singlehandedly changed Macedonia's fortunes, transforming it from an unimportant, barbarous kingdom into a force to reckon with both military and wealth wise. The military prowess of Macedonia that Alexander unleashed against the Persian Empire was created from scratch by Philip II. The wealth of Macedonia that Alexander had at his disposal was accumulated by Philip II. The campaign against Persia that Alexander fought and won was planned by Philip II. Philip II, in short, provided the means and tools which allowed Alexander to showcase his own strength, ingenuity and ambitions as a ruler & conqueror.
Alexander achieved immense fame. Philip made that achievement possible and his own career was remarkable in its own right. Between them they changed Macedonia, changed Greece, and changed the history of the wider world.
And in the end as the author puts it: 'Neither was unambiguously a good man to say the very least, but the title "the great", if understood as important and not necessarily good, is one that both deserve.'
This was one excellent book and I am glad I read it. It really changed my perspective about Philip II.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publishers Perseus Books/ Basic Books and the author for the e-Arc of the book.
August 20, 2024
BookTube channel with my awesome brother, Ed - The Brothers Gwynne
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
Been a while since I dived into some non-fiction centred on the ancient world! Not much of a better way then to come back with some Adrian Goldsworthy.
Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors is absolutely fascinating. Philip of Macedon managed to turn the fate of Macedon around, and set them up as a threatening power, and then his son, Alexander of course, managed to take that newfound stability to forge one of the biggest empires of all-time, in such a short period as well. These extraordinary events are fascinating, but of course require knowledge about a vast amount of historical and political context in order to make anything out of it. On top of that, our sources are so limited that is much expert historians are baffled over, yet alone the common reader.
So, with limited materials, Adrian Goldsworthy does a great job immersing us in the cultures of the time, allowing himself to go on small tangents when he reveals tidbits of information that add so much flavour amongst a lot of the heavy information. This balance was struck really well, and resulted in a highly informative yet engaging lens being shone on these rulers of the ancient world.
4/5 STARS
My personal BookTube channel - William Gwynne
Been a while since I dived into some non-fiction centred on the ancient world! Not much of a better way then to come back with some Adrian Goldsworthy.
Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors is absolutely fascinating. Philip of Macedon managed to turn the fate of Macedon around, and set them up as a threatening power, and then his son, Alexander of course, managed to take that newfound stability to forge one of the biggest empires of all-time, in such a short period as well. These extraordinary events are fascinating, but of course require knowledge about a vast amount of historical and political context in order to make anything out of it. On top of that, our sources are so limited that is much expert historians are baffled over, yet alone the common reader.
So, with limited materials, Adrian Goldsworthy does a great job immersing us in the cultures of the time, allowing himself to go on small tangents when he reveals tidbits of information that add so much flavour amongst a lot of the heavy information. This balance was struck really well, and resulted in a highly informative yet engaging lens being shone on these rulers of the ancient world.
4/5 STARS
August 4, 2021
Excellently written, informative and enjoyable.
October 9, 2020
4 1/2 Alexander the Great. One of the few people who deserve the name The Great in history. Appropriately enough there are a great number of books about him and new ones keep being produced. There are no new sources of information; the ancient sources are at the latest from the second or third centuries C.E. and some before that. So why another new book? What does this offer that many others don't?
This is two well done and very thorough narrative histories in one book: a history of Philip, the father of Alexander and the one who set the groundwork for what Alexander later achieved and a history of Alexander. Each history is focused on that person with mention of the other only when appropriate. Philip is not just a sketch or a prelude to Alexander, even though his section is shorter. That is because there is less information about Philip than Alexander out there. Philip is given just as much detailed attention and the greatness of his achievements acknowledged as Alexander is given. As the author has indicated, having the two histories in one book, allows the reader to place them in context and see their similarities and differences in behavior, rule and warfare.
Goldsworthy has supported his thorough research with endnotes and an extensive bibliography. He has not limited himself to just two or three of the ancient sources, as some scholars do, but he has done a critical analysis of the sources and has acknowledged the weakness of them; he has said when certain information is incorrect or is probably exaggerated. Goldsworthy has also pointed out when there isn't information about a subject or time period and has identified where there has been quite a bit of conjectures by scholars and there wasn't the information to support these. Goldsworthy has tried to put Alexander in his time without modern judgment and has been mostly successful in that endeavor.
Women have only left a faint imprint in written sources in history. However, Alexander's mother, Olympias, was one of the few women in Ancient Greece who was mentioned and there are many stories about her which Goldsworthy has included and tried to put in perspective for she was not treated kindly by ancient sources. The writer has also stated how Antipater and Olympias were able to work together on a few occasions in the governing of Macedon and the city-states of Greece after Alexander left for Persia but most of the time they clashed. This has amounted to only a few sentences and since there have been so few references to women influencing history I wish it was fleshed out more and that would have given a better idea of the strong personality that was Olympias in actual events instead of just inflammatory stories for she was part of the influences that shaped Alexander.
Is this for the general casual reader? Probably not. The reader doesn't need any special knowledge but this is a thorough narrative history of two military men who spent of most of their adult lives on campaign so there are a lot of battles described which may be boring for some people; there is also a lot of sex, infidelity, betrayal, arguments and murder that would give any reality TV show a run for its money. This is for the reader who is interested in history and/or someone who wants to know more than a short overview of two of the pivotal people in ancient Western civilization.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is two well done and very thorough narrative histories in one book: a history of Philip, the father of Alexander and the one who set the groundwork for what Alexander later achieved and a history of Alexander. Each history is focused on that person with mention of the other only when appropriate. Philip is not just a sketch or a prelude to Alexander, even though his section is shorter. That is because there is less information about Philip than Alexander out there. Philip is given just as much detailed attention and the greatness of his achievements acknowledged as Alexander is given. As the author has indicated, having the two histories in one book, allows the reader to place them in context and see their similarities and differences in behavior, rule and warfare.
