Search found 23 matches

by adisciplus
Wed Jan 25, 2017 3:21 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: League of Corinth and the Amphictyonic League
Replies: 2
Views: 3113

League of Corinth and the Amphictyonic League

The Amphictyonic League met at Thermopylae and Delphi on the spring and autumnal equinoxes respectively. Philip had received two votes of the Amphictyonic League in 346. Yet he instituted a separate Hellenic League (now called the "League of Corinth") in September 338. Demosthenes had been...
by adisciplus
Tue Nov 15, 2016 12:16 am
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Where was Dion after the Olympics in Jul 360 and his invastion in Aug 357?
Replies: 4
Views: 14083

Re: Where was Dion after the Olympics in Jul 360 and his invastion in Aug 357?

The majority of his army were democratic exiles turned mercenaries based in Zacynthos. Timotheos had established this town as a base for them in about 375. Very few of the Syracusan exiles accompanied Dion back. Dion likely did travel, trying to drum up support. However, for any support he gathered ...
by adisciplus
Tue Nov 08, 2016 1:45 am
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Where was Dion after the Olympics in Jul 360 and his invastion in Aug 357?
Replies: 4
Views: 14083

Where was Dion after the Olympics in Jul 360 and his invastion in Aug 357?

Philip of Macedon was quite interested in the policies of Dionysius the Elder. Philip interviewed his son Dionysius II in Corinth, after he had been expelled from Sicily. Plato's friend Dion was the first to expel Dionysius II leading the invasion in August 357. Dion made his intentions known during...
by adisciplus
Mon Aug 22, 2016 2:28 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Alexander sent Afghan soil to his mother?
Replies: 9
Views: 26307

Alexander sent Afghan soil to his mother?

The movie "Hyena Road" mentions the legend, also mentioned by Steven Pressfield, that Alexander sent Afghanistan soil to his mother. “Alexander’s mother Olympias wrote him a letter once,” the officer tells me, “getting on his case for taking so long to knock off these primitive, poverty-st...
by adisciplus
Fri Jun 26, 2015 4:27 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Where have all the Persians gone?
Replies: 3
Views: 2825

Re: Where have all the Persians gone?

In a quick read of Diodorus, there is near silence on what became of the Persians that outnumbered the Macedonians in Alexander's final years: Diodorus, 18.7 Peithon’s army is made up of Macedonian’s not Persians Diodorus, 18.16 Perdiccas is able to defeat Ariarathes’s army that contains 30,000 infa...
by adisciplus
Thu Jun 25, 2015 2:51 pm
Forum: Alexander's contemporaries
Topic: When did Cassander leave Babylon?
Replies: 6
Views: 8262

Re: When did Cassander leave Babylon?

Thanks for the detailed reply and likely what happened. I'm still puzzled why the commitment at the initial settlement to prefer Antipater to Krateros. Antipater's Macedonian army (absent the Thessalians) was not very experienced, as evidenced by Lamia. The Companions that had traveled and fought to...
by adisciplus
Wed Jun 24, 2015 10:57 pm
Forum: Alexander's contemporaries
Topic: When did Cassander leave Babylon?
Replies: 6
Views: 8262

When did Cassander leave Babylon?

Cassander arrived in Babylon shortly before Hephaestion's funeral (May 323). In the settlement of Babylon, "Cassander, the son of Antipater, was made commander of the king’s guards and attendants." (Justin, Epitome of the Philippic History of Pompeius Trogus, 13.4) This suggests that he re...
by adisciplus
Wed Jun 24, 2015 4:41 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Where have all the Persians gone?
Replies: 3
Views: 2825

Where have all the Persians gone?

We have many examples of Macedonian soldiers being greatly displeased at Alexander's adoption of Persian customs (Arr. 7.8.1;Plut. Alex. 71). Some Persianization examples include: Early in the campaign, Alexander adopted the title “king of Asia” and the Persian tent After the death of Darius, he beg...
by adisciplus
Mon Aug 09, 2010 2:13 am
Forum: Alexander's contemporaries
Topic: Aristotle's estate in Chalcis
Replies: 0
Views: 4615

Aristotle's estate in Chalcis

Definitely off-topic, but as this is the most active forum I've found on ancient Greece, here goes... [Argument why it belongs in this forum.... Aristotle's life was wrapped up with Macedonian royalty. His father was physician to Alexander's grandfather, he was in the employ of Alexander's father an...
by adisciplus
Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:06 pm
Forum: Philip and Alexander's predecessors
Topic: Following the money
Replies: 1
Views: 1933

Following the money

Can anyone explain what happened to Philip's money? When Philip reorganized the gold mines, this was said to amount to 1,000 talents/year. (His harbor revenues from the coastal towns, Pydna and Methone, would have increased this figure, but let's keep to the round number for now, since the combined ...
by adisciplus
Fri Feb 26, 2010 4:54 pm
Forum: Art and Culture
Topic: Purpose of Statues by Claude Mosse
Replies: 3
Views: 2219

Re: Purpose of Statues by Claude Mosse

Does he distinguish statues that are erected in the Agora (e.g., Ephesus, Athens), vs in a temple (e.g., Delphi), vs in an fort (e.g., Athen's Acropolis)? Many statues were erected to people not considered heroes or gods: - Philip (or Alexander) erected gold/ivory statues to *his wife* and Alexander...
by adisciplus
Thu Feb 18, 2010 7:54 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Cicero on Philip Letter to Alexander
Replies: 3
Views: 1826

Re: Cicero on Philip Letter to Alexander

I believe one of the Alexander Romances also contains the story of Philip rebuking Alexander (and Aristotle defending him) for trying to buy allegiances. Since Philip (and Persia) were renowned for using well placed bribes to accomplish political aims, this story may be trying to paint Philip as a h...
by adisciplus
Fri Feb 12, 2010 11:36 pm
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: Missing guests at Medios'/Medius' Banquet
Replies: 4
Views: 2035

Missing guests at Medios'/Medius' Banquet

The longer list of guests at Medios' (Medius') Banquet is from the Alexander Romance, and thus suspect in terms of accuracy. There are various translations, which do not completely agree on attendees. However, assuming that the pamphlet was written as propaganda, then there should have been a reason...
by adisciplus
Sat Jan 30, 2010 3:05 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: When and why did Antipater dispatch Cassander to Alexander?
Replies: 6
Views: 3069

Re: When and why did Antipater dispatch Cassander to Alexander?

Thank you for that detailed reply! Providing additional detail behind traveling the Royal Road in 7 days: Total distance = 1,677 miles Divided by 7 days = 239.6 miles/day Divided by 24 hours = 9.98 miles/hour If a horse can only travel 60 miles/day, this means switching mounts (and riders for messag...
by adisciplus
Fri Jan 29, 2010 12:28 am
Forum: Discuss Alexander the Great
Topic: When and why did Antipater dispatch Cassander to Alexander?
Replies: 6
Views: 3069

Re: When and why did Antipater dispatch Cassander to Alexander?

Good point. While Alexander was wary of Antipater "being purple on the inside," and dismissive of his accomplishments in "battle of mice," I don't believe he fell out of favor until "new" letters from Olympias reached after his return from India. The sources suggest Cas...