Alexander of Macedon, 356-323: A Historical Biography

“The author sets the backdrop by describing the rise of Alexander’s father, Philip, and continues with Alexander’s career. He provides interesting details about Alexander’s relationship with his mother and with Aristotle. He uses often-contradictory sources very well, neither overreaching the limits of a source nor failing to provide his own best guess at a solution. He paints a picture of a very human Alexander who is also very talented, a strategical and charismatic genius, who was also one of the greatest megalomaniacs of all time. It is amazing how doggedly Alexander pursued his own glory, attempting nothing less than to surpass the Greek legends about Achilles and Hercules.

“The book is a great source of military strategy and genius, of amazing speed, efficiency and maneuverability for the fourth century. It is also a fine account of the incredible luxury and wealth of the Persian Empire of Darius. The interesting thing about Alexander is that he cared not for such fabulous wealth, rather he sought the one goal of mastering the entire world, and probably would have done it had his own troops not turned against him. But just as interesting is the fact that Alexander’s Empire crumbled even more quickly than it was formed. His only goal was to conquer. He had no intent of ruling.

“This is a book rich in historical detail and also written in an engaging fashion. It sheds important insight into the great divergences between east and west (Persian and Greek), divergences which Alexander was unable to undo and which still persist today.”

Father Dan Merz, a priest of the Diocese of Jefferson City, teaches Latin and theology at Conception Seminary College. He enjoys historical novels, such as the series on the fall of the Roman Republic by Colleen McCullough, or the book on the Pharoah Ramses by Christian Jacq. He also enjoys reading liturgical and Church history, poetry and some systematic theology.

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