Description
Alexander's greatest influence was not his leadership (his empire was eventually conquered by Rome), but spreading Greek culture throughout the lands east of the Mediterranean. He is the reason that gold coins from Afghanistan depicted Greek gods and heroes until as recently as several centuries ago. It is because of Alexander that St. Paul, a Jew who lived in modern-day Syria before travelling to modern-day Israel, spoke Greek, and it is because of Alexander that the earliest Christian documents, including the scriptures, were written in Greek.
About the Author
Philip Freeman is the Fletcher Jones Chair of Western Culture at Pepperdine University and was formerly professor of classics at Luther College and Washington University. He earned the first joint PhD in classics and Celtic studies from Harvard University, and has been a visiting scholar at the Harvard Divinity School, the American Academy in Rome, the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, and the Center for Hellenic Studies in Washington, DC. He is the author of several books including Alexander the Great, St. Patrick of Ireland, Julius Caesar, and Oh My Gods. Visit him at PhilipFreemanBooks.com.
Reviews
"Mr. Freeman's ambition, he tells us in his introduction, was 'to write a biography of Alexander that is first and foremost a story.' It is one he splendidly fulfills."
-Tom Holland, The Wall Street Journal
"A well-written, chronological narrative that allows Alexander's remarkable career and achievements to speak for themselves. . . . Readers will appreciate this fine account of a man truly deserving of the title 'Great.'"
-Booklist
"Fast-paced and dramatic, much like Alexander himself, this is a splendid introduction into one of the most dramatic true stories of history."
-Adrian Goldsworthy, author of Antony and Cleopatra
"Lean, learned, and marked by good judgment on every page, Alexander the Great is also a roaring good yarn. Philip Freeman has the eye of someone who has walked in Alexander's footsteps, and he writes with grace and wisdom."
-Barry Strauss, author of The Spartacus War and professor of history, Cornell University
"Freeman tells us about Alexander's life like a novel-a remarkably interesting novel, to boot."
-Sarah Hann, The Saturday Evening Post
Book Information
ISBN 9781416592815
Author Philip Freeman
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Simon & Schuster
Publisher Simon & Schuster
Weight(grams) 356g
Dimensions(mm) 214mm * 140mm * 25mm