ALEXANDER III., known as The Great (356–323 B.C.), king of Macedon, was the son of Philip II. of Macedon, and Olympias, an Epirote princess. His father was pre-eminent for practical genius, his mother a woman of half-wild blood, weird, visionary and terrible; and Alexander himself is singular among men of action for the imaginative splendours which guided him, and among romantic dreamers for the things he achieved. He was born in 356 B.C., probably about October (Hogarth, pp. 284 ff.).
The court at which he grew up was the focus of great activities, for Philip, by war and diplomacy, was raising Macedon to the headship of the Greek states, and the air was charged with great ideas. To unite the Greek race in a war against the Persian empire was set up as the ultimate mark for ambition, the theme of idealists. The great literary achievements of the Greeks in the 5th century lay already far enough behind to have become invested with a classical dignity; the meaning of Hellenic civilization had been made concrete in a way which might sustain enthusiasm for a body of ideal values, authoritative by tradition. And upon Alexander in his fourteenth year this sum of tradition was brought to bear through the person of the man who beyond all others had gathered it up into an organic whole: in 343–342 Aristotle (q.v.) came to Pella at Philip’s bidding to direct the education of his son. We do not know what faculty the master-thinker may have had for captivating this ardent spirit; at any rate Alexander carried with him through life a passion for Homer, however he may have been disposed to greyer philosophic theory.
Cleopatra was by birth an Egyptian; by ancestry and descent she was a Greek. Thus, while Alexandria and the delta of the Nile formed the scene of the most important events and incidents of her history, it was the blood of Macedon which flowed in her veins. Her character and action are marked by the genius, the courage, the originality, and the impulsiveness pertaining to the stock from which she sprung. The events of her history, on the other hand, and the peculiar character of her adventures, her sufferings, and her sins, were determined by the circumstances with which she was surrounded, and the influences which were brought to bear upon her in the soft and voluptuous clime where the scenes of her early life were laid...
Alexander the Great was one of the most successful military commanders in history, and was undefeated in battle. By the time of his death, he had conquered most of the world known to the ancient Greeks. Alexander the Great is one of many biographies aimed at young people written by Jacob Abbott and his brother. The biographies are written in such a way that makes them appealing and easily accessible to everyone. Jacob Abbott was an American writer of children's books.
Jacob Abbott chronicles the unspeakably treacherous rise of Richard III to the throne of England in the midst of the war between the Yorks and the Lancasters and his ultimate fall on the Field of Bosworth. Jacob Abbott was an American writer of children's books.
Chronicles the life of Richard II, born in 1367 in Bordeaux, France, who later wore the crown of King of England. Jacob Abbott was an American writer of children's books.
Julius Caesar is widely considered to be one of the greatest military geniuses of all time, a brilliant politician, and one of the ancient world's strongest leaders. Caesar was proclaimed dictator for life, and heavily centralised the already faltering government of the weak Republic. However, Caesar's friend Marcus Brutus conspired with others to assassinate Caesar in hopes of saving the Republic. The dramatic assassination on the Ides of March, ushered in Octavian (later known as Caesar Augustus) as the first emperor and undisputed leader of the Roman world.
Alexander the Great is a towering figure in ancient history because of his legendary conquests throughout Europe, Asia, and Africa. He was born in 356 BC to the noble family of Macedon. As such, he was afforded with great luxuries growing up including having Aristotle as his private tutor. After his father was assassinated, he took over the throne and inherited a formidable army which he would put to tremendous use. Alexander was just in his early twenties when he embarked on an ambitious expansion of his territories. Despite his youth, he proved to be a capable military strategist and captured nearly all the kingdoms in his path, often leading the battles himself. Even the mighty Persians who had terrorized the Greek states for centuries had been defeated by his army. He also conquered Egypt, took the title of Pharaoh, and founded the city of Alexandria.
His campaigns reached as far as India and could have gone farther if not for his men's refusal to march on due to homesickness. Despite this premature turnaround back to Macedon, he was able to consolidate most of the known world under his rule-a feat never before achieved. He caught a vicious illness on the way back and died at the age of thirty-two far away from his home. This book is part of a biography series by brothers Jacob and John Abbott first published in 1876 with a few updates and revisions. It continues to be one of the best books written on Alexander the Great, his incredible conquests, his eventual downfall, and the aftermath of his death.It is filled with fascinating details and deep insights into that period in history. Alexander's military tactics are still taught the world over and his influence lingers even after thousands of years.
This book is one of the best books ever written on Alexander the Great, his incredible conquests, his eventual downfall, and the aftermath of his death.
It is filled with fascinating details and deep insights into that period in history. Alexander's military tactics are still taught the world over and his influence lingers even after thousands of years.
Alexander the Great is a towering figure in ancient history because of his legendary conquests throughout Europe, Asia and Africa. He was born in 356 BC to the noble family of Macedon. As such, he was afforded with great luxuries growing up including having Aristotle as his private tutor. After his father was assassinated, he took over the throne and inherited a formidable army which he would put to tremendous use.
His campaigns reached as far as India and could have gone farther if not for his men's refusal to march on due to homesickness. Despite this premature turnaround back to Macedon, he was able to consolidate most of the known world under his rule -- a feat never before achieved.
Cleopatra is probably one of the most well-known women in history, right alongside Joan of Arc and many other prominent ladies who have changed the face of history as we know it.
The lesser known details of her reign, as well as her methods of seduction, philosophies and involvement in world politics, however, are seldom discussed at length. Jacob Abbott's Cleopatra is probably one of the few books that truly discusses these matters in great detail, and it is still considered accurate and well-written, despite being just about two centuries old.
Cleopatra is the story of the great ruler of Egypt, who has oftentimes instilled inspiration, respect and even fear in the hearts of her political opponents. Considered by many to be a brilliant strategist, an unscrupulous ruler, a philosopher queen, and a woman who wasn't afraid to use her unique qualities and talents to seduce her male opponents, Cleopatra's life was complex and intricate, while still many of the facts associated with her political moves and their true extent are not fully understood.
