Alexander the Great ─ The Hunt For A New Past

Paul Cartledge, one of the world’s foremost scholars of ancient Greece, illuminates the brief but iconic life of Alexander (356-323 BC), king of Macedon, conqueror of the Persian Empire, and founder of a new world order.

Alexander's legacy has had a major impact on military tacticians, scholars, statesmen, adventurers, authors, and filmmakers. Cartledge brilliantly evokes Alexander's remarkable political and military accomplishments, cutting through the myths to show why he was such a great leader. He explores our endless fascination with Alexander and gives us insight into his charismatic leadership, his capacity for brutality, and his sophisticated grasp of international politics. Alexander the Great is an engaging portrait of a fascinating man, and a welcome balance to the myths, legends, and often skewed history that have obscured the real Alexander.

Paul Cartledge is widely acknowledged to be the world's leading expert on the subject of Sparta and ancient Greece. He is Professor of Greek History and Chairman of the Classics Faculty at Cambridge University and has written and edited many articles and books, including The Spartans, published by Anchor, the subject of a PBS documentary series of the same name. Cartledge is also academic consultant to the BBC and PBS for the series The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization.