Most of what we 'know' about Alexander the Great (356-323 BC) comes
from the pages of much later historians, writing 300 years or more
after these events. But these Roman-era writers drew on the accounts
of earlier authors who were contemporary with Alexander, some of whom
took part in the momentous events they described. David Grant examines
the fragments of these earlier eyewitness testimonies which are
preserved as undercurrents in the later works. He traces their
influence and monopoly of the 'truth' and spotlights their
manipulation of events to reveal how the Wars of the Successors shaped
the agendas of these writers. It becomes clear that Alexander's
courtiers were no-less ambitious than than their king and wanted to
showcase their role in the epic conquest of the Persian Empire to
enhance their credibility and legitimacy in their own quests for
power. In particular, Grant reveals why reports of the dying king's
last wishes conflict, and he explains why testimony relegated to
'romance' may house credible grains of truth. The author also
skillfully explains how manuscripts became further corrupted in their
journey from the ancient world to the modern day. In summary, this
work by a recognized expert on the period highlights why legacy of
Alexander is built on very shaky foundations.
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The Ancient Sources And Why They Can't Be Trusted
Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781399094740
Publisert
2023
Utgiver
Open Road Integrated Media, Inc.
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Digital bok
Forfatter