Goldsworthy has supported his thorough research with endnotes and an extensive bibliography. He has not limited himself to just two or three of the ancient sources, as some scholars do, but he has done a critical analysis of the sources and has acknowledged the weakness of them; he has said when certain information is incorrect or is probably exaggerated. Goldsworthy has also pointed out when there isn't information about a subject or time period and has identified where there has been quite a bit of conjectures by scholars and there wasn't the information to support these. Goldsworthy has tried to put Alexander in his time without modern judgment and has been mostly successful in that endeavor.
Women have only left a faint imprint in written sources in history. However, Alexander's mother, Olympias, was one of the few women in Ancient Greece who was mentioned and there are many stories about her which Goldsworthy has included and tried to put in perspective for she was not treated kindly by ancient sources. The writer has also stated how Antipater and Olympias were able to work together on a few occasions in the governing of Macedon and the city-states of Greece after Alexander left for Persia but most of the time they clashed. This has amounted to only a few sentences and since there have been so few references to women influencing history I wish it was fleshed out more and that would have given a better idea of the strong personality that was Olympias in actual events instead of just inflammatory stories for she was part of the influences that shaped Alexander.
Is this for the general casual reader? Probably not. The reader doesn't need any special knowledge but this is a thorough narrative history of two military men who spent of most of their adult lives on campaign so there are a lot of battles described which may be boring for some people; there is also a lot of sex, infidelity, betrayal, arguments and murder that would give any reality TV show a run for its money. This is for the reader who is interested in history and/or someone who wants to know more than a short overview of two of the pivotal people in ancient Western civilization.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2023
"Some individuals change history."
This was the first sentence of the book and it couldn't have been more fitting. With this amazing book by Goldsworthy being a biography of both Philip II of Macedon and his more famous son, Alexander the Great. Both of these men led extraordinary lives and their achievements cannot be overstated.
Philip II came to power in a weak and very unstable Macedonia, a poor frontier region of the Greek world. He overcame many crises and reformed the kingdom and its army extensively, defeating invading armies and usurpers, while also engaging in smart diplomacy. In some decades he managed to subjugate most of Greece and made himself the Hegemon of the Hellenic League, a truly impressive accomplishment.
However, rightfully or not, Philip often gets overshadowed by his son Alexander. Personally, Alexander the Great is my favourite person in history and his epic story is one I always enjoy reading about. As of now, this is my third biography of him and I already know that it won't be the last. Coming to power at the age of just 20 after the murder of his father, he inherits a strong and influential Macedonia. After campaigning against some tribes in the Balkans and restoring order in Greece, he and his army set out on the invasion of the mighty Persian Empire. After merely 12 years he managed to conquer an empire stretching from the Adriatic all the way to India, dying at the age of 32, while he was planning even more conquests. Alexander's story is full of great anecdotes of the king's bravery and boldness, from the siege of Tyre and the Battle of Gaugamela to the campaigns in the upper satrapies, his short reign is full of them.
He and his men traveled thousands and thousands of kilometres, crossing great rivers such as the Euphrates and the Indus, traversing many different landscapes, from arid deserts to the humid lands of India where the weapons of the Macedonians rapidly rusted in the monsoon season with heavy rainfall. From the coasts of Asia Minor to the mountains of the Hindu Kush, Alexander and his men campaigned extensively, gaining many victories and never losing a major battle. It is no wonder that many throughout history have always looked up to him as a great example. In fact, most of the history books that I've read so far, whether they're about the Romans or about Napoleon, always mention him, either as a comparison or as the image of the perfect leader, whose achievements and glory are unrivaled.
However, as Goldsworthy correctly mentions throughout the book, Alexander would probably not have achieved what he had done without the achievements of Philip before him. Many times, Philip is only talked about as a simple prelude to Alexander, which is extremely unfair, as what he did was great by itself. It is unfortunate that the sources we have are not all as reliable or complete as we would like, especially those on Philip II. Goldsworthy is one of my favourite authors and this book only confirms this. His way of writing is great and engaging, while also stating when the sources used do not agree with each other. Sometimes, I felt it was disappointing when some anecdotes were left out or not extensively spoken about. But I completely understand as the book is about both men and not just Alexander, while also already being more than 500 pages long. All in all, this was an amazing book that was well-researched and without a doubt deserves the full five stars!
This was the first sentence of the book and it couldn't have been more fitting. With this amazing book by Goldsworthy being a biography of both Philip II of Macedon and his more famous son, Alexander the Great. Both of these men led extraordinary lives and their achievements cannot be overstated.
Philip II came to power in a weak and very unstable Macedonia, a poor frontier region of the Greek world. He overcame many crises and reformed the kingdom and its army extensively, defeating invading armies and usurpers, while also engaging in smart diplomacy. In some decades he managed to subjugate most of Greece and made himself the Hegemon of the Hellenic League, a truly impressive accomplishment.
