Curtius on Alexander the Great and Hephaestion
This post looks at what Quintus Curtius Rufus (aka simply Curtius) wrote about Alexander and Hephaestion. Curtius was a Roman historian who wrote The History of Alexander in the First Century AD (a few decades before both Plutarch and Arrian). The History of Alexander is considered one of the five main sources on Alexander's campaign.
Is this what ancient Greek music sounded like?
Apparently, this is a close rendition of what a song sounded like in ancient Greek. The lyrics and music were taken from inscriptions on a marble column more than 2,000 years old.
Plutarch on Alexander the Great & Hephaestion
As far as I can tell, the first major insight Plutarch offers into Alexander's relationship with Hephaestion comes in Book 39, as he discusses Alexander's mother's habit of sending her son private letters from Macedon.
Arrian on Alexander the Great & Hephaestion
Arrian's first mention of Hephaestion comes in Book I of his account, when Alexander and his army visit the ruins of Troy. There, Arrian writes that Alexander traded armor at the Temple of Athena, then proceeded to honor the tombs of those who fought at Troy.
How Reliable is Arrian's Account of Alexander's Personality?
Arrian primarily relied on the accounts of Ptolemy (Alexander's childhood friend, soldier in his army, and ruler of Egypt after Alexander's death) and Aristobulus (an engineer who worked for Alexander). Both of these men knew Alexander personally and were present for much of his campaign, unlike other contemporaries of Alexander who wrote their own accounts.
How Did Achilles Die?
This question, which I discovered on Quora last night, seems very straightforward. However, Achilles is a figure of myth, rather than history. Like many mythological figures, the stories about him evolved over time and contain discrepancies.
a clearer path
Those of you who have followed my blog over the last few months may have noticed that I seem to jump around a lot. Psychology. History. Tech. Motivational mumbo jumbo, etc. I attribute that mostly to a lack of direction.
Did Alexander the Great Really Idolize Achilles?
Oxford historian Robin Lane Fox, whose biography of Alexander was the primary inspiration behind Oliver Stone's film Alexander, has long maintained that Alexander the Great saw himself as a kind of "new Achilles". Many other scholars agree with Fox that the myth of Achilles played a key role in Alexander's public persona and personal motivation. But are they right?
What was Alexander the Great's IQ?
Although there is no way to estimate Alexander's IQ with any degree of confidence (he obviously never took an IQ test or anything remotely similar to one), we do have plenty of clues as to his intelligence.
Book Review: The Song of Achilles
After my second reading of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, I'm ready to offer a few thoughts.
The 6 Leadership Secrets of Alexander the Great
While studying Alexander the Great's leadership style over the past year and half, I have come across many lists claiming to reveal the Macedonian king's secrets to success. At best, the lists I've seen are a random assortment of vague tips like "Be unsurpassed in execution" and "Encourage innovation". Hard to argue there. At worst, these lists lack any regard for historical accuracy or the modern study of leadership. So, I decided to improve on these lists with one of my own.
do experts really exist?
I don't have a PhD in history. I wasn't even a history major in college. So what gives me the expertise to write a book about history? Perfectly legitimate question. And it's one I've been thinking about a lot lately.
whiplash and the quest for greatness
Fletcher doesn't consider his teaching style abuse. He considers it the only means to bringing out greatness in his students. According to him, the worst thing you can tell a student is "good job", because positive praise like this fosters a sense of complacency. For Fletcher, struggle and humiliation are the ultimate motivators.
the author as adventurer
The nonfiction author must lead the reader on an adventure. In some cases, it may be possible to reverse engineer an adventure through dissecting scholarly studies and ancient sources, but that's not the optimal approach
Guy Leekley - A True Seeker
Over the weekend, I received news that a good friend of mine named Guy Leekley passed away. He had battled cancer for 20 years, with multiple relapses, and had spent the better part of the last year resigned to his bed.
August Reviews
Multiple people have been recommending this book to me ever since it came out a couple of years ago. I remembered the book generating something of a buzz after author Reza Aslan, a regular on political news programs, had a run-in with a host on Fox News in 2013.
making sense of a hero's motivation
Perhaps no mythological figure has aroused more controversy, both in ancient and modern times, than the Thessalian warrior Achilles. In this article, I try to make sense of the somewhat contradictory interpretations of Achilles' motivation for returning to battle during the Trojan War.
a first draft
71,852 words later, a first draft of the Achilles Gene is hot off the press.