The Conquering Father Who Made an Empire-Building Son

The Conquering Father Who Made an Empire-Building Son

If asked to think about the greatest generals of the ancient world, one name is likely to come to mind first: Alexander the Great — the incomparable military commander who amassed the world's largest empire by the time he was but thirty years old. A name that probably won't come to mind, however, is that of Philip the II, Alexander's father.


But my guest today argues that if Philip hadn't done all that he did, Alexander wouldn't have been able to do all that he did. His name is Adrian Goldsworthy, and he's a classical historian and the author of numerous books on antiquity, including Philip and Alexander: Kings and Conquerors. Adrian first surveys the state of the Macedonians before Philip assumed the throne, sharing how they differed from other Greeks, who actually weren’t sure Macedonians even counted as fellow Greeks, and how Macedon was burdened with political instability, a deficient army, and a palace full of deadly intrigue. Adrian then explains how Philip, despite having little political or military experience, was able to take control and turn his army and kingdom around, including the innovations in weaponry and tactics that allowed him to achieve domination in Greece. We then talk about the relationship between Philip and his son Alexander, and how Alexander inherited many things from his father that set him up for his own success, including the plan to invade the Persian Empire. We end our conversation exploring the question of whether Philip, if he had lived longer, could have achieved what Alexander did.


After the show is over, check out the show notes at aom.is/philipandalexander

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Avsnitt(1158)

#352: A Famous Butcher Dishes on All Things Meat

#352: A Famous Butcher Dishes on All Things Meat

While meat makes up a big portion of Americans' diet, few people know very much about how meat is sourced and butchered for consumption. Today on the show, I talk to a world-renowned third-generation ...

31 Okt 201740min

#351: The Surprising Power of a "Useless" Liberal Arts Education

#351: The Surprising Power of a "Useless" Liberal Arts Education

We’ve all heard the jokes about useless liberal arts degrees, but my guest today argues that in today’s high tech economy, liberal arts degrees can be incredibly useful and even lucrative. His name is...

26 Okt 201731min

#350: Peak Performance — Elevate Your Game and Avoid Burnout

#350: Peak Performance — Elevate Your Game and Avoid Burnout

When you train your body, you actually don’t get stronger while you’re lifting weights. You get stronger after your training session and during your recovery period. For your muscles to fully adapt an...

25 Okt 201757min

#349: Is This a Date or Not? The Problem With Ambiguity in Relationships

#349: Is This a Date or Not? The Problem With Ambiguity in Relationships

Dating has never been more ambiguous than it is today. People sort of end up with each other without explicitly defining the nature of their relationship, level of commitment, or expectations for the ...

19 Okt 201751min

#348: A Counterintelligence Expert's Five Rules to Lead and Succeed

#348: A Counterintelligence Expert's Five Rules to Lead and Succeed

Trust. It certainly makes life easier when it exists. Instead of having to craft complicated contracts for a business deal, a simple handshake will do. Instead of surveilling your spouse like the NSA,...

17 Okt 201738min

#347: The Science of Social Awkwardness

#347: The Science of Social Awkwardness

You’ve likely experienced an awkward moment or two in your life. You say or do something that’s out of social sync, leaving the person you’re interacting with bemused, and you feeling like running and...

12 Okt 201736min

#346: The Fall of the Roman Republic

#346: The Fall of the Roman Republic

There’s been a lot written and said about the fall of the Roman Empire. But what often gets overlooked is that before Rome became an empire with what was effectively a king, it was a kingless republic...

11 Okt 201756min

#345: Not Caring What Other People Think Is a Superpower

#345: Not Caring What Other People Think Is a Superpower

Oftentimes when you start making positive changes for the better in your life, you’re going to have people, even people really close to you who claim to care about you, intentionally or unintentionall...

6 Okt 201754min

Populärt inom Utbildning

historiepodden-se
rss-bara-en-till-om-missbruk-medberoende-2
det-skaver
alska-oss
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
nu-blir-det-historia
johannes-hansen-podcast
sektledare
roda-vita-rosen
rss-viktmedicinpodden
not-fanny-anymore
allt-du-velat-veta
rss-foraldramotet-bring-lagercrantz
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
i-vantan-pa-katastrofen
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
sa-in-i-sjalen
rss-sjalsligt-avkladd
rss-basta-livet
rss-traningsklubben