However, rightfully or not, Philip often gets overshadowed by his son Alexander. Personally, Alexander the Great is my favourite person in history and his epic story is one I always enjoy reading about. As of now, this is my third biography of him and I already know that it won't be the last. Coming to power at the age of just 20 after the murder of his father, he inherits a strong and influential Macedonia. After campaigning against some tribes in the Balkans and restoring order in Greece, he and his army set out on the invasion of the mighty Persian Empire. After merely 12 years he managed to conquer an empire stretching from the Adriatic all the way to India, dying at the age of 32, while he was planning even more conquests. Alexander's story is full of great anecdotes of the king's bravery and boldness, from the siege of Tyre and the Battle of Gaugamela to the campaigns in the upper satrapies, his short reign is full of them.
He and his men traveled thousands and thousands of kilometres, crossing great rivers such as the Euphrates and the Indus, traversing many different landscapes, from arid deserts to the humid lands of India where the weapons of the Macedonians rapidly rusted in the monsoon season with heavy rainfall. From the coasts of Asia Minor to the mountains of the Hindu Kush, Alexander and his men campaigned extensively, gaining many victories and never losing a major battle. It is no wonder that many throughout history have always looked up to him as a great example. In fact, most of the history books that I've read so far, whether they're about the Romans or about Napoleon, always mention him, either as a comparison or as the image of the perfect leader, whose achievements and glory are unrivaled.
However, as Goldsworthy correctly mentions throughout the book, Alexander would probably not have achieved what he had done without the achievements of Philip before him. Many times, Philip is only talked about as a simple prelude to Alexander, which is extremely unfair, as what he did was great by itself. It is unfortunate that the sources we have are not all as reliable or complete as we would like, especially those on Philip II. Goldsworthy is one of my favourite authors and this book only confirms this. His way of writing is great and engaging, while also stating when the sources used do not agree with each other. Sometimes, I felt it was disappointing when some anecdotes were left out or not extensively spoken about. But I completely understand as the book is about both men and not just Alexander, while also already being more than 500 pages long. All in all, this was an amazing book that was well-researched and without a doubt deserves the full five stars!
July 15, 2022
Amazon review
Informative and entertaining
Adrian Goldsworthy is one of my favourite historians and this book doesn't disappoint.
Highlights:
Philip gets a substantial portion of this book and has me thinking he deserves a title of 'the great' more than his more famous son.
Goldsworthy's style flows and can feel like reading a novel (no surprise then he writes novels too!).
AG acknowledges clearly, as part of the narrative, when there is uncertainty and offers differing possibilities.
Whether intentional or not my view of Alexander was altered on conclusion of this book. I finished it feeling that Philip was the greater statesman, unifier and leader and that Alexander's 'achievements' more closer resemble piracy, particularly later in his campaigns once Persia was defeated. He appears to have brought misery to a lot of people purely for having the misfortune of existing along his line of march. Since this didn't result in a long lived civilisation its hard to see any benefit to those people sucked into his 'Empire'.
Harry Flashman
---
The world is not short of excellent books on Alexander the Great, so is there space for another one?
The answer has to be yes, because this account also takes an in-depth look at the achievements of Alexander’s father, Phillip. In taking this approach, Goldsworthy gives us a picture of a Macedonia that successfully moved from being on the point of collapse to conquering a huge empire in barely 40 years.
Whilst Alexander’s achievements are spectacular, this account also shows how Phillip provided the solid foundations that would facilitate Alexander’s subsequent successes. We are shown how, prior to Phillips accession, the Macedonian state waxed and waned along with the strength of its rulers and neighbours. A king’s accession was by no means assured and any perceived sign of weakness would be seized upon by both internal challengers and hungry neighbours, so a successful Macedonian ruler had to have a strong army, an acute sense of political strategy and be successful.
This is the essence of Goldsworthy’s narrative. He shows how both father and son came to power in an environment where the perception of strength was paramount and both father and son had to continue to “ride the tiger” or fall.
As always Goldsworthy’s narrative flows well. He has an easy writing style, with an effective shift between detail and overview where appropriate. He is willing to point up and discuss inconsistencies between sources and will often give what he considers the most probable turn of events, whilst making it clear where his stated view is only an opinion.
The book is well illustrated with both battle plans and strategic maps as well as a bibliography with some very useful comments. It is an excellent account for the general reader.
Grognard
Informative and entertaining
Adrian Goldsworthy is one of my favourite historians and this book doesn't disappoint.
Highlights:
Philip gets a substantial portion of this book and has me thinking he deserves a title of 'the great' more than his more famous son.
Goldsworthy's style flows and can feel like reading a novel (no surprise then he writes novels too!).
AG acknowledges clearly, as part of the narrative, when there is uncertainty and offers differing possibilities.
Whether intentional or not my view of Alexander was altered on conclusion of this book. I finished it feeling that Philip was the greater statesman, unifier and leader and that Alexander's 'achievements' more closer resemble piracy, particularly later in his campaigns once Persia was defeated. He appears to have brought misery to a lot of people purely for having the misfortune of existing along his line of march. Since this didn't result in a long lived civilisation its hard to see any benefit to those people sucked into his 'Empire'.
Harry Flashman
---
The world is not short of excellent books on Alexander the Great, so is there space for another one?
The answer has to be yes, because this account also takes an in-depth look at the achievements of Alexander’s father, Phillip. In taking this approach, Goldsworthy gives us a picture of a Macedonia that successfully moved from being on the point of collapse to conquering a huge empire in barely 40 years.
