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Alexander the Great and the Macedonian Empire

via The Great Courses Plus

Overview

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Go beyond the myth and learn about the man who changed the face of the ancient world and laid the foundation for the great traditions of the Roman Empire. These 36 spellbinding lectures by noted historian Professor Kenneth Harl of Tulane University take you deep inside the world of Alexander to witness the astonishing feats of military genius that made his name renowned for millennia after his death.

You'll go beyond the legends and the myths to truly understand what made Alexander great. Along the way, several Alexanders emerge: the military general, Macedonian king, Persian emperor, Egyptian pharaoh, and leader of the Hellenic League. You learn about the many aspects of this extraordinary individual - his passions, extraordinary talents, and the training that helped mold his character.

You'll learn how battles were fought and won in the ancient world and examine Alexander's great martial achievements within this larger military history. You'll also head onto the battlefield to analyze some of his greatest triumphs, including the Battle of the Granicus River and the Battle of the Hydaspes River. Alexander's empire did not survive beyond his lifetime, but his legacy has cast a long shadow on the history of the West. Join Professor Harl for this journey into the world of Alexander and see how the world still bears the marks of this legendary conqueror.

Syllabus

  • Alexander the Great-Conqueror or Tyrant?
  • Greece in the Age of Hegemonies
  • Achaemenid Persia
  • The World of Early Macedon
  • Philip II and the Macedonian Way of War
  • The Third Sacred War
  • The Macedonian Conquest of Greece
  • The League of Corinth
  • Alexander, Heir Apparent
  • Securing the Inheritance, 336-335 B.C.
  • The Invasion of Asia
  • The Battle of the Granicus
  • The Turning Point-Issus and Tyre
  • Alexander, Pharaoh of Egypt
  • Heroes, Oracles, and the Gods
  • The Campaign of Gaugamela
  • The Conquest of Iran
  • Alexander on the Rim of the World
  • Governing and Taxing the Empire
  • Alexander and the Macedonian Opposition
  • The Invasion of India
  • The Battle of the Hydaspes
  • Mutiny and Withdrawal
  • The Gedrosian Desert and Voyage of Nearchus
  • Deification and Succession
  • Alexander and the Macedonians-Opis
  • Alexander and the Greeks-The Lamian War
  • The Diadochoi, 323-316 B.C.
  • The Partition of the Empire, 316-301 B.C.
  • The Hellenistic Concert of Powers
  • Macedonian Courts in the Near East
  • The Hellenization of the Near East
  • The Monetization of the Near East
  • Hellenization and the Gods
  • The Limits of Hellenization
  • Alexander the Great and the Shadow of Rome

Taught by

Kenneth W. Harl

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