A. B. Bosworth

This major study by a leading expert is dedicated to the thirty years after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. It deals with the emergence of the Successor monarchies and examines the factors which brought success and failure. Some of the central themes are the struggle for pre-eminence after Alexander's death, the fate of the Macedonian army of conquest, and the foundation of Seleucus' monarchy. Bosworth also examines the statesman and historian Hieronymus of Cardia, concentrating on his treatment of widow burning in India and nomadism in Arabia. Another highlight is the first full analysis of the epic struggle between Antigonus and Eumenes (318-316), one of the most important and decisive campaigns of the ancient world.

This major study by a leading expert is dedicated to the thirty years after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. It deals with the emergence of the Successor monarchies and examines the factors which brought success and failure. Some of the central themes are the struggle for pre-eminence after Alexander's death, the fate of the Macedonian army of conquest, and the foundation of Seleucus' monarchy. Bosworth also examines the statesman and historian Hieronymus of Cardia, concentrating on his treatment of widow burning in India and nomadism in Arabia. Another highlight is the first full analysis of the epic struggle between Antigonus and Eumenes (318-316), one of the most important and decisive campaigns of the ancient world.

In this study Brian Bosworth looks at the critical period between 329 and 325 BC, when Alexander the Great was active in Central Asia and what is now Pakistan. He documents Alexander's relations with the peoples he conquered, and addresses the question of what it meant to be on the receiving end of the conquest, drawing a bleak picture of massacre and repression. At the same time Alexander's views of empire are investigated, his attitude to his subjects, and the development of his concepts of personal divinity and universal monarchy. Analogies are thus drawn with the Spanish conquest of Mexico, which has a comparable historiographical tradition and parallels many of Alexander's dealings with his subjects. Although of concern to the specialist, this book is equally directed at the general reader interested in the history of Alexander and the morality of empire.

In this study Brian Bosworth looks at the critical period between 329 and 325 BC, when Alexander the Great was active in Central Asia and what is now Pakistan. He documents Alexander's relations with the peoples he conquered, and addresses the question of what it meant to be on the receiving end of the conquest, drawing a bleak picture of massacre and repression. At the same time Alexander's views of empire are investigated, his attitude to his subjects, and the development of his concepts of personal divinity and universal monarchy. Analogies are thus drawn with the Spanish conquest of Mexico, which has a comparable historiographical tradition and parallels many of Alexander's dealings with his subjects. Although of concern to the specialist, this book is equally directed at the general reader interested in the history of Alexander and the morality of empire.

This, the second volume of a magisterial commentary on the work of the historian Arrian, deals in depth with a crucial period (329-326 BC) of the reign of Alexander the Great. It discusses some of the earliest datable evidence for the history of Central Asia and Pakistan, and analyses Alexander's views of sovereignty and divinity. Professor Bosworth is the leading authority on Arrian, and his commentary should become a classic work of reference for historians.

This book attempts to achieve a new perspective in evaluating the sources of Alexander's reign. Instead of concentrating upon the lost first generation historians, Professor Bosworth focuses upon what is extant, in particular the work of Arrian, the most respected writer on the period. Through a rigorous examination of their methods, he strips away some of the encrustation from the persona of Alexander, allowing a less warped picture to emerge. As well as examining the attitudes of Arrian to his subject matter, he looks at his approach to his sources, his techniques in writing speeches, and the degree to which he imposes his own judgement on his subject matter. The results obtained are then brought directly to bear on two vital problems of documentation: the Royal Journals of Alexander and his purported Last Plans.

A Historical Commentary on Arrian's History of Alexander Volume I. Books I-III