Philip and Alexander

'A thrilling read' Tom Holland'History-writing at its best' Barry StraussBy the end of his short life, Alexander the Great had redrawn the map of the ancient world to create an empire that stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indian subcontinent. But his success was not just the product of his own genius and restless energy, it was built on decades of effort by his father.History has portrayed Philip II of Macedon as a one-eyed old man whose assassination allowed Alexander to accede to power. But there was far more to him than this. Through decades of hard fighting and clever diplomacy, Philip unified his country and conquered Greece. His son inherited all of this at the perfect moment for him to win yet greater glory.The work of a master historian, Philip and Alexander describes how Philip and Alexander of Macedon transformed a weak kingdom in northern Greece into a globe-spanning empire and – in so doing – changed the course of history.

As successful in meeting its ambitions as Philip's kingship, as sweeping as Alexander's conquests, Belongs on the (sturdy) shelf of any reader interested in military, political, or social history, 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, Sterling scholarship, engaging prose, insightful analysis, and unbiased assessment, 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'

Adrian Goldsworthy studied at Oxford, where his doctoral thesis examined the Roman army, and became an acclaimed historian of Ancient Rome. He is the author of numerous books, including Caesar, The Fall of the West, Pax Romana, and Hadrian's Wall.

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