Alexander the Great and His Empire

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This publication marks the first English translation of Pierre Briant's classic history of Alexander the Great's conquest of the Persian Empire, spanning from the Mediterranean to Central Asia. Rather than focusing solely on Alexander's biography, it situates his brief empire within the broader context of ancient Near Eastern history under Achaemenid Persian rule and his Macedonian background. As a distinguished historian of both the Macedonians and Persians, Briant offers a unique perspective on Alexander's significance from the viewpoints of both conquerors and the conquered, examining what changed and what remained constant as the Hellenistic world emerged over Darius's Persia. The book begins with a concise account of Alexander's life prior to his invasion of Asia Minor, followed by an overview of the key stages of his conquest. This foundation leads into thematic chapters that delve into the origins and objectives of the conquest, the nature of resistance encountered, the administration and exploitation of conquered territories, and the complexities of Alexander's relationships with Macedonians, Greeks, and Persians, as well as the succession issues after his death. For this edition, Briant has added a new foreword and conclusion, updated the text and bibliography, and included an appendix evaluating current scholarship on Alexander and future research directions, enhancing this significant work's relevance and insight.