The essential history of Alexander the Great, compelling and
brilliantly realized
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), who led the Macedonian army to victory
in Egypt, Syria, Persia and India, was perhaps the most successful
conqueror the world has ever seen. Yet although no other individual has
attracted so much speculation across the centuries, Alexander himself
remains an enigma. Curtius' History offers a great deal of information
unobtainable from other sources of the time. A compelling narrative of a
turbulent era, the work recounts events on a heroic scale, detailing
court intrigue, stirring speeches and brutal battles--among them, those
of Macedonia's great war with Persia, which was to culminate in
Alexander's final triumph over King Darius and the defeat of an ancient
and mighty empire. It also provides by far the most plausible and
haunting portrait of Alexander we possess: a brilliantly realized image
of a man ruined by constant good fortune in his youth.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of
classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700
titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works
throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the
series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and
notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as
up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
