ALEXANDER OF MACEDON This page intentionally left blank ALEXANDER OF MACEDON 356–323 b.c. A HISTORICAL BIOGRAPHY PETER GREEN With a New Preface by the Author Foreword by Eugene N. Borza UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley Los Angeles London University of California Press, one of the most distinguished university presses in the United States, enriches lives around the world by advancing scholarship in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation and by philanthropic contributions from individuals and institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu. University of California Press Berkeley and Los Angeles, California University of California Press, Ltd. London, England ©1991, 2013 by Peter Green First UC Press Paperback Printing 1992 ISBN:978-0-520-27586-7 The Library of Congress has catalogued the previous edition as follows: Green, Peter, 1924– Alexander of Macedon, 356–323 b.c. : a historical biography / Peter Green. p. cm. (Hellenistic culture and society : 11) Reprint. Originally published: Harmondsworth : Penguin, 1974. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN-13:978-0-520-07166-7 (alk. paper) 1. Alexander, the Great, 356–323 b.c. 3. Generals—Greece—Biography. 4. Greece—Kings and rulers—Biography I. Title. II. Series, DF234.G68 1991 938(cid:2).07(cid:2)092—dc20 91-7292 [B] CIP Manufactured in the United States of America 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 In keeping with a commitment to support environmentally responsible and sustainable printing practices, UC Press has printed this book on Rolland Enviro100, a 100% post-consumer fiber paper that is FSC certified, deinked, processed chlorine-free, and manufactured with renewable biogas energy. It is acid-free and EcoLogo certified. In Memoriam Ernst Badian Stillil miglior fabbro This page intentionally left blank - rtou dv!Xt 6 Me:ytXAt~!Xv8po.;; - 6 Me:y~XAt~~Xv8po.; ~d X!Xt ~!XcrtAe:ue:~ - Where is Great Alexander? - Great Alexander lives and reigns - Medieval Greek proverb 'HU(J)<; 1J.v rtpo.; lJ)..[yov &ve:~louv, <1 'Ove:cr(xpt't'e:, &rto6tXv~w we; !La6ot!lt 8rt(J)<; 't'!XU't'!X ol &v6p(J)rtot 't'6't'e: &v!Xytyvwcrxouv. e:t ~€ vuv !XIhcl: r€t!Xtvoum X!Xt &crrrcf.~ov't'!Xt, !L~ 6tXu!Lcf.crn.;· o(ov't'!Xt ycl:p ou !J.txp(j) 't'tVt 't'(j) ~e:At!X't't -ro1hcp &v!Xcrrtcf.cre:tv x€ o:cr-ro.; ~v rto:p''ij!J.(;">V e:uvoto:v. I should be glad, Onesicritus, to come back to life for a little while after my death to discover how men read these present events then. If now they praise and welcome them do not be surprised; they think, every one of them, that this is a fine bait to catch my goodwill. -Alexander the Great, quoted by Lucian in c. 40 of his essay How to Write History This page intentionally left blank Contents Foreword XI Preface to the 2013 Reprint XV Preface to the 1991 Reprint XXIII Preface and Acknowledgements xxix List of Maps and Battle Plans XXX Ill Key to Abbreviations XXXV Table of Dates xlv 1 Philip of Macedon 2 The Gardens of Midas 35 3 From a View to a Death 66 4 The Keys of the Kingdom 1 1 1 5 The Captain-General 1 52 6 The Road to lssus 1 82 7 Intimations of Immortality 236 8 The Lord of Asia 297 9 The Quest for Ocean 350 10 How Many Miles to Babylon? 412 Appendix: Propaganda at the Granicus 489 Notes and References 513 Sources of Information 569 Genealogical Table 586 Index 589