History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Empire of Ashes: A Novel of Alexander the Great

Average customer rating:

NiCastro is no Plutarch or Arrian
Alexander the Great?
Good book, interesting point of view, not great
Clever and authentic
Another novel of Alexander the Great

Empire of Ashes: A Novel of Alexander the Great
Nicholas Nicastro
Manufacturer: Signet
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0451213661

Book Description

323 B.C. The great Alexander is dead. Machon-the late emperor's renowned friend and ally-is being scapegoated for his downfall. An outsider on trial for his life, Machon will tell his Greek accusers the stunning, tragic truth behind the meteoric rise and fall of a peerless military leader who proclaimed himself a god-and lost his humanity.

Customer Reviews:

NiCastro is no Plutarch or Arrian.......2007-08-04

If you want to read about Alexander you start with Plutarch's The Age of Alexander or Arrian's Penguin Classics Campaigns Of Alexander where one can learn real history and not some fictuous non sense found in this book from Nicastro's pathetic attempt to write history.

Alexander the Great?.......2007-02-18

The thing i loved most about this book is the unique point of view nacastro portrays about alexander. For once he is portrayed as something other than a brilliant military tactician and fearless leader, the reader is given other explanations for some of his victories and success. While Nicastro explains the things that are fiction he also tells you what isn't historically accurate and gives you other things that may have contributed to his success. Although I found the religious talk around the middle of the book a struggle to get through the book was still a page turner and full of suspense on the outcome of some events. A definite must get.

Good book, interesting point of view, not great.......2006-03-09

I agree with much of the previous reviewers opinion. I thought the point of view of Machon was an interesting approach especially with the position he is in of defending himself. Thus the writer, writing from Machon's point of view, must point out flaws of Alexander's character. I do not know if Nicastro believes all the things he writes about Alexander but I think he wants to show that their is another side of the story. However I think that Machon is given too much skill in divulging other peoples thoughts in the book to make the story better. He loses some believability in Machon's extensive psychological analysis of others. Also he may go to far to even have to vilify his horse. Since the story is a telling of the story it needed more action in the book to make it read easier and be more interesting. I rarely complain about lack of action but I do not think that Nicastro's descriptions brought the reader into the story as well as others (i.e. Pressfield). I liked the book, but did not think it was great. It should not get a 5 rating just because of the approach it took. I hated the movie Alexander but still liked this book even though they tell a similar story.

Clever and authentic.......2006-02-09

This book seems to be the victim of more misunderstanding that any ancient epic I've seen recently. What the author is doing here is telling the history of Alexander from the point of view of a fictional character. But this character, Machon, does represent a real group of ancient commentators (especially in democratic Athens) who were not so enamored of King Alexander during his lifetime. Machon is on trial for his life for portraying Alex as a human, not a god--for having flaws. This should hardly be a controversial position for modern readers! Yet some readers are so married to their heroic, idealizing image of Alexander that they've attacked the book and the author. This is unfortunate and unfair--the author is not the same as the narrator.

On the contrary, I think we need more novels about ancient subjects that take chances, like this one. When the story of Alexander becomes just a dull litany of triumphs, his story is effectively dead. Long live Alexander!

Another novel of Alexander the Great.......2005-05-05

EMPIRE OF THE ASHES is fresh and original and absolutely fascinating. The year is 323 B.C., and Alexander the Great is dead. The story begins with the trial of Machon, one of Alexander's confidants. Machon is accused of contravening the instructions given by the Assembly when he joined Alexander, thus betraying public trust, and of committing impiety before the god, known in human form as Alexander III.

The trial is held in Athens in what I suppose is traditional Athenian manner. (See the author's afterword for more.) There is much political uncertainty and unrest in Athens now that Alexander is dead and no longer able to protect the city from the Macedonians. The jury is selected at random; for this trial fifty men from each tribe are selected, totaling 500 jurors. The indictment itself is brought by the prosecutor Aeschines, who speaks first, and gives evidence relating to the charges brought against Machon. He is a persuasive and dramatic man, who has a presence reminiscent of his theater days. With ease and flair, he presents his case, and clearly, one is swayed by his characterization of Machon, son of Agathon.

Then Machon presents his case, and as a juror nicknamed Swallow realizes, "This might be something." And something it is. The tale Machon weaves is one of intrigue, gripping, bold and mesmerizing. We learn of Alexander and all his vulnerabilities, his foibles; in short, we learn of the incredible toll that ten years of travel and conquering took on the "god" Alexander. What we see, in the end, is a man like any other. A brilliant strategist, a cunning and charismatic military leader, and a man who was relentless in his desire to conquer, but a man all the same.