Whilst Alexander’s achievements are spectacular, this account also shows how Phillip provided the solid foundations that would facilitate Alexander’s subsequent successes. We are shown how, prior to Phillips accession, the Macedonian state waxed and waned along with the strength of its rulers and neighbours. A king’s accession was by no means assured and any perceived sign of weakness would be seized upon by both internal challengers and hungry neighbours, so a successful Macedonian ruler had to have a strong army, an acute sense of political strategy and be successful.
This is the essence of Goldsworthy’s narrative. He shows how both father and son came to power in an environment where the perception of strength was paramount and both father and son had to continue to “ride the tiger” or fall.
As always Goldsworthy’s narrative flows well. He has an easy writing style, with an effective shift between detail and overview where appropriate. He is willing to point up and discuss inconsistencies between sources and will often give what he considers the most probable turn of events, whilst making it clear where his stated view is only an opinion.
The book is well illustrated with both battle plans and strategic maps as well as a bibliography with some very useful comments. It is an excellent account for the general reader.
Grognard
Read
August 12, 2020I realized what I don't like about history book: focusing only on battles and the war aspect of a civilization.
While this book was promising and I was getting on very well with the writing style, I couldn't see myself reading 600 pages of battle after battle. The author did warn at the introduction that he's going to focus on the war aspect but I didn't think it'd be this boring to me. There's hints of culture and life, but sadly for me, the war and battles take the lead here and that's not something I like to read about.
I thank Netgalley for the digital ARC.
While this book was promising and I was getting on very well with the writing style, I couldn't see myself reading 600 pages of battle after battle. The author did warn at the introduction that he's going to focus on the war aspect but I didn't think it'd be this boring to me. There's hints of culture and life, but sadly for me, the war and battles take the lead here and that's not something I like to read about.
I thank Netgalley for the digital ARC.
April 1, 2023
Very good book and extremely helpful for my lectures
May 29, 2021
A solid, accessible and well-written dual biography.
If you’re familiar with the subject, you won’t find anything new here, and, in any case, any historian dealing with the ancient world has to work with less than ideal source material, so coming up with fresh ways to look at it is difficult. Goldsworthy has an excellent grasp of the subject matter, and he does a great job looking at the sources critically without getting bogged down. The narrative is broad, and he clearly explains the rise of Macedon and its culture, and does his best to look at how Philip and Alexander’s campaigns affected the lives of ordinary people.
The book is insightful and the narrative flows well. Goldsworthy does a great job describing what warfare in that era was like, and his account of the campaigns is vivid. The maps are great. Goldsworthy tries to emphasize Philip’s importance, but the reader will almost certainly find Alexander’s story to be the more interesting of the two.
A rich, enjoyable and comprehensive work.
If you’re familiar with the subject, you won’t find anything new here, and, in any case, any historian dealing with the ancient world has to work with less than ideal source material, so coming up with fresh ways to look at it is difficult. Goldsworthy has an excellent grasp of the subject matter, and he does a great job looking at the sources critically without getting bogged down. The narrative is broad, and he clearly explains the rise of Macedon and its culture, and does his best to look at how Philip and Alexander’s campaigns affected the lives of ordinary people.
The book is insightful and the narrative flows well. Goldsworthy does a great job describing what warfare in that era was like, and his account of the campaigns is vivid. The maps are great. Goldsworthy tries to emphasize Philip’s importance, but the reader will almost certainly find Alexander’s story to be the more interesting of the two.
A rich, enjoyable and comprehensive work.
January 1, 2022
This was a really good biography on both Philip and his son Alexander the great. Of course everyone knows about Alexander but this book really went into detail, which I found really interesting. And it never got boring. I really liked that the first part of the book was about Philip. It shows how important he was and that without him maybe Alexander would not have been "great".
I like Adrian Goldsworthy's books. I read one on Anthony and Cleopatra and now this one. And luckily there are many more, both fiction and non fiction. I will try to read the one on the Punic Wars as I want to find out more on Hannibal and Scipio Africanus. They are supposed to be some of the greatest generals in world history after Alexander the great.
Highly recommended
I like Adrian Goldsworthy's books. I read one on Anthony and Cleopatra and now this one. And luckily there are many more, both fiction and non fiction. I will try to read the one on the Punic Wars as I want to find out more on Hannibal and Scipio Africanus. They are supposed to be some of the greatest generals in world history after Alexander the great.
Highly recommended
May 2, 2022
Kudos to Mr. Adrian Goldsworthy on this epic biography of Philip II of Macedon and Alexander III of Macedon. This was bar none, the best researched and best written narrative of the life of Alexander the Great that I've had the privilege of reading.
This also happened to be the first biography of Philip of Macedon that I've read. Which was also excellent in both substance and style. I really liked that the author chose to tell the stories of both of these extraordinary men in one volume. Very reminiscent to Plutarch's "Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans."
After reading this dual biography, I agree with the author that there could never have been an Alexander the Great without Philip II of Macedon.
5 Stars and an absolute must read for any fan of Ancient History.
This also happened to be the first biography of Philip of Macedon that I've read. Which was also excellent in both substance and style. I really liked that the author chose to tell the stories of both of these extraordinary men in one volume. Very reminiscent to Plutarch's "Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans."
After reading this dual biography, I agree with the author that there could never have been an Alexander the Great without Philip II of Macedon.
5 Stars and an absolute must read for any fan of Ancient History.
June 1, 2021
Fantastic and gripping read about Philip and Alexander.
