A Review on Paul Cartledge: Alexander the Great

Paul Cartledge is a British ancient historian and an academic and he is also known for all his works of ancient Greece and Sparta, especially a novel named THE SPARTANS. Cartledge was educated at St Paul's School and New College, Oxford, where, with his contemporaries Robin Lane Fox and Terence Irwin, he was a student of G. E. M. de Ste. Croix. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He was later promoted to MA or Master of Arts after six to seven years by seniority as a member of the university, in 1969. He remained at the University of Oxford to undertake postgraduate studies, completing a Doctorate of Philosophy. His thesis focused on Spartan archaeology. Carteledge published the book called Alexander the Great, his ninth publication of a historical book in his career, in 2004. This is not his first book on ancient greece, his literary career seems to focus on ancient history with a consistent focus on the Greek.

In this book, Carteldge, narrates the life and upcoming of Alexander III of Macedon or also known as Alexander the Great. Cartledge takes issue with those who contend that Alexander's greatest contribution was to spread Hellenism. He argues instead that Alexander, while sincerely attached to Hellenism, was more concerned with the glory his conquests brought him. On the other hand, this book also emphasizes Alexander's early life and his interests during this time in his life. More specifically Cartledge highlights the importance of hunting in Alexander's life. By this he means hunting game, the killing of animals for sport in order to gain glory and reputation.

This is a constant theme in his life as well since even as a grown man his main concern was to be remembered and to bask in the glory of power. The author successfully accomplished his goal to explain the history, the myth and the mythistory of the book, Alexander the Great. Cartledge furnishes itemized chronicles of Alexander's fights with the Persians, the Tyrians and the Babylonians as he shows the youthful lord's military virtuoso and yearn for achievement in war. As indicated by Cartledge, Alexander's adoration for hunting game offers the way to his life and rule. It drove him, for instance, to effectively adjust for military fights many chasing techniques, for example, the unexpected assault, a remarkably Alexandrine commitment.

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