And what happens to Machon? Is he successful in his fight for freedom? The tale weaves history, tradition, politics, suspense, thrills, and even humor in its excellent plot. I thoroughly enjoyed EMPIRE OF ASHES and recommend it to all those who enjoy reading accounts of this fascinating man. What's true and what's not? Frankly, I don't care. I don't claim to be a purist; I am just an average reader looking for a great read. I found it in EMPIRE OF ASHES.

Average customer rating:

Excellent - if you can handle Heckel's academic approach
Must have for serious Alexander historians

The Marshals of Alexander's Empire
Waldemar Heckel
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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ASIN: 0415050537

Book Description

The successors of Alexander the Great were neither his closest friends nor his most prominent generals. But because these marshals labored in his shadow, their careers and contributions to Alexander's success have been neglected by historians, ancient and modern. The primary aim of this book is to bring them to light. br br Waldemar Heckel presents an interpretative prosopographical study of more than 130 officers who served Alexander the Great. As such, b /b b i The Marshals of Alexander's Empire /i /b b /b is a revision, a continuation and an expansion of H. Berve's i Das Alexanderreich aup prosopographischer Grunlage /i , volume 2 (Munich, 1926). b /b b i The Marshals of Alexander's Empire /i /b b /b provides the first full discussion in English of the careers of Alexander's Macedonian officers and closest friends.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent - if you can handle Heckel's academic approach.......2002-01-08

Due to the high price of this work, I had been hesitant to buy it. But it is worth every dollar. Heckel is accurate, academic, informative. His stories about the lives of Krateros, Perdikkas, Ptolemy etc. continue from the point where most Alexander biographies have stopped. Don't expect something that is easy to digest: a normal page in Heckel is half narrative, half annotations.

The lives of Alexander's generals are fascinating and tragic stories on their own account. As Heckel puts it: the men that had fought so hard to conquer Persia were never destined to rule it. That sums up the overall tragedy.

Must have for serious Alexander historians.......2000-04-27

Whether you're a professional or an amateur, if you pursue Alexander history, this book is a must-have (despite it's forbidding cost). It's the first recent prosopographical study of Alexander's court, and the only one in English. Heckel uses both textual and epigraphic evidence to present thorough studies of key figures in Alexander's administration: Parmention, Krateros, Hephaistion, Leonnatos, Ptolemy, Antipatros . . . just to name a few.

The Wisdom of Alexander The Great: Enduring Leadership Lessons From The Man Who Created An Empire

Average customer rating:

The Wisdom of Alexander The Great
Leadership Wisdom
The Commericalization of Alexander for American Business
Great Lessons from the Great One
Contrived.

The Wisdom of Alexander The Great: Enduring Leadership Lessons From The Man Who Created An Empire
Lance B. Kurke
Manufacturer: AMACOM/American Management Association
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0814408206

Book Description

Exceptional leaders are the ones who are able to analyze problems, optimize resources, inspire loyalty, and execute strategy. There is no more stunning example in history than Alexander the Great, whose leadership skills were so immense that they still resonate some 2,000 years later. The Wisdom of Alexander the Great reveals four leadership processes distilled from the life and extraordinary accomplishments of Alexander, King of Macedonia. Readers will learn how he:* reframed problems in order to meet seemingly insurmountable challenges* built alliances by using his strength to generate trust and respect, not just fear* established identity and "branded" himself a unifier, thus keeping the home base secure while continuing to expand his empire* recognized and assimilated the cultures and symbols of different peoples, becoming a powerful and trusted figure everywhere he wentThe Wisdom of Alexander the Great relates 34 riveting episodes from Alexander's expansion through India and the Persian Empire, includingincluding Asia Minor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, and more. Each example, tied to a modern-day counterpart, imparts valuable lessons from the timeless legend of one of the greatest leaders in history.

Customer Reviews:

The Wisdom of Alexander The Great.......2007-07-16

Alexander the Great ascended the throne at age 20, unified Greece in less than two years, and conquered Asia Minor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, the Middle East, the Persian Empire, and Afghanistan. In every battle he was at the forefront fighting with his men and always refused medical treatment until his men had been treated. He made a lot of really big mistakes but he also achieved a good deal.

The Wisdom of Alexander the Great looks at snippets of Alexander the Great's reign; examines the leader's actions and reactions; and then analyzes comparable strategies in modern business. These excerpts are organized according to four main leadership strategies: reframing problems, building alliances, establishing identity, and directing symbols.

The tone of this book is a little different that most business books on the market. The focus here is on building strong leadership that others will follow rather than a shared leadership scheme of many like books. Indeed, this publication states that it is imperative that a good leader know how to spin things when problems arise.

