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Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors
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“Brings to life the full drama of ancient history.” —Wall Street Journal
Alexander the Great's conquests staggered the world. He led his army across thousands of miles, overthrowing the greatest empires of his time and building a new one in their place. He claimed to be the son of a god, but he was actually the son of Philip II of Macedon.
Philip inherited a minor kingdom that was on the verge of dismemberment, but despite his youth and inexperience, he made Macedonia dominant throughout Greece. It was Philip who created the armies that Alexander led into war against Persia.
In Philip and Alexander, classical historian Adrian Goldsworthy shows that without the work and influence of his father, Alexander could not have achieved so much. This is the groundbreaking biography of two men who together conquered the world.
- Print length624 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- Publication dateOctober 18, 2022
- Dimensions5.6 x 1.85 x 8.2 inches
- ISBN-101541602625
- ISBN-13978-1541602625
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| Customer Reviews |
4.5 out of 5 stars 239
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4.3 out of 5 stars 267
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4.6 out of 5 stars 229
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4.5 out of 5 stars 186
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| Explore the Works of Adrian Goldsworthy | A “magnificent” (Spectator) history of the epic rivalry between the ancient world’s two great superpowers. | In this book, Goldsworthy embarks on a historical and archaeological investigation, sifting fact from legend while simultaneously situating the wall in the wider scene of Roman Britain. | A concise and enthralling history of one of the most famous battles ever waged, setting Cannae within the larger contexts of the Second Punic War and the nature of warfare in the third century BC. | From an award-winning historian of ancient Rome, a concise and comprehensive history of the fighting forces that created the Roman Empire. |
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Goldsworthy brings a careful, often insightful balance to the familiar stories.”―Open Letters Review
“Contributes significantly to making these scholarly developments accessible to a very wide audience, through engaging narratives which capture the political complexity of the Greek world both before and after Alexander. The major innovation of Goldsworthy’s vivid Philip and Alexander is to pair Alexander’s biography with that of his father, Philip II.”―Times Literary Supplement
“Belongs on the (sturdy) shelf of any reader interested in military, political, or social history.”―Minerva Magazine
“By pairing the two giants of Macedonia, Goldsworthy helps the reader understand Alexander’s life all the better, and sheds light on the achievements and character of Philip.”―Aspects of History
“A gripping history that combined deep scholarship with readability.... This is an epic history. Very much in the vein of the Tom Holland histories of empire, enjoyable and informative but also gripping.”―NB Magazine
“Riveting.... Goldsworthy is the best sort of writer on ancient times. He eschews psychohistory, explains the wildly unfamiliar culture of that era, and speculates carefully.... An outstandingly fresh look at well-trodden ground.”―Kirkus (starred review)
“An impressive dual biography.... Goldsworthy expertly mines ancient sources to parse fact from legend.... This is a fascinating and richly detailed look at two men who ‘changed the course of history.’”―Publishers Weekly
“Thorough and riveting.”―Library Journal (starred review)
“Philip and Alexander is another wonderful product of Adrian Goldsworthy’s historical craft―sterling scholarship, engaging prose, insightful analysis, and unbiased assessment. Goldsworthy explores brilliantly the complex relationship between father and son, the failure of the Greek city-states to stop them, the proper credit for the Macedonian expansion, and the megalomania of Alexander’s near global conquests. A brilliant account of how father and son changed the world, for both good and bad.”―Victor Davis Hanson, author of The End of Everything
“A thrilling read, as successful in meeting its ambitions as Philip’s kingship, as sweeping as Alexander’s conquests.”―Tom Holland, author of Rubicon
“Philip and Alexander is history writing at its best. In one volume, Adrian Goldsworthy tells the story of perhaps the most successful father-son pair of conquerors of all time. He highlights both the drama of their violent achievements and the consequences that were felt for centuries. The result is expert, fluent, and vivid.”―Barry Strauss, author of Ten Caesars
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Basic Books
- Publication date : October 18, 2022
- Language : English
- Print length : 624 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1541602625
- ISBN-13 : 978-1541602625
- Item Weight : 2.31 pounds
- Dimensions : 5.6 x 1.85 x 8.2 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #70,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #7 in Historical Greece Biographies
- #20 in Ancient Greek History (Books)
- #261 in Military Leader Biographies
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors

Adrian Goldsworthy has a doctorate from Oxford University. His first book, THE ROMAN ARMY AT WAR was recognised by John Keegan as an exceptionally impressive work, original in treatment and impressive in style. He has gone on to write several other books, including THE FALL OF THE WEST, CAESAR, IN THE NAME OF ROME, CANNAE and ROMAN WARFARE, which have sold more than a quarter of a million copies and been translated into more than a dozen languages. A full-time author, he regularly contributes to TV documentaries on Roman themes.

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