Highly recommend this book any fans of ancient history
Highly recommend this book any fans of ancient history
December 2, 2020
4.5 stars for this book, how can you read a book this big and not give it a 5 star rating?.
Well while I loved the content of the book and I was glad to read a book that focused a lot more on Philip and his story before Alexander, The format of the book is basically 200 pages (which is a lot longer than any other book about him ) about Philip and 300 pages about Alexander. The sources were carefully selected and the narrative flowed very smoothly and at some points it felt like you were reading a fictional account (which is a compliment for a nonfiction book as big as this one). The reason that I did not give it a 5 star rating was because the book did focus a little too much in the battles and preparation for them. While any book that deals with Alexander and his campaigns cannot help but focus on the battles I think this book could have done something different. IT was a great effort to put this book together but if you are not into battles you wont appreciate it. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Hellenic history.
Well while I loved the content of the book and I was glad to read a book that focused a lot more on Philip and his story before Alexander, The format of the book is basically 200 pages (which is a lot longer than any other book about him ) about Philip and 300 pages about Alexander. The sources were carefully selected and the narrative flowed very smoothly and at some points it felt like you were reading a fictional account (which is a compliment for a nonfiction book as big as this one). The reason that I did not give it a 5 star rating was because the book did focus a little too much in the battles and preparation for them. While any book that deals with Alexander and his campaigns cannot help but focus on the battles I think this book could have done something different. IT was a great effort to put this book together but if you are not into battles you wont appreciate it. I highly recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Hellenic history.
February 27, 2023
The Great and the Greatest
This tale is incredible in the telling, even more so to realize how much we do not know about this ancient adventure that starts with the father and ended with the son. Biographies of either man tend to take one side or the other. Philip taken by himself would easily merit the epithet Megas were it not for begetting a son that would outshine him like the Sun does the Moon. However, Goldsworthy emphasizes the impossibility of Alexander achieving a fraction of what he did without the decades of groundwork that Philip laid down. Philip took a loose collection of tribespeople and goat herders and fashioned them into a murder machine built 16 ranks deep – the famous Macedonian phalanx armed with the world-beating long pikes known as sarissas. They ran over enemy infantry like an ancient tank and no cavalryman could come within a sword length of these soldiers:
I have been enamored with Alexander and his world for the better part of a year now, and have started with basic popular biographies but now I find myself delving into source material, and academic papers on esoteric websites. The studies by Everitt and Freeman mix heavy doses of personality into the military tale and serve well to delve into Alexander’s psychology. No matter that much of it is necessarily speculative. Apart from indirect sources such as Plutarch, much of the personalities of both Philip and Alexander are outshone by their accomplishments. We simply don’t know what they were like, other than extrapolating some insight from their reported actions.
There are so many lacunae in the sources, that historians must stitch them together in patchwork formation to ensure that a reasonable narrative can be brought to bear. A noticeable chunk of this book tackles the incredibly hard practice of historiography. Goldsworthy is a historian for our time where even our modern “truth” needs copious footnotes – he is not quite trusting his sources, but ably performs an impossible task in working them over his literary anvil to pound out the likely truth of Alexander’s life. In essence, the most informative extant source that is available to us is originated by Arrian of Nicomedia, writing in the 2nd century AD (five hundred years after Alexander’s flourishing). Furthermore, Arrian was deriving his own history from multiple ancient, possibly contemporaneous sources that are sadly lost to us in the modern day. Imagine sitting down today to write an authoritative biography of King Henry VIII of England but only from sources and memoirs written a hundred years after his death. I somehow hope that within my lifetime, somewhere in Alexandria an ancient papyrus will be uncovered reveling the unabridged autobiography of Ptolemy – the general who wrote his own eyewitness to the grand campaigns that has been quoted as a major source of sources for us, reading about these events over 2,300 years later. Ptolemy was right there the whole time, and we are missing his words to read for ourselves; the tragedy!
There is more than a hint of discomfort we have as modern readers to glorifying acts that qualify Alexander as a totalitarian ruler – someone who has directed wholesale massacres of civilians, including women and children – a man who has sold entire populations into slavery – a warlord who is responsible for the sacking and burning of two major cities of the world at that time: Thebes and Persepolis.
Imagine all the records and culture lost in those two acts! It is the equivalent of a 20th century dictator burning down Los Angeles and then for good measure, Paris all in a span of 5 years. Evidence from source narratives shows numerous grim incidents of executions, rapes, destruction and even the killing of refugees and ambushes of otherwise peaceful hill folks or fisher people that lived a tribal or bronze age agrarian lifestyle. They probably thought hell itself opened to disgorge this army of murderous Europeans upon their quiet lands. The brutality that Alexander’s army brought to an unsuspecting populace from Anatolia to the Indus was horrific, undefeated, and all-consuming. The “retreat” or return from India through a coastal route was sprinkled even further with pillaging and killing of native populations with truly little to give anyway but their lives. There are a thousand apologias written over the years for Alexander – this is a complicated man to admire by the regular man and for expert historians. We should take the measure of the man who succeeded for the times he lived in and understand that our fascination with his achievements need not exclude the brutality of his methods.
Two incidents are profoundly disquieting, turning this narrative into more of a piercing indictment of Alexander’s descent into a paranoid ruler. He drunkenly murders one of his oldest friends with his own hands, and later he executes Philotas, a trusted member of his inner circle, and then sends two assassins back along his path of conquest to murder Philotas’ father Parmenion – his oldest and most trusted general. This was a man whose loyalty was unmatched, who came up under his father Philip II then marched with his son and Philip’s son to the end of the known world.