Leadership Wisdom.......2006-10-15

This book teaches readers about four strategic topics to practice to enable them to be great business leaders. The author is of the view that by studying Alexander the Great, one can derive important lessons which they can use in today's fiercely competitive operating environment.

It is easy to dismiss the author's premise in that the environment during Alexander's time is very different from the present one. However, if one employs the lessons with care, bearing in mind the historical context, I think the author did a commendable job of coming up with an interesting and insightful book. Those that are open minded will find the book a useful addition to the collection of other management books by the likes of John Adair and Peter Drucker.

I have always been fascinated by Alexander since I first learnt about him at secondary school. This is a man that by age 33 had conquered most of the then known world. It is a wonder how he managed the logistics of moving a huge army, feed it, provide water and other combat supplies, cater for the injured and effectively maintain a string of cities that he had captured. It was, therefore, little wonder that I welcomed Lance Kurke's addition to the voluminous literature on Alexander the Great by enabling me to see how I can use some of the lessons learnt from his brilliant campaigns.

I particularly enjoyed reading about Alexander the Great's approach towards challengers and people and how I can use this knowledge in refining my leadership and management expertise. This is an insightful book that is highly recommended.

The Commericalization of Alexander for American Business.......2006-04-16

American business books are money-makers so this is an inevitable publication. The one thing I must ask is: if everyone created an empire we would run out of consumers. So, the reason there is only one or two Alexanders in a century, is that the economy couldn't handle too many moguls running around. Needless to say, there is NO one template for success except maybe for certain personality traits but even then Alexander was a prince, a warrior, and went into battle in such a way that today he would be tried for war crimes in The Hague by the International World Court. Leaders create results but often the methods themselves are good or bad. Besides, so much debate surrounds Alexander himself that to minimize who he was in a short-form of 10 chapters or so dilutes his historical impact.

Great Lessons from the Great One.......2005-10-23

As soon as the book was delivered at my house, I swallowed it in a few hours and I must say that it was extremely tasty and satisfying.

Kurke successfully manages to create the four strategic topics to practise for great leadership - Reframing Problems, Building Alliances, Establishing Identity and Directing Symbols. Towards the end of the book I realised that I was about to start complaining about the lack of information with regards to Alexander's general background, but I felt relieved with the final 6 pages.

I am sure that I will read this book many other times, and I will recommend it highly to anyone with an interest in history or in individual success.

On a critical point, I was disappointed by the Crossing the Gedrosian Dessert chapter. It is true that there is no clear evidence of what were Alexander's reasons for enduring this tough journey but Kurke takes it for granted that Alexander was misinformed by the local guides. Probably Kurke chose this version to create the need for his reasoning. Though many other history books and biographies of Alexander support the fact that Alexander did it on purpose to punish his men after their mutiny.

Maybe this is an aspect of Alexander's character that should be studied in depth.

Zen

Contrived........2005-09-19

I could recommend this book only to a 9th or 10th grader who needed to complete a biographical sketch of Alexander. As for the book's premise, namely that one can study Alexander and derive lessons applicable to today's business world, this is as contrived an idea as I've seen in recent years. For example, we learn that Alexander routed his opponent, Darius, at Gaugamela. The defeat was complete. Therefore, claims the author, we can draw from this incident the conclusion that sometimes "deconstruction is the only way to begin a merger." Having lived through numerous mergers and acquisitions, I can only be grateful that personnel decisions were made based on economics and productivity, and not on some irrelevant analogy to war.

Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great (Canto)

Average customer rating:

Tries to go beyond the battles
Bosworth's views on Alexander are not supported by facts
A thoroughly dishonest book
Excellent
A brilliant, balanced history of Alexander's reign

Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Alexander the Great (Canto)
A. B. Bosworth
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 052140679X

Book Description

This book is an exploration of the process and consequences of the campaigns of Alexander the Great of Macedon (who reigned from 336 to 323 BC), focusing on the effect of his monarchy upon the world of his day. A detailed running narrative of the actual campaigns from the Danube to the Indus is complemented and enlarged upon by thematic studies on the reaction in Greece to Macedonian suzerainty, the administration of the empire, the evolution of the Macedonian army and its role as the instrument of conquest, and on the origins of the ruler cult.

Customer Reviews:

Tries to go beyond the battles.......2006-11-27

Not spectacular but what I did like was the attempt to go beyond a narration of the various battles. Bosworth gives us a look into how Alexander actually governed the Empire. The information seems sketchy but I imagine there must be quite a shortage of primary documents/relics to work from. Nothing about the Diadochi, however (which is not really a criticism; I was just hoping).

