FYI, 2 new books

[Tantalus]

Regina Books has a new book out. It just came in the mail today.

Alexander's Empire
Formulation to Decay

http://www.reginabooks.com/ancient&medieval.html

(Although their site incorrectly lists it as Foundation to Decay)

Editors:
Waldemar Heckel
Lawrence Tritle
Pat Wheatley

301 pages

The chapters are:

Rhetoric of Philippizing
Craig Cooper

The Panhellenism of Isocrates
Frances Pownall

The Philippeum, Women and the Formation of the Dynastic Image
Elizabeth D. Carney

Born to Rule? Succession in the Argead Royal House
Lynette Mitchell

Two Studies in the Reception and Representation of Alexander's Sexuality
Daniel Ogden

Alexander, Cleitus and Lanice: Upbringing and Maintenance
Victor Alonzo

The Games of Alexander the Great
Winthrop Lindsay Adams

The Gardener Became a King, or did he? The Case of Abdalonymus of Sidon
Stanley M. Burstein

Corinth, Greek Freedom and the Diadochoi, 323-301 BC
Michael Dixon

An Introduction to the Chronological Problems in Early Diadoch Sources and Scholarship
Pat Wheatley

Early Hellenistic Chronology: The Cuneiform Evidence
Edward M. Anson

Cuneiform Tablets and Aramaic Ostraca: Between the Low and High Chronologies of the Early Diadoch Period
Tom Boiy

War Elephants in the Hellenistic World
Christopher Epplett

Alexander as Icon: Some Socio-Political Contexts of Alexander the Great in Twentieth-Century Fiction
Jeanne Reames

The Arrian Parchment in Gothenburg: New Digital Processing Methods and Initial Results
Boris Dreyer

The Earliest Evidence for the Plot to Poison Alexander
Waldemar Heckel

_______________________


And in July Osprey is releasing:

Granicus 334 BC
Alexander’s First Persian Victory

http://www.ospreypublishing.com/title_d ... itle=T0994

Osprey's books often don't have the depth that I would like but I always end up buying them.

[amyntoros]

Hi Tantalus,

I had continued to check Amazon for this book but to date they are not showing it as published, so I was happy to see the information here (many thanks) and have put in an order to Regina Books. Not a bad price either - $19.95 including shipping!

Definitely many articles of interest here, although I only knew details of a couple of them in advance. Winthrop Lindsay Adams had kindly sent me an advance copy of his The Games of Alexander the Great a long while ago when I … ahem … erroneously challenged him on something he had written in his book on Alexander. Though not a highly revelatory article it is very useful and good to see the religious context of the games duly noted and discussed. And Jeanne Reames' piece, Alexander as Icon: Some Socio-Political Contexts of Alexander the Great in Twentieth-Century Fiction, must include the results of the questionnaire she posted here and on various fan-fiction forums some time ago. Should be very entertaining indeed.

The chapter on War Elephants looks promising, plus I had to smile on seeing that Heckel continues to write about the poison plot – I suspect that we shall argue ad infinitum on that particular subject. And there’s a lot more to pique my curiosity. Do let us know if you think any articles stand out - when you’ve had the opportunity to read the book, of course.

Best regards,

[Tantalus]

...many thanks...

You're very welcome!

Definitely many articles of interest here, although I only knew details of a couple of them in advance.

I could not find any of the articles listed anywhere either. So I manually typed them here because I was sure others would want to know.

Yes, the chapter on War Elephants looks very good. Epplett says that it wasn't his intention to go into every detail involving elephants because others like Scullard have already done that. But he wanted to discuss some lesser-known aspects including not only the military application of elephants but the infrastructure required to support them as well. There's a section on The Elephants of Alexander and another on The Elephants of the Hellenistic States.

BTW, for those not familiar with Scullard, he wrote The Elephant in the Greek and Roman World. It's an excellent book and well worth seeking out if you have an interest in the subject. It was written in 1974 and is out of print. So you may have to search for a reasonably priced copy.

And there’s a lot more to pique my curiosity. Do let us know if you think any articles stand out - when you’ve had the opportunity to read the book, of course.

Other than some quick flip throughs I haven't read any in detail yet. But the very wide variety of articles all appear to be well done. I will be going on vacation and may take it with me. If I don't take it with me it could end up on the "To Read" shelf. You know, the shelf that's bowed in the middle.

I will let you know of anything that particularly strikes me. My personality tends me to be more of a lurker on the forum but I'm going to try and participate more.

[marcus]

I will let you know of anything that particularly strikes me. My personality tends me to be more of a lurker on the forum but I'm going to try and participate more.

Hi Tantalus,

I echo all that Amyntoros said - I wasn't aware of the book but it looks very interesting, and I shall definitely want to be getting a copy of that. Thanks for the heads up.

As for the Osprey book - I agree with you about the lack of depth (sometimes). But they're always nicely produced, with good illustrations, which is what I'm after, in the end (I know enough about the military aspects without needing any new books).

ATB

[Paralus]

I know enough about the military aspects without needing any new books.

I wish I could say that......about any subject.

Marcus (as Wilde): You will Paralus; you will.

[marcus]

I know enough about the military aspects without needing any new books.

I wish I could say that......about any subject.

Marcus (as Wilde): You will Paralus; you will.

Re-reading my own message, that does come across as being rather pompous, doesn't it?

But it's true - unless the Osprey book is going to come out with any startling revelation, then I have sufficient book-shelf space devoted to the military aspects of Alexander's campaigns. As stated, however, they are always very nicely presented, and this new one will join the rest of my library in due course.

ATB