pothos.org

One thing that is rarely noted in the death of Philip II is not who killed him but rather, who allowed it to happen. If he was not assassinated/murdered (whichever it was) Alexander could not get in the saddle and finish the job that Philip started. And I would suggest that certain men, (perhaps wi...

Hitler was a significantly greater speaker than Alexander. To me his speeches may sound like the barkings of a dog, but the results are undeniable. The Macedonians listened to Alexander because he was their king, and did what he told them to do (most of the time) for that reason. Not because of his ...

Yes. Also, about nine months separated the deaths of Hephaestion and Alexander, and the deaths occurred in two different cities. There's no particular reason why one should read anything sinister into the two deaths. ATB Had Alexander died shortly after Hephaestion did, it would have seemed even mo...

Accursed, I may be confused, but I thought Alexander only had a few months (at most three?) in Pella as King before he went up north to attack the Thracians and Illyrians. Pretty much straight after that he was off to shower the Thebans with his affections. After subjugating the Greeks he was only ...

Semiramis wrote:Let's raid some factories anyway. As the song goes "You want it, you take it. You take it, you got it."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4UCFiXuGlo

I'm convinced. If you bring the mules to carry the loot, I'll bring the siege machinery.

More Speculation - To add to Marcus' points, I don't know that Alexander had as much leeway regarding producing an heir before leaving Macedonia. The plan to invade Asia was Phillip's - not Alexander's. Parmenion had already crossed into Asia minor. On a related note, Macedonia's financial state at...

I have like a dozen candles in my house. Will have to raid several candle factories to follow through with your suggestion. Impractical mate... :P That was my idea of a joke. They are usually received approximately like that one. Yes, following through with that suggestion could possibly turn the w...

That's true, but had Alexander died at the Granicus, it would only have been a matter of months after he had been advised to get an heir. So, either he wouldn't have been at the Granicus then, or at the most he would have left a (possibly) pregnant woman behind in Macedonia whose baby would almost ...

Accursed, I am always suspicious of reports of private conversations in late sources that fit pat with the eventual facts. It's like prophecies, it generally turns out they were written post eventum if they are clear or interpreted post eventum if they are obscure. :shock: While I'd agree were we t...

I suggest we light candles to commemorate the victims of the Macedonian horde. One for each victim should suffice.

agesilaos wrote:The story of Alexander being urged to produce an heir almost certainly originated after he died without one,

On what facts do you base that statement?

Okay dokey. We'll agree to disagree on whether you are more subjective or at least your verbage is. I suppose that you could say pointing out that the Argeads weren't ever playing "Happy Families" is subjective and that Alexander was not that much different than his predecessors or succes...

I find your singular focus on Alexander's "failure" to be highly subjective. The history of the Argeads, at least that we know, was no sensible and orderly line of succession before Alexander. They were, like many before and after them (again see the War of the Roses) a bloody lot, how ma...

Where did I single you out? I was talking about the whole discussion, everywhere, that "if only Alexander had done this or that" his empire wouldn't have "crumbled"..though words like "idiotic" do suggest a certain subjectivity and judgement. Right..."the whole di...

And lastly I am always amused that a modern person would approve of world domination, or rather castigate the failure of such. Alexander served his "cosmic" purpose in that his advance brought a cultural exchange that altered the civilisations to this day. Where have I "approved of w...