Bosworth's views on Alexander are not supported by facts.......2001-03-27

I have found Bosworth's book "Conquest and Empire - The Reign of Alexander the Great" very useful for his scholarly approach and for many references but Bosworth's chief weakness is his undue dependence on the Greek and Roman authors. Bosworth fails as an objective scholar mainly because of his ignorance of the Sanskrit and Pali sources which offer invaluable data. Like his mentor Badian, he totally ignores historical details. Alexander was surely chasing Moeris of Pattala through Gedrosia and a little circumspection shows that Moeris was the leader of the Indians whose defeat he celebrated at Kahnuj in southeast Iran. Thus Kahnuj was Palibothra, not Patna in the east where not a single archaeological relic of the Mauryas has been found. This shows that Moeris was none other than Chandragupta Maurya, the leader of the Prasii. In fact Moeris was also the same as the Satrap Sasigupta ('Sashi'='Chandra'= moon). This rubbishes Bosworth's claim that Alexander's Gedrosian expedition was only due to his insane desire to surpass Dionysius and Semiramis.

Bosworth writes much about Alexander's vehemence at Tyre but is not aware that this was aimed at the husband of the daughter of the Satrap Pixodarus whom he once wanted to marry. This was Orontobates of Caria without a careful study of whom Alexander's life history cannot be written. We find Orontobates who was the same as Sissines or Sasigupta later in mysterious circumstances. It is beyond Bosworth's dream that this Sissines was the same as Tiridates who almost handed over the treasury of Persepolis to Alexander. Diodorus gave the name of Tiridates as the ruler of Gedrosia where Alexander chased Moeris or Sasigupta. He also has no idea that Andragorus was the same as Androcottos or Sandrocottos. A little knowledge of Sanskrit shows that the Sun's quadriga of Andragorus' coins in fact gives his name as Arunadas or Orontes. Aruna is the Dawn as personified by the charioteer of the Sun. This is Orontes of Armenia.

Furthermore, as I have shown,... Alexander's altars have not been found because these were overwritten by Asoka and converted into his pillars. At least one of the famous Asokan pillars (Topra) was shifted from the Beas area where Alexander had setup his altars. Plutarch wrote that in his days the altar's of Alexander were held in much veneration by the Prasiians, whose kings were in the habit of crossing the Ganges every year to offer sacrifices in the Grecian manner upon them. This exposes the shallowness of Bosworth's claim about the triviality of Alexander's legacy. As the Prasiians after Bindusara were Buddhists, Plutarch's report clearly hints at Alexander's role in the revival of Buddhism in pre-Asokan India. From Asoka's references themselves it can be inferred that the inscriptions in the altars were related to his call for homonoia. Historians have to guard against undue glorification but this should not be a blind exercise. Tarn and Lane Fox took a saner view.

A thoroughly dishonest book.......2001-03-18

If you can read only one book about Alexander the Great, read something other than A. Brian Bosworth's "Conquest and Empire - The Reign of Alexander the Great". Sadly, Bosworth's 1988 doorstop is little more than a hatchet job, wearing the mask of a serious work of scholarship.

The facade is awfully good -- Bosworth's command of his subject is made abundantly clear by the unending flood of footnoted citations of sources both ancient and modern, famous and obscure. The central problem is that, early in the book's Prologue, Bosworth sneers "the history of (Alexander's) reign has all too often been a thinly disguised biography, distorted by the personality and values of its author," and then goes on to promise, "This book is an attempt to analyse Alexander's impact on his world without any preconceived notion of his personality or motives."

And then -- over and over again throughout the work -- he commits the very sins of distortion and preconception that his Prologue so disdains. "Conquest and Empire" thereby becomes an abyssal sump of academic dishonesty and deep and fundamental scholarly hypocrisy. Throughout its more than 300 pages of agate type, Bosworth employs the rhetorical weapons of invidious phraseology and highly selective citation to paint an almost unremittingly dark and sour portrait of Alexander.

Now, mind you, in my book, there is nothing wrong with taking a skeptical or even a studiously negative view of one's subject, just as I have no problem with the opposite approach, so long as the writer is honest about his own prejudices in either case. From my perspective, Bosworth's sin lies in his pretense to objectivity, rather than in his relentless negativity.

Since he burst on the scholarly Alexandrian scene in 1981 with the publication of Volume I of his "A Historical Commentary on Arrian's History of Alexander", Bosworth has been the anointed heir to the throne of his hero and mentor, Ernst Badian. As the enfant terrible of the "Alexander the Bad" school of thought, it is clear that Bosworth finds violence and war in general deeply repugnant on a personal level, and he wears his bias on his sleeve in his every description of Alexander's military encounters and punitive actions.

