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The Modern Scholar: Alexander of Macedonia

The World Conquered

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The Modern Scholar: Alexander of Macedonia

By: Prof. Robin Lane Fox
Narrated by: Robin Lane Fox
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About this listen

Alexander the Great is the most famous king and conqueror known in the ancient world. In his lifetime, he was given honors equal to those of the gods. After his death, he became a legend and the “Alexander Romance” became the best-selling fiction of the medieval world.

Esteemed Professor Robin Lane Fox has made the study of Alexander of Macedon the focus of his brilliant career. In these lectures, Professor Fox answers questions about Alexander that have percolated throughout history: Why did Alexander succeed? What was he like? How did he change the world and its history?

©2010 Robin Lane Fox (P)2010 Recorded Books, LLC Ancient Ancient History Ancient Greece
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The amount of information in these lectures is impressive and, at first, fascinating and it gripped me at the start. However, it became increasingly apparent that the lecturer adored Alexander and seemed to excuse all the massacres and other ghastly acts committed by him. . At times, as Prof Fox gushingly revealed yet another “god-like” achievement of Alexander, I found his tone overly-emotional as though he were about to shed a tear. By the time I was halfway through the lectures, and excuse after excuse for Alexander’s murderous megalomania were delivered by the author, I was actually looking forward to Alexander (who as the Prof said, had the “greatest killing force in history”) getting his comeuppance and dying. With all the death and destruction wrought by this, to me, fairly ghastly, egocentric, murderously petulant, and utterly obsessive man, I feel as though I need a biography of Jesus or the Buddha as an antidote. Personally, my idea of a hero would be someone like William Wilberforce whose aim was to end the suffering caused to untold numbers of people by the slave trade and who fought with words and not with a sword like Alexander who brought suffering to untold numbers of people. . To me, this was like a biography written by Alexander’s head of P.R as the author eulogises over Alexander’s conquests yet with seemingly barely any words of sympathy for the numberless victims of "the greatest killing force in history". At his final summing up, I thought the author was going to burst into tears.

Very informative but increasingly irritating.

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Prof. Fox gives a masterful account, enthusiastic and yet measured by comparing and contrasting ancient sources, trying to tease out which might be the most authentic voice. This man has a passion for his subject and you are soon led off following him on an epic journey. Brilliant!

A gripping study!

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I was hoping for more. Not sure what but whatever it was I didn't get it!

A Good Start with Alexander

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I have downloaded three (so far) Modern Scholars audiobooks and they have all been of a high standard, both educational and interesting. Useful also is the study guide that can be downloaded with most of these audiobooks.
This Alexander audiobook is presented by Robin Lane Fox, one of the great authorities on Alexander of Macedonia (or Alexander the Great, as he has come to be known). Alexander's father, Philip, conquered Greece and when Alexander succeeded him he extended the empire into Persia and India. When he died, the eastern part of his empire collapsed. However, the western part persevered and we refer to this as the Hellenistic period.

Ancient History Brought To Life

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More than just an audio book, this is a series of lectures which includes a PDF file with useful links to extend as far as you would want to go to conduct a serious study of Alexander. Thoroughly enjoyable and essential tool to research this period.

Superb

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