Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.

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Until recently, biographers and scholars depicted Alexander the Great as a visionary genius, pursuing a united world with benevolence or brute power. Green, a Cambridge-trained classicist and novelist, presents a more nuanced view of Alexander as a complex individual and a single-minded general, capable of extreme actions like patricide and civilian massacres. He describes Alexander as "the most brilliant (and ambitious) field commander in history," yet indifferent to the administrative ideals imposed by later generations who found his conquests challenging to their liberal sensibilities. The biography opens with an exploration of Alexander's father, Philip of Macedonia, whose centralized government and military laid the groundwork for Alexander's future. While Philip's influence is significant, it does not entirely define Alexander. After being named hegemon of the Hellenic League, many philosophers congratulated him, but one, Diogenes the Cynic, stood out. When Alexander visited Diogenes and offered assistance, the philosopher famously replied, "Don't stand between me and the sun." Alexander's response, "If I were not Alexander, I would be Diogenes," reveals a surprising depth. For general readers, the book is rich with gritty details and acknowledges Alexander's darker aspects, providing a gripping narrative of his career. It includes extensive backnotes, fourteen maps, and chronological and genealogical tables for thos