By the Spear
Philip II, Alexander the Great, and the Rise and Fall of the Macedonian Empire
Series: Ancient Warfare and Civilization;
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Product details:
- Publisher OUP USA
- Date of Publication 12 January 2017
- ISBN 9780190614645
- Binding Paperback
- No. of pages416 pages
- Size 231x155x25 mm
- Weight 590 g
- Language English
- Illustrations 27 illus, 10 maps 0
Categories
Short description:
A unique military and cultural history that chronicles the reigns of Philip and Alexander the Great in one sweeping narrative.
MoreLong description:
Alexander the Great, arguably the most exciting figure from antiquity, waged war as a Homeric hero and lived as one, conquering native peoples and territories on a superhuman scale. From the time he invaded Asia in 334 to his death in 323, he expanded the Macedonian empire from Greece in the west to Asia Minor, the Levant, Egypt, Central Asia and "India" (Pakistan and Kashmir) in the east. Although many other kings and generals forged empires, Alexander produced one that was without parallel, even if it was short-lived.
And yet, Alexander could not have achieved what he did without the accomplishments of his father, Philip II (r. 359-336). It was Philip who truly changed the course of Macedonian history, transforming a weak, disunited, and economically backward kingdom into a military powerhouse. A warrior king par excellence, Philip left Alexander with the greatest army in the Greek world, a centralized monarchy, economic prosperity, and a plan to invade Asia.
For the first time, By the Spear offers an exhilarating military narrative of the reigns of these two larger-than-life figures in one volume. Ian Worthington gives full breadth to the careers of father and son, showing how Philip was the architect of the Macedonian empire, which reached its zenith under Alexander, only to disintegrate upon his death. By the Spear also explores the impact of Greek culture in the East, as Macedonian armies became avatars of social and cultural change in lands far removed from the traditional sphere of Greek influence. In addition, the book discusses the problems Alexander faced in dealing with a diverse subject population and the strategies he took to what might be called nation building, all of which shed light on contemporary events in culturally dissimilar regions of the world. The result is a gripping and unparalleled account of the role these kings played in creating a vast empire and the enduring legacy they left behind.
A steady stream of fascinating stories of brilliant military tactics interspersed with rampant post-Classical gore. From the slaughter of whole villages to unbridled violations of human dignity, By the Spear reminds us of the ugliness of war, especially when military leaders are apparently void of morality filters ... By the Spear is loaded with compelling details ... but they aren't simply piled on helter-skelter; rather, they are embedded in Ian Worthington's coherent narrative about Macedonian ascendancy in the 4th century BC. This celebrated professor at the University of Missouri convincingly gives Philip II his due in Hellenism's spread, and masks not his thesis that Philip 'has lived too long in Alexander's shadow'.
Table of Contents:
Preface
Acknowledgements
Timeline
Quotations from Ancient Works and Special Abbreviations
Maps
1. The Architect and the Master Builder
2. Greece and Macedonia
3. Philip II and the Rise of Macedonia
4. The New Player in Greek Politics
5. The Gathering War Clouds
6. The Downfall of Greece
7. Philip's Assassination and Legacy
8. Alexander's Early Kingship - and Persia
9. From Europe to Asia
10. Alexander: Master Strategist and Emerging God
11. The Decline and Fall of the Persian Empire
12. The War in Afghanistan
13. Passage to India
14. Retreat from India
15. Alexander's Final Years
16. Death in Babylon and Alexander's Legacy
Appendix: The Sources of Information
Bibliography
Index
