Second Hand Alexander of Macedon, 356–323 B.C.

Peter Green's substantial historical biography of Alexander the Great, tracing his life and campaigns from his upbringing in the Macedonian court to his death at Babylon in 323 BC.

Green begins with the reign of Philip II and the political and military transformation of Macedonia before examining Alexander's accession to the throne and his invasion of the Persian Empire. The narrative follows the great campaigns through Asia Minor, Issus, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Persia, before continuing eastwards into Central Asia and India.

Alongside the military narrative, Green examines Alexander's personality, political ambitions, relationships with his officers and family, and his increasingly controversial claims to divine or semi-divine status. Particular attention is paid to the strains created by prolonged campaigning, the adoption of Persian customs, disputes within the Macedonian officer corps and Alexander's efforts to govern an increasingly vast and culturally diverse empire.

The book also considers the strategic and logistical problems of Alexander's campaigns, his foundation of new cities, relations with conquered peoples and the circumstances surrounding his final return to Babylon.

This revised and enlarged University of California Press edition includes extensive notes and references, a detailed bibliography, genealogical tables and index, together with fourteen maps and battle plans tracing Alexander's campaigns from Macedonia to India. The publisher continues to describe the work as containing full backnotes, fourteen maps and chronological and genealogical tables.

This is the revised and enlarged 1991 University of California Press hardback edition.