The end of Alexander’s life and the fracturing of his empire is best covered in the superb Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire by James Romm. The sources improve there, and the stories of Eumenes, Antigonus One-eye and Cassander should be read and studied on their own merits in that book.
In Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors Goldsworthy’s epilogue that follows is clearly a distillation of years-long study and contemplation by a world-class Classical scholar into the intertwining fates and historical judgment on this father-son pair that is likely the most influential such duo in all of recorded history. This section is worth the entire price of admission by itself.
Goldsworthy’s transition between Philip and Alexander, where one ended and the other really begins, are the strongest aspect of this magisterial study. We already know, but now comprehend how either man could not affix his standard in the firmament of history, without the other. Their bodies may be now dust and their empires long gone, but their deeds and memories still remain in the world’s mind, these many millennia later. They both got what they wanted most of all: glory and fame without end.
This tale is incredible in the telling, even more so to realize how much we do not know about this ancient adventure that starts with the father and ended with the son. Biographies of either man tend to take one side or the other. Philip taken by himself would easily merit the epithet Megas were it not for begetting a son that would outshine him like the Sun does the Moon. However, Goldsworthy emphasizes the impossibility of Alexander achieving a fraction of what he did without the decades of groundwork that Philip laid down. Philip took a loose collection of tribespeople and goat herders and fashioned them into a murder machine built 16 ranks deep – the famous Macedonian phalanx armed with the world-beating long pikes known as sarissas. They ran over enemy infantry like an ancient tank and no cavalryman could come within a sword length of these soldiers:
I have been enamored with Alexander and his world for the better part of a year now, and have started with basic popular biographies but now I find myself delving into source material, and academic papers on esoteric websites. The studies by Everitt and Freeman mix heavy doses of personality into the military tale and serve well to delve into Alexander’s psychology. No matter that much of it is necessarily speculative. Apart from indirect sources such as Plutarch, much of the personalities of both Philip and Alexander are outshone by their accomplishments. We simply don’t know what they were like, other than extrapolating some insight from their reported actions.
There are so many lacunae in the sources, that historians must stitch them together in patchwork formation to ensure that a reasonable narrative can be brought to bear. A noticeable chunk of this book tackles the incredibly hard practice of historiography. Goldsworthy is a historian for our time where even our modern “truth” needs copious footnotes – he is not quite trusting his sources, but ably performs an impossible task in working them over his literary anvil to pound out the likely truth of Alexander’s life. In essence, the most informative extant source that is available to us is originated by Arrian of Nicomedia, writing in the 2nd century AD (five hundred years after Alexander’s flourishing). Furthermore, Arrian was deriving his own history from multiple ancient, possibly contemporaneous sources that are sadly lost to us in the modern day. Imagine sitting down today to write an authoritative biography of King Henry VIII of England but only from sources and memoirs written a hundred years after his death. I somehow hope that within my lifetime, somewhere in Alexandria an ancient papyrus will be uncovered reveling the unabridged autobiography of Ptolemy – the general who wrote his own eyewitness to the grand campaigns that has been quoted as a major source of sources for us, reading about these events over 2,300 years later. Ptolemy was right there the whole time, and we are missing his words to read for ourselves; the tragedy!
There is more than a hint of discomfort we have as modern readers to glorifying acts that qualify Alexander as a totalitarian ruler – someone who has directed wholesale massacres of civilians, including women and children – a man who has sold entire populations into slavery – a warlord who is responsible for the sacking and burning of two major cities of the world at that time: Thebes and Persepolis.
Imagine all the records and culture lost in those two acts! It is the equivalent of a 20th century dictator burning down Los Angeles and then for good measure, Paris all in a span of 5 years. Evidence from source narratives shows numerous grim incidents of executions, rapes, destruction and even the killing of refugees and ambushes of otherwise peaceful hill folks or fisher people that lived a tribal or bronze age agrarian lifestyle. They probably thought hell itself opened to disgorge this army of murderous Europeans upon their quiet lands. The brutality that Alexander’s army brought to an unsuspecting populace from Anatolia to the Indus was horrific, undefeated, and all-consuming. The “retreat” or return from India through a coastal route was sprinkled even further with pillaging and killing of native populations with truly little to give anyway but their lives. There are a thousand apologias written over the years for Alexander – this is a complicated man to admire by the regular man and for expert historians. We should take the measure of the man who succeeded for the times he lived in and understand that our fascination with his achievements need not exclude the brutality of his methods.
Two incidents are profoundly disquieting, turning this narrative into more of a piercing indictment of Alexander’s descent into a paranoid ruler. He drunkenly murders one of his oldest friends with his own hands, and later he executes Philotas, a trusted member of his inner circle, and then sends two assassins back along his path of conquest to murder Philotas’ father Parmenion – his oldest and most trusted general. This was a man whose loyalty was unmatched, who came up under his father Philip II then marched with his son and Philip’s son to the end of the known world.
The end of Alexander’s life and the fracturing of his empire is best covered in the superb Ghost on the Throne: The Death of Alexander the Great and the War for Crown and Empire by James Romm. The sources improve there, and the stories of Eumenes, Antigonus One-eye and Cassander should be read and studied on their own merits in that book.
In Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors Goldsworthy’s epilogue that follows is clearly a distillation of years-long study and contemplation by a world-class Classical scholar into the intertwining fates and historical judgment on this father-son pair that is likely the most influential such duo in all of recorded history. This section is worth the entire price of admission by itself.
