Alexander the Great
Lessons from History's Undefeated General
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ISBN10: 0230619150
ISBN13: 9780230619159
Hardcover
224 Pages
$36.99
CA$51.99
When the Oracle of Delphi told Alexander the Great that he was invincible, it was right.
The son of the great King Philip II of Macedonia, Alexander was educated by Aristotle and commanded a wing of his father's army in the victory over the Thebans and Athenians at the Battle of Chaeronea—all when he was still just a teenager. By the time of his death at age 32, he had amassed an empire that stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River and included all of Persia and most of Egypt. He ruled as both the shah of Persia and as a pharaoh of Egypt by right of conquest, and he was also crowned king of Asia.
Here, historian Bill Yenne illuminates the legendary vision of this classical hero. Exhibiting the best traits of a battlefield leader, Alexander was audacious, aggressive, fearless and victorious. His unfailing integration of strategic vision and tactical genius took him to the ends of the earth, and into immortality as a military leader. Alexander's influence on cultural and political history and the scope of his military prowess remains awe-inspiring to this day.
Reviews
Praise for Alexander the Great
"Hugely experienced military historian Bill Yenne has added yet another glittering feather to his cap with this impeccably source-based account of the military Midas of the ancient world. One can only agree with General Wesley K. Clark that Alexander's legacy is enduringly informative."—Paul Cartledge, A. G. Leventis Professor of Greek Culture at Cambridge University and author of Alexander the Great
"An excellent survey of Alexander's exploits and a vivid reminder that the geopolitical landscape hasn't changed that much over the millennia."—John Negroponte, Senior Research Fellow and Lecturer in International Affairs at Yale University
"In Alexander the Great, as in all his many books, Bill Yenne displays his talent for succinctly painting the big picture with a series of fascinating details that make ancient history come alive. Only an author of his experience and capability could render the amazing story of Alexander the Great with such accuracy and feeling. Yenne grabs the reader on page one and doesn't let go until the book is ended with an intriguing chapter on what might have been if Alexander's life had not been cut short. This book will make us yearn for the return of a leader like Alexander to resolve our current wars in the Middle East."—Walter Boyne, Colonel USAF (Ret.) and Former Director of the National Air & Space Museum
"Powerful, compelling and rich in detail, Bill Yenne's Alexander the Great tells the remarkable story of a military leader unequaled in his time and perhaps unequaled in recorded history. In just a few short years Alexander was able to conquer the known world, utilizing an army that mirrored its leader; fast, dependable, tactically skilled and strategically sound. The fact is that the army of Alexander was a lethal force, unstoppable and undefeated on the battlefield. Yenne, an accomplished historian and master storyteller, leads the reader through the world of Alexander, explaining and exploring the logistics and complexities of the ancient battlefield. Since the time of Alexander every major military commander and school of military arts has studied the campaigns of famous leaders. While the names of those who fought and succeeded through military history are recognizable and accomplished, only one is called Alexander the Great. We can thank Bill Yenne for telling us why."—Brian Sobel, author of The Fighting Pattons
