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)

#279: Why Exercising in a Group Is the Best Medicine For Vets (and Civilians)

#279: Why Exercising in a Group Is the Best Medicine For Vets (and Civilians)

In recent years, several new veterans organizations have popped up to help our men and women in uniform transition from the service to civilian life. Instead of providing a place where veterans can ge...

16 Feb 201721min

#278: The Surprising Benefits of Marriage for Men

#278: The Surprising Benefits of Marriage for Men

Today on the podcast I talk to Brad Wilcox, a professor of sociology at the University of Virginia, as well as the Director of the National Marriage Project, who's spent his career researching the imp...

14 Feb 201749min

#277: Krav Maga – The Self-Defense System of Israeli Special Forces

#277: Krav Maga – The Self-Defense System of Israeli Special Forces

Today on the podcast, I talk to David Kahn, chief instructor at the U.S. Israeli Krav Maga Association and the author of several books on the topic, including Krav Maga Defense. Today on the show, Dav...

10 Feb 201734min

#276: Utopia is Creepy

#276: Utopia is Creepy

Nicholas Carr and I discuss why he thinks our utopian future is creepy, how the internet is making us dumber, and why doing mundane tasks that we otherwise would outsource to robots or computers is ac...

7 Feb 201744min

#275: How Your Climate-Controlled Comfort Is Killing You

#275: How Your Climate-Controlled Comfort Is Killing You

Modern technology has provided us with an unprecedented amount of comfort. For example, with just a turn of a dial we can ensure that our homes are always set at a perpetual 71 degrees, even if it’s b...

2 Feb 201754min

#274: Building Your Band of Brothers

#274: Building Your Band of Brothers

Stephen Mansfield and I discuss the bleak statistics on male friendship, the myth of the lone alpha male, and why making friends in adulthood is so hard for men today. We then discuss what he means by...

31 Jan 201734min

#273: How to Get a Job Promotion This Year

#273: How to Get a Job Promotion This Year

For many of you listening, getting a promotion or a raise is likely a goal for the coming year. But what’s the best approach to take to ensure this desire becomes a reality?My guest today argues that ...

26 Jan 201729min

#272: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Myth of Progress

#272: C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and the Myth of Progress

On today’s show, Joseph Loconte and I discuss what C.S. Lewis called the “Myth of Progress” that had swept the Western World leading up to the First World War, why it contributed to the war's catastro...

24 Jan 201738min

Populärt inom Utbildning

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