Goldsworthy’s transition between Philip and Alexander, where one ended and the other really begins, are the strongest aspect of this magisterial study. We already know, but now comprehend how either man could not affix his standard in the firmament of history, without the other. Their bodies may be now dust and their empires long gone, but their deeds and memories still remain in the world’s mind, these many millennia later. They both got what they wanted most of all: glory and fame without end.
March 12, 2022
La mayor virtud de este libro es presentar a Filipo y Alejandro como un continuo. Alejandro no hace sino completar, brillantemente, los planes de Filipo, un personaje cuya brillantez, inteligencia y arrojo no son en modo alguno inferiores a los de su hijo al que quizá supera incluso en truculencia. El mayor defecto no haber continuado con los "juegos fúnebres" a los que se entregaron los generales de Alejandro a la muerte de éste. Cierto que ello probablemente requeriría su propio libro o un par de ellos.
Como siempre Goldsworthy conoce perfectamente el material, escribe con claridad y elegancia y juzga con inteligencia. Un libro muy recomendable.
Como siempre Goldsworthy conoce perfectamente el material, escribe con claridad y elegancia y juzga con inteligencia. Un libro muy recomendable.
December 14, 2022
A truly excellent dual biography/military/political history of Philip of Macedon, and his more famous son: Alexander the Great. While not taking anything away from the accomplishments of Alexander, Goldsworthy does a very job in the first third of the book of showing how Philip laid the foundation of his son's later triumphs.
And in his discussion of Alexander, Goldsworthy eschews the notion of more than a few who have claimed that Alexander was insane, or a savage. He places both men within the context of their times, never falling prey to the en vogue heresy of Presentism, and showcases them for the Kings, and Conquerors they truly were.
And, since it is an Adrian Goldsworthy work, it serves as a useful primer on the broader political, and military, history of the era in Greece and the Middle East.
Very well written, well argued, and genuinely enjoyable to read, this is one of the best books on either Philip or his legendary son.
And in his discussion of Alexander, Goldsworthy eschews the notion of more than a few who have claimed that Alexander was insane, or a savage. He places both men within the context of their times, never falling prey to the en vogue heresy of Presentism, and showcases them for the Kings, and Conquerors they truly were.
And, since it is an Adrian Goldsworthy work, it serves as a useful primer on the broader political, and military, history of the era in Greece and the Middle East.
Very well written, well argued, and genuinely enjoyable to read, this is one of the best books on either Philip or his legendary son.
July 19, 2023
This would be my #1 recommendation for anyone wanting to learn about Philip and Alexander(after reading dozens of AtG biographies and novels). Goldsworthy admitted in the introduction that his own research focused on Roman history. But I think this made his narrative very open and less biases. Sorting through the scant ancient sources on Philip and more abundant yet indirect materials on Alexander is a laborious task. Goldsworthy did it artfully. He presented evidences and contradictions when they happen and offered his own interpretations while letting the readers draw their own conclusions. He managed to analyze the events with new perspectives without being anachronistic or inaccessible. The pacing was quite good as well. My favorite quote:
"Sexuality was a minor concern when the Greeks or Romans tried to understand someone’s character, which ought to put the modern obsession into some sort of perspective."
"Sexuality was a minor concern when the Greeks or Romans tried to understand someone’s character, which ought to put the modern obsession into some sort of perspective."
dnfed
January 23, 2021Thanks to NetGalley and Basic Books for providing an ARC!
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Unfortunately, after some months without touching this book, I think it's time to DNF it.
It's well written, well researched; but it might be too precise and detailed for me who know next to nothing about Macedonia, Philip and Alexander. I was there to learn, but it's not a good introduction; it's a book I should pick up when I'm ready to learn more after getting some bases first. So, I might go back to this book later!
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Unfortunately, after some months without touching this book, I think it's time to DNF it.
It's well written, well researched; but it might be too precise and detailed for me who know next to nothing about Macedonia, Philip and Alexander. I was there to learn, but it's not a good introduction; it's a book I should pick up when I'm ready to learn more after getting some bases first. So, I might go back to this book later!
March 25, 2021
Buy.
Why buy? Well because you should always buy anything by Adrian Goldsworthy and because this a good solid book.
Why four stars? Four stars because Goldsworthy's account of the life of Philip is a huge addition to the literature. This is likely the best account of his life yet done, and with no more sources forthcoming, probably the best ever. When it comes to Alexander, however, I prefer the depth of the Robin Lane Fox masterpiece.
Why buy? Well because you should always buy anything by Adrian Goldsworthy and because this a good solid book.
Why four stars? Four stars because Goldsworthy's account of the life of Philip is a huge addition to the literature. This is likely the best account of his life yet done, and with no more sources forthcoming, probably the best ever. When it comes to Alexander, however, I prefer the depth of the Robin Lane Fox masterpiece.
January 25, 2022
This book is a great primer for anyone interested in the military and political exploits of Alexander and his very accomplished father, Philip. I’ve read other nonfiction works by Goldsworthy (as well as some great historical fiction!) and I’m always happy with the balance he strikes between accessibility and scholarly rigor.
This period of ancient history is not the author’s specialization, but I found the historical analysis to be sober and nuanced. If there is a lack of historical data on a particular period or topic, the author acknowledges it. If a certain set of historical evidence could lead to two different interpretations, the author provides both and their corresponding rationales.