Unfortunately, he allows his own prejudice in that regard to deeply color both his presentation and his versions of the details of these incidents in what can only be regarded as a calculated betrayal of his claim of objectivity and of the trust of his less-well-informed readers. As one example of this systematic dishonesty -- and it is far from alone -- let us examine his narrative of the closing events of the siege of Tyre.

Apparently because it would undermine his theme of Alexander's savagery, Bosworth fails even to mention Arrian's report of the Tyrian murder of a group of captured Sidonian sailors, whose bodies were then cast into the sea -- an act of sacrilege that would have, for lack of Charon's fee, condemned the victims to wander the Earth as ghosts, instead of their shades being admitted to the Underworld or perhaps even the Elysium Fields. (To discount the story as propaganda would have been one thing -- to omit it entirely, especially in the face of his obsessive footnoting of the most minor negative details, is quite another.) Likewise, he states as fact that Alexander ordered 2000 Tyrians crucified, although that detail appears only in Curtius' and Diodorus' accounts. (Again, to have characterized this incident as probably true would have been one thing -- to state it flatly as a fact is another.)

These are not omissions we would expect from a truly objective scholar -- and particularly not from one so inordinately fond of otherwise-exhaustive, chapter-and-verse citations of the ancient sources on the most picayune details of geographic and other non-military matters.

Worst of all, in my view, although Bosworth cites the work of an incredible array of geographers, historians and other specialists, he never once mentions or alludes to Major General J.F.C. Fuller's seminal analysis "The Generalship of Alexander the Great", even though Bosworth himself goes to great pains to offer his own dissection of the events of each of Alexander's battles, great and small. Since Fuller is the ONLY professional military strategist to have written on the subject -- and his book is well-known and frequently cited by other Alexander historians -- that oversight can only have been purposeful on Bosworth's part, and his substitution of his own analysis without so much as acknowledging Fuller's work can only be viewed as an act of supreme hubris.

Even though I cannot claim to be a scholar, I believe that the praise that the other reviewers have heaped upon Bosworth here is undeserved. Instead, I think he merits the sternest opprobrium for his intellectual dishonesty and purposefully misleading professions of objectivity.

Likewise, I feel that "Conquest and Empire" is a book that only those who are thoroughly enough versed in the Alexander canon to recognize the hatchet marks should read. For them, it has considerable value, if only for its exhaustive citation of the work of modern geographers. The casual reader would be far better served by even Robin Lane Fox's "In Search of Alexander", which, for all its flaws, at least does not pretend to objectivity.

Excellent.......2000-09-28

With the plethora of books out there about Alexander, (ranging from the silly to historical-fiction/fictitious history), as a layman I wanted a book that would give me solid historical information instead of wish fulfillment and in this Dr.Bosworth definitely delivers. If you are not a student of Classical History but a layperson, (as I am), to this subject, be warned...you will need a good working knowledge of the geography of Asia Minor and the Near East and a familiarity with Classical Languages and terminology, but with patience and a few good dictionaries is more than worth the effort. You will learn about a man who may well stand as one of the most influential human beings who ever lived. Why read silly fiction about Alexander when the facts, (as best we know them), are incredible enough in themselves?

A brilliant, balanced history of Alexander's reign.......1998-08-10

Bosworth, a Professor of Classics and Ancient History at theUniversity of Western Australia, is one of the leading scholars oflate classical and early hellenistic Greek history. He is known particularly for his research on Alexander the Great and the historian Arrian of Nicomedia. This book is not a biography of Alexander's life--Bosworth rightly calls that "undesirable to attempt and impossible to achieve"--but rather a history of his short reign as King of Macedon. It is one of the best and certainly among the most balanced studies of the great conqueror, which is why it is so widely used in universities around the world.

Alexander the Great is, of course, one of history's greatest, most ambitious and colorful individuals, and he was recognized as such even in antiquity. People have for centuries attempted to find out what he was really like, often creating a personality for him out of thin air or without any caution in using the surviving sources; as a result it is possible to find many dubious "histories" of his reign or "psychoanalytical studies" of the man himself. Bosworth focuses hard on the ancient evidence as it survives and bases his study on that, making footnote references to modern works as appropriate. His grasp of the ancient sources and of modern studies is staggering, and he has a gift for sifting through the masses of conflicting theories and getting down to the core questions: "What do the sources tell us? What do we really know about Alexander?" We find that many things about him remain hopelessly obscure, which is precisely why he continues to intrigue us. Bosworth shows that the history of Alexander's reign can be handled in a very balanced and sober way without losing any of the drama, intrigue and fascination that characterize it. We are treated to the best of both worlds in his study.

