The life of Alexander the Great took him to every corner of the ancient world. His memory and glamour persist, and his early death at thirty-three has kept him evergreen in our imaginations. But who was he in his own time? Naturally inquisitive, fascinated by science and exploration, Alexander exhibited respect for traditions as his empire grew-- yet glorified war and was known to commit acts of great cruelty. Did Alexander die of natural causes, or did his marshals, angered by his tyrannical behavior, kill him? Everitt judges Alexander's life against the criteria of his own age and considers all his contradictions. -- adapted from jacket
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