Alexander the Great: Themes and Issues

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Alexander the Great's life and career are here examined through the major issues surrounding his reign.What were Alexander's ultimate ambitions Why did he pursue his own deification while alive Did he actually set the world in a new groove' as has been claimed by some scholars And was his death natural or the result of a murderous conspiracy Each of the key themes, arranged as chapters, will be presented in approximately chronological order so that readers unfamiliar with the life of Alexander will be able to follow the narrative. The themes are tied to the major controversies and questions surrounding Alexander's career and legacy. Each chapter includes a discussion of the major academic positions on each issue, and includes a full and up-to-date bibliography and an evaluation of the historical evidence. All source material is in translation.Designed to bring new clarity to the contentious history of Alexander the Great, this is an ideal introduction to one of history's most controversial figures.

Reviews

A must for the library of any scholar with an interest in Alexander and the society from which he came. * Classics for All *
Anson focuses on the major issues that have been raised in recent decades around the figure of Alexander the Great and confronts all of these subjects with that scientific precision that has always characterized him. -- Giuseppe Squillace, Universit degli Studi della Calabria * Bryn Mawr Classical Review *
Anson proves that it is still possible to write an original book about so seemingly hackneyed a topic as Alexander the Great. As his book's subtitle, Themes and Issues, indicates, this is not a biography, but an analysis of Alexander's reign through discussion of the principal topics in contemporary Alexander scholarship . . . The treatment is detailed with comprehensive citations of sources and relevant scholarship . . . An accessible guide to the state of Alexander studies that belongs in every college and university library. -- Stanley M. Burstein, California State University, Los Angeles * Choice Review *
This is a serious scholarly work, extensively researched and well written an essential read. -- A. A. Nofi * StrategyPage *

Author Bio

Edward M. Anson is Professor of History at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He is the author or editor of five books, most recently Eumenes of Cardia: A Greek among Macedonians (2004), and more than forty journal articles and book chapters.