This book is excellent both for the specialist who needs to reacquaint himself with the broader view of the period, and for the general reader who wishes to learn the basic facts about Alexander's achievements and legacy. Bosworth appeals to both by dividing the book into two parts: a chronological, narrative survey of the period beginning with Philip II's legacy and ending with the aftermath of Alexander's death, and a series of thematic chapters which tackle various aspects of Alexander's rule (for example, "Financial Administration," "Alexander and the Army," and "The Divinity of Alexander"). The general reader may gain a good knowledge of the chronological spread of the period without having to go into the thematic sections at all, while those who are interested in learning more about the wider context of Alexander's rule can do so in the second part of the book. Either way the reader will come away with a strong grasp of the basic facts and controversies surrounding Alexander's reign, as well as an appreciation for his extraordinary impact on Western history generally. This is a wonderful book dealing with a fascinating period.

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Good Fun Overview of Alexander and Modern Business

Light reading at best...

Gives you a good picture and some lessons

Like ancient history & business?

Good book if you like fiction

Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy: The Timeless Leadership Lessons of History's Greatest Empire Builder
Partha Bose
Manufacturer: Random House Audio
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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The Wisdom of Alexander The Great: Enduring Leadership Lessons From The Man Who Created An Empire

The Generalship of Alexander the Great

Alexander the Great: The Brief Life and Towering Exploits of History's Greatest Conqueror--As Told By His Original Biographers

Alexander the Great and the Logistics of the Macedonian Army

The Genius of Alexander the Great

ASIN: 0739304054
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Book Description

Alexander the Great endures as one of the most admired and emulated leaders in world history. In our time, his example of unprecedented and unparalleled success has inspired leaders of business and government, from media mogul Ted Turner (who keeps a bronze bust of Alexander in his office) to Desert Storm commander General Norman Schwarzkopf (who credits Alexander's tactical innovations for his dramatic flanking maneuver against the Iraqi army in the liberation of Kuwait).

In Alexander the Great's Art of Strategy, Partha Bose, one of the world's leading experts on business strategy, gives fresh insight into Alexander's leadership and legacy--and shows how you can use the secrets of his success to conquer today's challenges, as successful executives, politicians, and generals have.

Blending insights from his years of experience in the business world with his lifelong study of Alexander, Bose interweaves a gripping biography with compelling analyses of contemporary case studies of successful corporations that have applied Alexander's lessons to their business, including Dell, General Electric, Wal-Mart, and the Washington Post company. This is a provocative and invaluable audiobook for leaders everywhere.

Customer Reviews:

Good Fun Overview of Alexander and Modern Business.......2007-04-03

I agree with some reviewers that this book isn't a serious scholarly work and the connections between Alexander's strategies and military/political conquests and the strategies used in the modern corporate world tend to be disjointed here and there, but still, it's good reading and it forces the reader to think about the similarities or simply discard what the author sees as such. It takes imagination on the part of the reader to analyze what Alexander had achieved and apply it to our daily modern lives, but Alexander certainly does have many things to teach us in the areas of strategy and the application of tactics and execution.

Some of the examples that Bose bring up make sense and show some connection to what Alexander did while others make you roll your eyes somewhat and go, "Yeah, okay, if you say so." Nonetheless, the book is fun to read and much faster to go through than most Alexander biographies as Alexander's achievements and strategies implemented are applied to things that we can relate to more readily. We are not constantly bombarded with names and places that we can't remember or put our fingers on as so many Alexander biographies tend to do. I finished this book in little over a day and had good time reading it and I'm sure I'll refer back to it more for enjoyment than anything else.

There is certainly much to be learned through the study of Alexander's remarkable life and his near-mythical achievements in such a short period of time. This is a good primer in that area although I would certainly not recommend it to anyone as the definitive book about what Alexander was all about and this book doesn't purport to be as such. That's what makes it good fun reading. Alexander was certainly a strategist of the highest order although he seems to have been guided as much by keen natural instincts as by highly-developed intellect. Obviously, some of these things simply cannot be taught. Still, the conjectures are interesting and fun to ponder and I recommend this book to the Alexander buff who already has a good well-rounded collection and wants to add a "fun" book for easy reading.

Light reading at best..........2007-01-07

That's what it is.

Not to be taken too seriously for historical accuracy or as a serious Harvard Business School management session.

But nice book juggling two supposedly disparate topics.

Gives you a good picture and some lessons.......2006-04-19

The problem with this book is that it simplifies and doesnt crasp some of the true lessons we could learn from Alexander.
However, the book gives a excellent account about his life and battles. I think that you should buy this book if you are intrested in alexander from a learning standpoint. I learned a few things from this book! But if you want to learn alexanders leadership style, then try find another book.