If you’re interested in either of these two famous Macedonians, I’d highly recommend starting here.
This period of ancient history is not the author’s specialization, but I found the historical analysis to be sober and nuanced. If there is a lack of historical data on a particular period or topic, the author acknowledges it. If a certain set of historical evidence could lead to two different interpretations, the author provides both and their corresponding rationales.
If you’re interested in either of these two famous Macedonians, I’d highly recommend starting here.
September 17, 2022
I found this book enjoyable in the sense that it gave me a good background to Philip and Alexander and how they achieved so much.
However, I felt the book was overly long, especially considering how little we really know about these two men. I also found this illustrated many of the challenges with biography as a format for such ancient figures, when we only have fragmentary evidence to support our narratives.
However, I felt the book was overly long, especially considering how little we really know about these two men. I also found this illustrated many of the challenges with biography as a format for such ancient figures, when we only have fragmentary evidence to support our narratives.
March 19, 2024
The Original Successor
Philip and Alexander’s marketing blurb led me astray, as I expected a biography that tied the two men’s achievements together beat by beat, providing a nuanced view of how even the Great stood on the shoulders of Giants. Instead, Philip and Alexander are two separate chronological biographies served together, never becoming more than the sum of the parts.
The author values completeness and authenticity but never strives to engage the reader. The thorough descriptions of Alexander’s campaigns post-Bessus are painfully complete. Even the King remarked that soon after defeating one tribe, another would take its place. The grinding halt of the Macedonian army’s momentum matches the pace of Philip and Alexander as it bogs down with endless details and minor skirmishes in the Hindu-Kush. India should be a marked contrast: a land of riches, complex local dynamics and the mighty War Elephant, but by then the audacity of Alexander’s terror campaigns felt rote. The last year of his life passes in a blur, and once dead, the breaking of the Empire and destruction of the remaining Argeads are covered so quickly that one wonders if the author wasn’t bored with the topic.
Yet surprisingly, the first half is a constant thrill. Philip’s stabilization of Macedonia, his clever political Hellenic maneuvering, and expansion and innovations in the army make the case that Alexander would have been nothing without a dominant foundation. More importantly, Philip constantly faced novel problems, and his solutions were innovative. The author’s narrative wanders when he has a preponderance of material, such as the set-piece battles that would see Darius III defeated. He’ll gauge the truthfulness of sources, often digressing about modern number inflation or conflicting claims. But Philip’s life is ill-documented, and in that obscurity, Philip and Alexander is at its best documenting the grand decisions that would shape a nation.
Recommended.
Philip and Alexander’s marketing blurb led me astray, as I expected a biography that tied the two men’s achievements together beat by beat, providing a nuanced view of how even the Great stood on the shoulders of Giants. Instead, Philip and Alexander are two separate chronological biographies served together, never becoming more than the sum of the parts.
The author values completeness and authenticity but never strives to engage the reader. The thorough descriptions of Alexander’s campaigns post-Bessus are painfully complete. Even the King remarked that soon after defeating one tribe, another would take its place. The grinding halt of the Macedonian army’s momentum matches the pace of Philip and Alexander as it bogs down with endless details and minor skirmishes in the Hindu-Kush. India should be a marked contrast: a land of riches, complex local dynamics and the mighty War Elephant, but by then the audacity of Alexander’s terror campaigns felt rote. The last year of his life passes in a blur, and once dead, the breaking of the Empire and destruction of the remaining Argeads are covered so quickly that one wonders if the author wasn’t bored with the topic.
Yet surprisingly, the first half is a constant thrill. Philip’s stabilization of Macedonia, his clever political Hellenic maneuvering, and expansion and innovations in the army make the case that Alexander would have been nothing without a dominant foundation. More importantly, Philip constantly faced novel problems, and his solutions were innovative. The author’s narrative wanders when he has a preponderance of material, such as the set-piece battles that would see Darius III defeated. He’ll gauge the truthfulness of sources, often digressing about modern number inflation or conflicting claims. But Philip’s life is ill-documented, and in that obscurity, Philip and Alexander is at its best documenting the grand decisions that would shape a nation.
Recommended.
July 19, 2023
The story of Alexander the Great and his father Phillip is definitely one for the ages. The author did a very good job here in building a historical narrative without straying into historical fiction or a great deal of supposition, with very clear and interesting discussions on the disagreements between sources and the author’s interpretation of history where uncertainty exists.
Each of their stories can easily fill volumes on their own, and they have, but condensing them into one volume without losing coherent narrative is impressive. This book is especially strong in explaining the setting that these two rulers accomplishments occurred in, and the impact their actions had on those around them.
Each of their stories can easily fill volumes on their own, and they have, but condensing them into one volume without losing coherent narrative is impressive. This book is especially strong in explaining the setting that these two rulers accomplishments occurred in, and the impact their actions had on those around them.
April 2, 2024
“no matter what he conquered he would not have stopped”
this book was really long but very well written and packed with so much information - i really see alexander, and philip, in a much more human way.
this book was really long but very well written and packed with so much information - i really see alexander, and philip, in a much more human way.
May 28, 2024
If you read one book on Alexander the Great and his father, let this be it. Goldsworthy did a great job going into detail on the conquests of Alexander and does it in a way that keeps one's attention. This had me very entertained!
July 20, 2021
heel veel gevechtjes
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2022
Goldsworthy did it again. With his catching writing, wide scope, and extensive research, he manages to make history come to life.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 242 reviews