The Nature of Alexander the Great by Mary Renault

The Nature of Alexander the Great by Mary Renault

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Summary

Alexander the Great has been condemned for sins which in his time were merits, and credited with 19th-century virtues which his own culture despised. This biography challenges the ideological interpreters of Alexander, past and present, who have sought to remove him from the context of his era.

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The Nature of Alexander the Great by Mary Renault

More has been written about Alexander the Great than any other figure in history. Like his boyhood hero, Achilles, he traded long life for lasting fame. King of Macedonia before he was twenty, Alexander went on to become the greatest conqueror of the ancient world, inspiring legends in his lifetime and after his death. Every age has interpreted him to suit their own values: either as a ruthless destroyer who eliminated all those who stood in his path, or as a far-sighted statesman pursuing a civilizing mission for the world. He has been condemned for sins that in his time were merits and credited with romantic 19th-century virtues which his own culture despised. In this hard-hitting work, Mary Renault, who spent years studying the Hellenistic world, peels off the layers of wishful thinking to reveal the real Alexander beneath. Re-examining the crucial episodes in his life: the murder of his father, Philip, in which he was implicated, the sacking of Thebes and his dying wishes, this study places him in the rightful context of his times.
Mary Renault is justly famous for her sensitive and percipient interpretations of the Hellenistic world. She is the author of three best-selling novels about Alexander the Great: FIRE FROM HEAVEN, THE PERSIAN BOY and FUNERAL GAMES.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9780141390765
ISBN 10 014139076X
Title The Nature of Alexander the Great
Author Mary Renault
Series Penguin Classic Biography S
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Year published 2001-08-30
Number of pages 240
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.