Like ancient history & business?.......2006-02-21

Then this is for you. While working on the WEF competitive reports with Besife Tonwe, we got into a discussion about how despite all the technology advances human nature has changed little in 3000 years. I thought not. Besife's claim was that read Niall Ferguson's House of Rothschild and you pretty much have the narratives of the 1929 crash and the 2000 tech wreck - except they take place between 1798 and 1848. Bose's book was the test and confirms his theory. Rats.

Good book if you like fiction.......2005-02-25

The people rating this high must be paid to do so. It's just riddled with historical inaccuracy ... Fuller's book on this topic is SO much better that I'm still kicking myself for buying this.

Just because I made the mistake doesn't mean you have to.

Who's Who in Age of Alexander the Great: Prosopography of Alexander's Empire

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Who's Who in Age of Alexander the Great: Prosopography of Alexander's Empire
Waldemar Heckel
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1405112107

Book Description

Containing over 800 concise biographies of individuals known from the literary and epigraphic sources for the age of Alexander, this book is the only complete collection of its kind available in English.The entries range from leading commanders in Alexander 's army to the nobles and regional leaders of the Persian empire whom he encountered on his epic campaign. The most significant figures receive detailed coverage, and all entries contain references to the ancient sources. Brief biographies of Alexander himself and his father, Philip II, are also included.This book will open up new perspectives for all interested in Alexander 's reign, from scholars to general readers.For information, news, and content from Blackwell 's reference publishing program please visit www.blackwellpublishing.com/reference/

Alexander 334-323 BC: Conquest of the Persian Empire (Praeger Illustrated Military History)

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One of the Best
A bit bias
Like a Discovery/History Channel TV special in a book!
A very good analysis of Alexander's Persian Campaign
A great introduction to Alexander's campaigns and battles

Alexander 334-323 BC: Conquest of the Persian Empire (Praeger Illustrated Military History)
John Warry
Manufacturer: Praeger Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0275988317

Book Description

Alexander of Macedonia was undoubtedly one of the greatest generals of all time. His over-riding passion for war and conquest led him not only to confront the might of the Persian Empire but also to lead his armies as far afield as India. He managed to successfully portray himself as liberator of the Greek cities in Asia, and sought to fuse the culture of his own lands with those of the east by choosing to make Babylon the capital of his empire and encouraging his officers to take oriental wives. This book, by John Warry, an expert on the warfare of the Classical world looks at Alexander's campaigns, examining his principle battles in detail. The battles of the Granicus, Issus, Gaugamela and of the Hydaspes are all treated at length, as is the difficult siege of Tyre. These careful studies shed light on Macedonian tactics, in particular the combination of armoured infantry phalanx with fast-moving cavalry. The men and equipment of both Alexander and his Persian enemies are looked at, and this greatly helps to shed light on the later battle accounts. This title thus gives a comprehensive insight into Alexander's life and military actions, as well as placing them in their proper historical context and explaining their consequences.

Customer Reviews:

One of the Best.......2002-12-02

Alexander 334-323 BC: Conquest of the Persian Empire (Campaign Series 7) by John Warry is one of the best of the Osprey Campaign Series. Unlike most to the other books, Alexander does not focus on a given battle or a series of battles, but on the almost decade long conquest of Persia and neighboring countries, such as parts of India. If one is looking for an overview of Alexander's conquests then there is probably no better book. The battles are described in such a manner as to acquaint the reader with the ins and outs and the maps are beyond excellent.

Warry does a fine job in explaining how 50,000 infantry and cavalry troops were able to defeat an empire with troops several times their number. Focusing on the the tactical brilliance of Alexander and the innovations in battle field technologies, the book explains why Alexander was victorious. It is written in a readable fashion and is a good place to start for anyone who is interested in the conquests of Alexander.

A bit bias.......2000-12-22

It is a very interesting book. But it is written from the Greeks point of view about the Persians. For examole, it is well accepted by modern historians that the Persian army was not 600,000 men and yet the author fails to mention this and just repeats the old fictional account that was passed on from the past. However, I recommend this book for anyone interested on ancient history and Alexander the great. But it is a bit bias.

Like a Discovery/History Channel TV special in a book!.......2000-08-14

Don't let the size of this book fool you---the point of reading is to understand and this is the best book I've read that puts Alexander the Great's campaigns together in a way that military professionals and casual readers can understand. Every war form we use today has its antecedent in the past--there is a lot to learn from the past if we take the time to reflect on it.

