Book Review: Darius in the Shadow of Alexander, by Pierre Briant
Pierre Briant reads between the lines of ancient Greco-Roman sources to reconstruct a narrative of Darius III, the oft-overshadowed king of Persia during the reign of Alexander the Great.
View ArticleDid Generals Really Lead from the Front?
Dear Jim, Leadership has always required a judgment call between being in a position to know what’s going on everywhere on the battlefield and positioning oneself to inspire the troops. After...
View ArticleWhat Battle Did Alexander the Great Win at Age 16?
What was the first battle called that Alexander the Great won, when he was 16? Madisyn ? ? ? Dear Madisyn, Alexander has just completed his studies under Aristotle when King Philip II of Macedon set...
View ArticleWeaponry: The Caltrop
Diabolical in its simplicity, the ancient, durable caltrop remains an effective defensive weapon today. By Robert W. Reid The post Weaponry: The Caltrop appeared first on HistoryNet.
View ArticleBattle of Gaugamela: Alexander Versus Darius
On Sept. 30, 331 BC, the fate of the Greek and Persian empires was decided on a plain 70 miles north of present-day Irbil, Iraq. Alexander the Great faced King Darius III, also called Darius Codomanus,...
View ArticleWhat We Learned… from the Hydaspes River
At the Hydaspes, Alexander the Great faced a forced river crossing opposed by a strong enemy. The methods he employed to defeat Porus' army and open the road to India are still viable over 2,000 years...
View ArticleWars of Alexander the Great: Battle of the Hydaspes River
Acceding to his weary soldiers' wishes, Alexander the Great turned homeward from India -- but even the trip back would require battle and conquest. The post Wars of Alexander the Great: Battle of the...
View ArticleWars of Alexander the Great: Battle of the Granicus
The Persians hoped to win the Battle of the Granicus by killing King Alexander III. But in his first major action in Asia, the Macedonian commander employed tactics that would win him an empire. The...
View ArticleWars of Alexander the Great: Battle of Issus
King Darius III had cut off the Macedonian upstart who had dared invade his mighty empire-but then Alexander moved to slash his way out of the trap. The post Wars of Alexander the Great: Battle of...
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