Warry shows some remarkable things--that Alexander's Army of 40,000 defeated a Persian Army of 600,000 and did it with almost no casualties because in ancient war shields defeated arrows and spears. The Macedonian phalanx--a formation of men with shields linked together would close on the enemy at foot speed led by Parmenio, while Alexander surged ahead with his cavalry and collapsed his enemy while the phalanx held the enemy. Think of how Commanders combined their arms in the film, Braveheart to see how Alexander waited until the time was right before placing himself and his Cavalry force at the critical spot to smash his enemy's structure. It was when enemy cohesion and formations collapsed---when they threw down their shields and ran---that the high casualties we usually associate with 1st Generation muscle-powered combat come from. That we are having too many casualties on the modern, automatic weapons fire swept battlefield, means its high time we re-examine the individual Soldier shield to recreate a phalanx capability today.

When Alexander confronted the walled island city of Tyre/Sidon he built siege engines on both ships and rolled across a causeway of land he built by throwing stones into the sea as foretold in the Bible in Ezekiel 26. Warry shows the siege in amazing detailed, color illustrations that enlighten without boring the reader as a dry "scholarly" book tends to do. He then marched across the known world at amazing march speeds--Warry describes the weaponry/equipment in great deatil--you'll notice the macedonians wore a "himation" which could be used both as a sleeping blanket and as a coat--there was no wasted weight being carried on the Soldier's back--a lesson we could stand to relearn today.

Reading Warry's book with its long-range and close-up maps and illustrations from ancient engravings and modern depictions is like an inter-active computer simulation of the battle---you can see both the "big" picture and the "little" picture, in short this book is a masterpiece. We need to re-evaluate our views that for a book to be "accurate" it has to be visually dull, especially in the computer age we live in where we can with hyperlinks go to an entire world of background information from all walks of life on any given subject.

A very good analysis of Alexander's Persian Campaign.......2000-04-17

If you want a comprehensive analysis, with explications of the army's and the leaders, with maps and graphics in color, explaining the tactics and strategies involved in this battles... THIS IS YOUR BOOK. Very simple to understand, and very complete review.

Also try "Cannae 216 B.C." - Hannibal's campaign against Rome, other excelent book

A great introduction to Alexander's campaigns and battles.......2000-01-29

One of the better books of the Osprey Campaign series, this book gives a concise and yet fairly comphrehensive account of the strategies and tactics involved in the campaigns and battles of alexander the great. The key battles of the campaign are well illustrated and easy to follow. The book is an excellent and informative introduction to the full scope of Alexander's political, strategic, and tactical genius.

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Alexander's Empire
John Pentland Mahaffy; Arthur Gilman
Manufacturer: Adamant Media Corporation
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1402192932
Release Date: 2002-01-31

Product Description

This Elibron Classics book is a facsimile reprint of a 1890 edition by T.Fisher Unwin, London.

The Wars of Alexander the Great (Essential Histories)

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For the new fan of Alex, give this book a try...

The Wars of Alexander the Great (Essential Histories)
Waldemar Heckel
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0415968550

Book Description

The age of Alexander and his conquest of the Persian or "Achaemenid" Empire, which had existed for over two centuries, represents a watershed in the history of the world. This book offers fascinating insight into the achievements of one of the greatest generals ever known. Alexander's conquests are of profound significance. By perfecting the new weapons and tactics developed by his father and combining them with the use of specialist units and advancements in siege warfare, Alexander enabled the Macedonian kingdom to move beyond the restrictions of city-state armies and on to the stage of world conquest.

Customer Reviews:

For the new fan of Alex, give this book a try..........2004-04-25

I really enjoyed this little morsel of history, so much so that I tried another another book from the Essential Histories series when reading on another topic.

Before mentioning the good/bad about the book I should say that I'm not typically a reader of history and I had little or no knowledge of ancient Greece.

What pleased me most about the book was that the first chapter or two set the scene for Alexander's conquests by talking about his father, the Macedonian Kingdom, and its relationship to the Greek states--this seemed lacking in many of the academics' books; likewise, the end of the book touches on what followed the power vacuum left by his death. at 90 pages it's a good quick read generally covering the course of Alexander's eastward journey, without going to much into the specifics of each military campaign. the pages are peppered with treats that make the book a fun read: anecdotes displaying Alexander's personality, short excerpts from original sources like Arrian and Plutarch, pictures and diagrams to understand battles, you name it. I also appreciated that the author was not totally flattering in recounting Alexander's doings (nobody's perfect).

The only downside for me was that I wanted a little more depth than this book offered. so I read this one alongside a lengthier history (Hamilton's Genius of Alexander the Great). but as someone who doesn't typically read history, I'm not sure I really needed the play-by-play for each battle anyway.

For the new fan of Alexander, give this book a try and then decide if you need to get more elsewhere.

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